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using a lead clip (safely)-minimum weight for effective self-hooking

I wonder if perhaps an inline drop-off rig might be the answer? It's easy enough to use them without the need for lead-core by using a plastic peg and some shrink tubing or using the ones produced by Avid. For fishing short hook lengths an inline lead will give you better self-hooking properties (imo) then a lead clip.

Also it might be worth trying a blow-back rig, it's not something I've tried yet for barbel but they do work very well for carp.

David's point about hook sharpness is a valid one. Last summer whilst tenching, over a bankside brew a carp angler showed me, to my amazement, how to make a fresh out of the packet SSBP even sharper. And as he described it, 'stickier'. The technique takes a bit of mastering though and the right tools for the job aren't cheap.
 
Hi men ,

Valid point Joe , good set up , I thought of that one as well , as a mate used it , he caught loads on it , backleaded , although it was with leadcore . As you point out it can be set up without , but my mate went through a few leads on chublets :D , good call , worth a shout .


Hatter
 
Howard, try the thinnish flat chops, its different and awkward to spit out or drop once in, try making a few and hook em up to see
 
I can recall a frank warwick you tube clip in which he advocates only using a minimum of 3-4oz lead systems to facilitate the self hooking / bolt rig effect. His reason for this is tested by placing the hook point on his finger and lifting the rig to the lead up to which point the hook should ***** the skin. Ok I imagine if your using a size 6, I imagine a smaller lead with smaller finer hooks may also be applicable. I've 'bench tested' it myself with various lead and feeder systems and logic does seem to work - nothing new as its the way ive fished for years but perhaps never really having thought to much about the mechanics. Combined with hooks that turn / flip when the hook link goes tight im sure your almost there
 
Howard,about 25 years ago or maybe more i used to fish the Bristol Avon around Chippenham. One summers day at kellaways we arrived to find the weir below the road bridge crystal clear and full of barbel.The bank was very high,water about 6 feet deep and about 30 barbel were visable,including 3 big fish(doubles in those days were rare and these all were doubles). I introduced my hook bait thinking, I was going to have it away, those 3 big fish came up off the bottom and cruised around in mid water,one touched my line and all three departed the weir not to be seen again that day.The rest stayed put and fed and I caught some of them. Those years spent on a clear river taught me and a friend so much,nothing beats observing visable fish and their attitude to bait/ baiting/rigs.Their cautiousness changed weekly with getting caught and to stay ahead of the game changes had to take place,fantastic fishing and learning.
 
Mark Swaby said:
Howard,about 25 years ago or maybe more i used to fish the Bristol Avon around Chippenham. One summers day at kellaways we arrived to find the weir below the road bridge crystal clear and full of barbel.The bank was very high,water about 6 feet deep and about 30 barbel were visable,including 3 big fish(doubles in those days were rare and these all were doubles). I introduced my hook bait thinking, I was going to have it away, those 3 big fish came up off the bottom and cruised mid water,one touched my line and all three departed the weir not to be seen again that day.The rest stayed put and fed and I caught some of them. Those years spent on a clear river taught me and a friend so much,nothing beats observing visable fish and their attitude to bait/rigs.Their cautiousness changed weekly with getting caught and to stay ahead of the game changes had to take place,fantastic fishing and learning.
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Kellaways! I fished there over 30 years ago. Didn't know anything about barbel though. They were a mysterious fish that other people caught. I used to cycle there from Calne and just fished for whatever showed an interest in my worms/maggots/bread. Happy days.
 
Howard Cooke said:
Kellaways! I fished there over 30 years ago. Didn't know anything about barbel though. They were a mysterious fish that other people caught. I used to cycle there from Calne and just fished for whatever showed an interest in my worms/maggots/bread. Happy days.
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Small world, I caught my first ever Barbel just downstream from the road bridge there Howard, on the Chippenham AC stretch. That was c.'95 and had my then young son's with me, actually had two on Frankfurter that day, unforgettable.

Like you before then I never considered Barbel as a viable species for me, and was happy with the Roach and Chub, as a teenager I used to fish all over the Bristol Avon and never caught a Barbel until then. Big Roach were my passion.
 
As promised, a quick picture of the rig, you need to strip about 140mm of the coating off the braid to tie the knotless knot and leave about 10mm of stripped braidat the hook end, this is the hinge and is what makes the rig work.
The tungsten gripper is enough weight to just hold a critically balanced boillie down and nothing else, so that the hook is just suspended off the bed, & just under the boillie, you will probably need to add some tungsten putty to the gripper in moving water to get it to hold.
The tungsten tubing is to hold the line down, & should just fall away if you suffer a breakage, unlike leadcore.

It works very effectively on the carp in my local syndicate water, so there is no reason it shouldn't do the same for some wary Barbel with a little tinkering.

Andy
 

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David's point about hook sharpness is a valid one. Last summer whilst tenching, over a bankside brew a carp angler showed me, to my amazement, how to make a fresh out of the packet SSBP even sharper. And as he described it, 'stickier'. The technique takes a bit of mastering though and the right tools for the job aren't cheap.[/QUOTE]

A friend of mine just takes some pieces of emery cloth for hook sharpening.
I got myself a medium grade sharpener which was cheap enough -
JAG SP Stones (Sharpening Stones) - 1 type per pack(SP_STN_MED_RED) £5.99

Dave
 
You've obviously got better eyesight and more manual dexterity than me David. I need a vice and an eye lense, those and a fine grade file cost me nearly £40.

Worth it though.
 
Mark Anderson said:
Hi men ,

Valid point Joe , good set up , I thought of that one as well , as a mate used it , he caught loads on it , backleaded , although it was with leadcore . As you point out it can be set up without , but my mate went through a few leads on chublets :D , good call , worth a shout .


Hatter
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Yeah I guess that's the rub and leaving any amount of lead in the water isn't good is it? I do wonder if some people set the tail rubber too light?
 
In-line , drop off lead system ( korda flat pears ), size 8 flexi swivel , tail rubber.
No need for lead core, simply tie your mainline to the smaller ring on the flexi swivel , then tie your hook length to the big ring which is attached to the small ring that you have just tied your mainline to, on the swivel . Push swivel body into lead and then push on tail rubber..job done..
Wouldent recommend using a lead lighter than 2 oz , with 3 oz being the best weight IMO..
Also worth trying with this rig is fishing with the lead and rig inside a pva bag , presentation is spot on as everything is covered with your freebies..
3 to 4 inch hook length usually works best with this set up..
Also use a very supple braid hook length (non coated ).
This rig nails them , I use this rig on heavily weeded venues when Carp fishing, ive caught Rudd , Bream , Tench and basically anything that comes into touch with it..
Perfect for weedier venues and snag fishing.
 
Craig Wood said:
In-line , drop off lead system ( korda flat pears ), size 8 flexi swivel , tail rubber.
No need for lead core, simply tie your mainline to the smaller ring on the flexi swivel , then tie your hook length to the big ring which is attached to the small ring that you have just tied your mainline to, on the swivel . Push swivel body into lead and then push on tail rubber..job done..
Wouldent recommend using a lead lighter than 2 oz , with 3 oz being the best weight IMO..
Also worth trying with this rig is fishing with the lead and rig inside a pva bag , presentation is spot on as everything is covered with your freebies..
3 to 4 inch hook length usually works best with this set up..
Also use a very supple braid hook length (non coated ).
This rig nails them , I use this rig on heavily weeded venues when Carp fishing, ive caught Rudd , Bream , Tench and basically anything that comes into touch with it..
Perfect for weedier venues and snag fishing.
Click to expand...

I do like the sound of this Craig and in particular because you can hide some of the rig bits within the lead. So in clear water and with a good, flat, camouflaged lead, you should get a neat presentation. Stupid question but presume the tail rubber is out of the back on the mainline side of the lead and I'm gussing you might combine this with a back lead where feasible?
 
Hi Howard,
You wont find a more camo lead than the korda in-line flat pears.
The insert inside the lead is designed to hold a size 8 swivel , semi fixed..
By tying your hooklength and mainline to the front of the swivel you have the rest of swivel to push in to the lead insert , then slide on the tail rubber as per normal , except your mainline is running over the top of the lead instead of inside..
Its deadly howard..;)
 
Craig Wood said:
Hi Howard,
You wont find a more camo lead than the korda in-line flat pears.
The insert inside the lead is designed to hold a size 8 swivel , semi fixed..
By tying your hooklength and mainline to the front of the swivel you have the rest of swivel to push in to the lead insert , then slide on the tail rubber as per normal , except your mainline is running over the top of the lead instead of inside..
Its deadly howard..;)
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Thanks Craig-I like it!
 
Craig Wood said:
In-line , drop off lead system ( korda flat pears ), size 8 flexi swivel , tail rubber.
No need for lead core, simply tie your mainline to the smaller ring on the flexi swivel , then tie your hook length to the big ring which is attached to the small ring that you have just tied your mainline to, on the swivel . Push swivel body into lead and then push on tail rubber..job done..
Wouldent recommend using a lead lighter than 2 oz , with 3 oz being the best weight IMO..
Also worth trying with this rig is fishing with the lead and rig inside a pva bag , presentation is spot on as everything is covered with your freebies..
3 to 4 inch hook length usually works best with this set up..
Also use a very supple braid hook length (non coated ).
This rig nails them , I use this rig on heavily weeded venues when Carp fishing, ive caught Rudd , Bream , Tench and basically anything that comes into touch with it..
Perfect for weedier venues and snag fishing.
Click to expand...

Thats excellent, the only thing I would add is super sharp hooks (as mentioned earlier by David) so that the fish gets pricked easier then bolts therefore hooking itself properly.
 
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