I've only ever done basic method feeding tactics and always caught small carp .
I've made it my mission to try to catch a 10+kg this year . I have recently moved from South Africa to the Netherlands and this type of setup is brand new to me .
Is the hair length long enough and do I have all the necessary boxes checked ?
Im using coated hooklink and it feels quite stiff . Could uncoated braid also work ?
I have tried the palm test on this and its hooking every time .
Any help and tips would be appreciated.
Posted by International-Post-1
5 Comments
Looks good. Honestly, I don’t use much different to catch river and lake fish in the US. And I’ve used soft braid as a hooklink before as well (I usually put a pva mesh bag on if I’m doing that, helps keep it from tangling as much) but the stiffness will help keep it from tangling so much. Usually as a rule of thumb for hair lengths, I go a mm or 2 off the bend of the hook. And yours looks good 👍
It looks pretty good 👍🏽 length will really depend on the venues your fishing, what your fishing over (silt / gravel / weed etc) I guess a standard length may be around 8-10 inches? I wouldn’t use a short rig if fishing over silt or debris etc.
Some will advocate for a shorter rig saying it will hook fish better, others that a rig too long means a fish can play about with the rig and potentially try spitting the hook with minimal indication to the angler. Some will say a longer rig means they can move about without feeling it and that may itself help hooking. There’s is no 1 correct answer but it may be worth trying a couple of slightly different lengths on different rods and see for yourself. If you think your being ‘done’ then it may be worth adjusting the length.
Most will strip back some of that coated section near the hook, even just a mm or 2 will give it much more freedom to move about and potentially help with hooking. It will help the hook flip over, try it on a palm test. Again it’s all subjective and others will strip back maybe an inch with the thought the fish won’t feel a supple section like the would a stiff link.
In short give it a go, it’s all trial and error, but I would personally strip back a little of the coating by the hook.
As for using purely supple braid, it’s for sure an option but your much more likely to get tangles if your casting your rigs. Also having a stiffer section helps your rig reset if it gets messed about with by nuisance fish or picked up and dropped by a carp.
Looks good just out of curiosity whats the knott for close to the tail rubber?
When running braid on this setup, I generally run 20-30cm of rubber tubing up the line. Helps if its weedy, but more importantly it protects the flanks of the fish when fighting and landing.
Looks good, I personally would shorten the hooklink to ~12cm, maybe add silicon tube to your mainline.
I am using coated braid myself and I only remove the coated section, that is required to tie my hair and the knotless knot.
Coating for me usually is starting right at the exit of the hookeye, a stiffer hooklink has some nice advantages, it is not going to tangle that easily and it is harder for the fish to blow out the hook.