Lead choice

[Les Watts]

Just to put this thread in context: My local river is the Ribble where fishing a majority (?) of swims will result in snagging at some time or other.
This is not due to overhanging or sunken vegetation/tree trunks etc. but rather because the river bed mainly comprises of sizable pebbles, stones and rock.
The lead can easily get trapped behind these - especially if it is allowed to move. A pull for a break when badly snagged will sometimes manage to move the offending pebble and it is amazing how often you can then retrieve the baited hook totally undamaged. A rig which permits the discharge of a fatally snagged lead is essential.

I'll admit to having never bought any leads with river fishing specifically in mind. I have a silly number of old leads previously used for carp and/or still-water specimen fishing and my standard practice for many years has been to adapt these with a slight flattening of their shape using a lump hammer - just to limit any rolling. There is no benefit to be gained by maintaining any "camouflaged" plastic coatings (IMHO).
I'm inclined to think that a flattened Arlesey bomb shape is probably the best option giving the highest probability of a successful release from the stones but I'd be interested to hear the opinion of others.

Oddly the lead type that I least favour is the (seemingly) trendy pear shaped gripper lead. The protrusions on these leads would surely only help the lead to skate over the pebbles until the lead/line found a frim rocky hold. In fact I can only see their benefit in swims where the river bottom is mainly comprised of sand, clay or firm silt. Such swims are a rarity on the sections of the Ribble where I usually fish.

Regarding size of lead, I err towards the smallest weight that I can get away with on the basis that, as long as it doesn't roll, it is less likely to get trapped than a heavier (and bulkier) lead might. Would you agree?

 

[Tony Koziol]

I started fishing the Ribble last year and was advised to use plasticine moulded around float stops or LG shot depending on the swim being fished.
When I get snagged up (which is often) I find pulling will normally end up with the lot coming back or minimal tackle loss (hook,shot and a little line) the shot should slide down to the hook hence minimal tackle loss.
Hope this makes sense and or helps.

 

[David Craine]

The bit of Ribble I fish has boulders of all shapes and sizes , years ago I developed my own rig for dealing with the inevitability of the occasional snag up, with or without a fish on.....I use flattened pear leads as per the OP, but I always use a paper clip to connect it to the rig, As I dont cast far, there is no chance of the lead flying off, plus a good steady pull if it does get snagged will see the paper clip open and the lead left in situ, sometimes I will use a lighter bit of line to connect the lead to the rig, but mostly its paper clips, only been using this type of rig for about 20 years , so I am confident in it, plus the clip rusts away if lost , not like bits of plastic . I am happy with my simple rigs, they work, dont lose me fish so for me if it isnt bust dont fix it.

David.

 

[Les Watts]

Hi Tony. Thank for replying - the plasticine dodge is worth knowing but realistically it's a bit limited to shorter ranges and low flow situations.

 

[Gary Wagstaff]

try power gum links 4lb 2 oz 6oz for 3/4 oz and the 8oz for 5/6/8oz or the plastic C clips .i have photos on my phone were the large rocks are in low water for reference .find the bed rock plates some of these can be 50 yards plus long fish a close as you can in the channels they tuck in under the edges .on one section we call it stonehenge they stick that far out of the water.

 

[Gary Wagstaff]

I started fishing the Ribble last year and was advised to use plasticine moulded around float stops or LG shot depending on the swim being fished.
When I get snagged up (which is often) I find pulling will normally end up with the lot coming back or minimal tackle loss (hook,shot and a little line) the shot should slide down to the hook hence minimal tackle loss.
Hope this makes sense and or helps.

try plumbers mate as an alternative

 

[Ian Lovett]

I fish some snag pits on the Trent. I find the best way is to use a lead/ feeder far heavier than you need. Then it holds wherever it hits bottom and the current cannot pull it even a little bit towards a rock or snag. When you retrieve, you need to wind like crazy to get the lead or feeder up in the water as fast as possible. Still lose some tackle though and it's so important to use a free running rig so no fish become tethered.

 

[Ian Sewter]

Plasticine, paper clips and heavy leads can all work. On the Wye where leads can get trapped I pick up a suitably sized stone and put it in a small bag made of the wife's tights - like tying a pva stocking bag and connect via link swivel to the line. (Sometimes you can use an elastic band to hold the stone.) Then if I pull for a break the link swivel opens out, the bagged stone drops off and I retrieve the tackle minus the weight. Retie a bagged stone, fold the opened link back putting the bag on and you are fishing again. Woody used foldable soft lead on the Wye which would squeeze very narrow when pulled and come through gaps in the rocks. Unfortunately in some places losses are inevitable because of the bottom but sometimes by careful feeding I have caught barbel just off the bottom on a float and thereby avoiding lead-swallowing rocks!

 

[Steve Jones]

Hi Les, if your who i think you are long time no speak m8.

breakaway lead links, 2lb noddy match line or what ever you need to make the intial cast. Defo flat leads every time.

thinking outside the box and ive just though of this not tried it yet, how about making some out of clay and baking um up in the oven. No idea if they would be heavy enough but as a tight brummie certainly cheap enough and you could make um what ever shape floats ya boat.

There's at least one other BCSG member on here as well so there is some mud pig influence on here

 

[Les Watts]

Hi Steve -a long time indeed. Trust you are well.
Only problem with lead alternatives is that, because they are all less dense, their ability to hold bottom is compromised.
They would need to get snagged just to hold bottom in some instances and you'd be fishing expecting to lose the weight every cast - for extreme cases only methinks.
Many years ago we used to tie on old bolts and nuts for weights when paternostering for pike over snaggy bottoms - same kind of idea.

 

[Steven Hodges]

Have you tried these, available from BFW shop: The Snagsafe Lead Clip is a lead/feeder clip for use with a running leger set-up. It features a large bore hole to allow the line to run freely offering minimum resistance to a taking fish. The main design feature is the actual clip itself which can spring open under pressure to release the lead/feeder should it become snagged. A length of silicon tube supplied on the clip is used to hold the lead in place to minimise tangles. Available in two sizes the small clip requires a straight pull of approximately 4lbs pressure to release so we advise a minimum of 5lb breaking strain line when using this product. The large clip requires a straight pull of 8-9lbs pressure to release so we advise a minium of 12lb line.

 

[Les Watts]

I use the Snagsafe clips or simple paperclips all the time. These are pretty well standard methods to prevent the loss of all the end tackle.

However, I'm keen to minimise the amount of lead getting dumped into the river and the idea behind this thread was more aimed at getting views on which lead types are generally least likely to get stuck in the first place. This is an aim I've worked on regularly.

For example, have a look at the feeders in the attached photo: The one at the front is a standard homemade "hair-curler" special which has been lodged behind a Ribble snag. Pulling for a break resulted in the front of the feeder breaking apart releasing the feeder and allowing me to retrieve it. The damage is clear if you look carefully. I've made further similar feeders using tubes made of light plastic, many of which have been broken in use but have enabled me to at least get the lead back.
The feeder to the rear is similar but made from a tube of soft knitted nylon string mesh. It's a bit harder to fill but will squash together if it gets lodged between two stones and is less likely to get snagged as a result.
btw - The string mesh was originally part of a heatproof mat bought from the kitchen section of a "pound shop" some years ago. I'm always on the look out for alternatives!