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Helicopter rigs

Been using, quick change hooklink swivels,
in conjunction with Guru medium line stops.
 
Jon.
I have always fished above, always concerned if level potential for hook catching, especially if mesh feeder used.
However, looking online it seems many tie so the hooklink is below?

Do you sure beads or rubber float stops?
I only fish short hooklinks of 4 to 5 inch, long enough to just touch the top of the feeder. Im no expert but it works for me. I use Guru medium line stops. They rarely move at all.
It is Tench, Bream and Roach ypir after?
 
Mainly tench but carp come into play. Yes 5-6" hooklink

Had quite a few carp last year Jon on one water and decent sport most into df and a few 20's.

I had a few problems with the sink tube sliding up the line after coming out of the rubber so added a float stop above that slides off easily but does enough to stop rigtube movement.

Looking at making it easier and saw some anglers simply use 2 float stops as heli rather than beads. But seeing that it seems many tie up to have hook below any weight.?
 
Hi Graham. Use heli rigs a lot for tench, bream plus carp that come along. Definitely hook above feeder. Just use stops with no beads or sink tube, and just a small swivel with a small anti tangle sleeve to kick a 4” fluoro hook length away from the main line so no tangles. Simple and reliable (that’s me 😊).
 
Yes Rod.

I am thinking that way myself thanks Rod.

I probably will miss out the boom. Never found a tangle when hook has pva mesh bag with samples AND hook above weight.
One of the reasons I asked.

Although I am going to ditch it I think the sink tube probably does, simply due weight, help hooking on a slack line once rig straightened
 
Rod, is that the rig you would use to pop up maggots ?
Yes Cliff. I often fish buoyant plastic mags with or without real ones directly on the hook. A knotless knot with a small hook on fluoro is a very reliable hooker. However, I have also used a T-rig with an in-line maggot feeder for tench and carp which also works very well.
 
Yes Rod.

I am thinking that way myself thanks Rod.

I probably will miss out the boom. Never found a tangle when hook has pva mesh bag with samples AND hook above weight.
One of the reasons I asked.

Although I am going to ditch it I think the sink tube probably does, simply due weight, help hooking on a slack line once rig straightened
Yes, a pva bag good for avoiding tangles to. I only use a short anti-tangle sleeve, but it’s the fluoro that really keeps me out of trouble. I’m mostly on shallow lakes at range which minimises the angle of the line off the back of the rig, so I am able to fish very tight lines.
 
Im just wondering if anyof you have use the helicopter rig on rivers for roach pros and cons ? .
 
these days i fish for big roach - i use a two hook helicopter rig - 4" hooklinks of approx 7lb stiff fluorocarbon even to size 16 hooks so tangle free - does not bother the roach at all

the first hooklink is just about level with the feeder (drennan Feederbomb) - the upper hooklink is about 600mm further up the leader

90% of the big roach fall to the upper rig - they hang back whilst the 'sprats' gorge near the feeder (food source)

this is critical in consistently catching big roach

all the above relates to maggot fishing

but i also fish mini boilies over spombed crushed hemp and sweetcorn - takes come equally on all rigs

BUT the big difference is how you bait the area in front of you - and that for now i'm keeping secret - but think full size snooker table, lol

i have spent year developing this rig especially the 'leader' on which the hooklinks sit - i now use approx 900mm of 45lb heavy sinking braid as the leader and Korum Ready Heli-Kits with a few personal mods
 
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Hi Jon

glad it helps

i have spent a hell of a lot of time on developing this rig

initially i used the 'old style' rig with about 150 - 300mm of 14lb powergum to supposedly stop you 'bumping off' fish - well i found its bollocks as i use braided sinking mainline - powergum did nothing apart from ruining a good rig

a small tip - when setting up the helicopter instead of using straight from the packet - buy some cheap (Ebay) clear small round beads - put these either side of the hooklink swivel - vastly improves 'rotation' when casting and gives zero tangles

sometimes when you retrieve you will find the hooklink wrapped around the leader - its not a fault - just some baits like sweetcorn 'rotate' on retrieve and spin around the leader

i fish an old estate lake with quite a lot of match type anglers - they watch quivertips and strike at 1/4" movement

i use carp type bobbins with about 9" drop - these supposedly shy roach slam the bobbin into the butt ring and try and pull the rod off the pod/sticks, lol

and yes, sin of sins i use bought 4" hooklinks from Korum/Preston/Guru and they are brilliant

again you have to adapt - some i use are hair rigs and i cut off the hair for maggots

a wide gape beaked type hook is essential imo and YES micro barbed (sorry, not)

a strange fact - i often use a 10mm yellow pineapple/n butyric mini boilie - catch load of perch on the retrieve

and a baby zed in a lake that has no zeds?
 
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i am happy to discuss rods/reels/line etc used if its of interest

before the dreaded covid i was working closely with Steve Harrison to develop a specialist 'roach rod' as nothing was available on the market

i originally used and still use the old Fox Kevlar Specialist range (and yes, they are silly prices on Eby)

i have the two prototypes from the Harrison collaboration and hope to start field testing in the next few weeks

reel wise use what you like but i insist on a front drag and good line lay - i use old Shimano Japanese white Stradic FGs and much more recent Shimano match feeder reels - and certainly no 'quick drag' conversions - they are the devils spawn

as for alarms - only Delkim i'm afraid

DEL did my first Heron conversions - now showing my age
 
Again Nick, really interested in everything your doing, I am always open to learning and fine tuning gear and approaches etc.
 
just got some new Korum components and their new Helicopter kit - going to have a play about and will report back

i'm also playing about with the sinking braid to use for the leader - its not the strength but the diameter that is important to stop the beads slipping

what i'm currently using is a heavy carp braid but to the public its only available in large expensive spools - i get 'lengths' from contacts in the trade

i need to find a solution available to everyone
 
two braids that work for the leader

a) Gardner 22lb Hydrosink - 0.35mm dia

b) Korda 20lb Sub braid - 0.36mm dia

i no longer use scissors to cut braid - bought a Berkely braid cutter tool - basically a battery operated 'hot wire' cutter which fuses the cut so no fraying

also for components have a look at Bank Tackle - cheap and quick delivery

i have no association with Bank Tackle

also another great Berkely tool - the battery operated line stripper - great for hassle free stripping old line off spools
 
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