In reply to Post #1
Did you also change the rig when moving over to a heli? Making more than one change makes it hard to confirm where the problem lies.

In reply to Post #1
I'm a bit confused how it can be a hook pull when you're just picking the rod up and they're falling off? Unless you're fishing tight clutches and picking the rod up?

Are you in contact with the fish before it drops off? Or does it drop off as soon as you lift into it?

In reply to Post #1
How much separation do you have between the beads? Is your hook really sharp? How heavy is your lead? How tight is your line? Is your line lay direct to the lead?

In reply to Post #4
See post 5

In reply to Post #5
Asked my questions for me To the OP I've not heard of this before? I've used helicopters for the last 6-7 years on all venues, clay pits to gravel pits rammed full of weed. Are there any nuisance species in the lake or crayfish?

In reply to Post #1
Years and years ago, back in the 1990's, I played with helicopter rigs in various scenarios, and found a number of things that put me off using them unless I had to.

Hookpulls with helicopter set-ups increased. Basically because the hooklink is not at the end of the line, there is a pull across the hook, opening out the point. The answer to that (at the time) was to use a hook with an inturned eye. Or the now banned ...

Indication is reduced. Fish can move long distances with no indication at the rod end. Indicators would not rise or fall, so no sound at the buzzer. You almost have to rely on a fish running away from you, or an extreme dropback, even with that, I have had fish come 30metres towards me at an angle, one bleep on the buzzer.

Using the standard beads or swivels available at the time, on naked mainline, there were more line breakages. I think, and while it is my theory, I believe Tim Paisley had similar issues, the swivel abrades the line and increased line twist causes the line to snap. The answer was to come up with an unbreakable leader, tubing or stopping naked swivels or rings running on the mainline.
The unbreakable leader, has become leadcore, (for right or wrong), Cox and Rawle Beach beads (still better than many current carp taxed beads).

If I was you I'd stop worrying about helicopter setups and go back to catching fish with a lead clip.

Where I can I always use an in-line set up because I believe it gives the best hooking ratio. I also regularly use a helicopter set up in certain conditions and there is no doubt in my mind that they are not as efficient at hooking fish and need to be set up carefully for each situation. Do not fish slack lines, use tightish((not bowstring) lines, heavy leads 3.5oz plus,get the top and bottom beads as close together as possible and have plenty of resistance on the spool. Horses for courses.

In reply to Post #12
As others have said, don't fish slack lines, and don't have the bead further up the line than needed e.g. 1 inch of silt the bead only needs to be 1 inch from the lead/up the line.

Playing devil's advocate here but Jim Shelly does very well using helicopter set-ups with very light leads, slack lines and the top bead as far as 8ft up the line

I personally use 2oz leads whenever possible (cause I don't drop them) and set the top bead wherever I deem necessary and fish semi tight, do alright

In reply to Post #8
You can say it ...
It's not like saying Voldemort 😂
Most use a safer version of it nowadays anyway lol

In reply to Post #14
Shelley is chod fishing, which whilst is still technically a heli set up is a completely different ball game than using non chod type rigs on a heli.

In reply to Post #16
Not always he isn't

In reply to Post #17
Helicopters have become fashionable/ 'carpy' now and I think a lot of people are guilty of using them without thinking about the mechanics of the rig over certain lake beds. I use them on a silty water I fish with a slow sinking balanced bait. Over gravel/ clay/ when I think the rig will sit right I use lead clips

In reply to Post #18
Same here

In reply to Post #18
Helicopters have become fashionable/ 'carpy' now and I think a lot of people are guilty of using them without thinking about the mechanics of the rig over certain lake beds.

You are not wrong there. I see them being used more than anything else nowadays including some anglers using them for fishing zigs (which they are totally not suited for!). This is one reason where I have reverted back to basic lead clip/tubing or inline setups where I can get away with them nowadays & only using rotary setups where I ned to fish in silt or low lying weed. If I can get away with using a longer supple rig on the leadclip/tubing setup, I will do & just change the lead shape for one which will not plunge as deep into the silt.

I use a helicopter rig for most of my fishing. rarely fishing tight lines. I dont think it effects my catch rate at all.

my main reasons for it is I'm confident the rig is presented, on any bottom. and if I find I'm in silt etc, the bead can be moved up to suite. if the bottom is clean, ill have the bead about 1 - 2 inches away from the lead.

no doubt a front loaded inline is the best lead set up for hooking potential, but you never really know what's down on the bottom. and confidence is key.

I'm not convinced a lead clip offers that much greater hooking potential over a helicopter set up with the top bead close to the lead. but I feel the helicopter set up offers a lot of advantages over a lead clip set up.

In reply to Post #21
I like using a helicopter setup aswell, only time I use a lead clip is when I no it is 100% clean bottom. Else like you I just use a heli with the bead near the lead

In reply to Post #21
totally agree