I've always used a German rig or combi rig for most of my fishing from a boat but recently a friend of mine has been struggling with tangles when dropping rigs from a boat, this got me thinking does this happen more than we think? Does the hook link sink in a bunch without us actually knowing it's happened.

What's your go to rig for fishing wafters/bottoms mates dropping them from a boat? Even fairbrass says to use a iq d rig because others will sink to quick and tangle.

What's your thought?

In reply to Post #1
Add a piece of pva foam to the hook
drop it on a tightish line as if you were feeling for a drop without the boat
I don't ever remember having a problem doing it that way

In reply to Post #2
See I do this normally and so does my friend but he has been bringing in tangles, problem is I'm thinking when we reel is it just straightening out the rig while coming in? Or are they actually alright? I use n trap semi stiff so pretty confident mine is fine but just got me thinking

Don't use a bait boat but I seem to remember a section of a Terry Hearn video where he explains how he drops his baited rig on a tight line and feels for a drop as usual.

In reply to Post #1
could stick a small pva bag on so hook is covered then just pull the line back a bit till you feel lead move a tad? not something that's normally advocated but would work if you had the hook masked with a little bag.

In reply to Post #1
If i was using a bait boat id use a leadclip and a stiffish rig with a sleeve to kick it away from the lead. You could add foam nugget , in theory if you have a tight line you cant get tangles like that.... in theory..

In reply to Post #1
If hes really paranoid try those pva straw type things perhaps although it seems like a faff and id have to try a few out in the margins first bt maybe they work .

In reply to Post #1
Im no bait boat expert but have used one for a week in France and used braid hooklinks and never had a tangle (bait boat had a camera so you could actually see the rig hit the deck)

- Use a lead clip
- If your putting rig in hopper - lead at back of hopper and stretch the rig along the length of hopper
- lead on door of the hopper, then bait then rest the rig on top of bait.
- Use a nuggest of PVA bag on hook
- Take out on a tensioned line (dont use clutch)
- When you get to the spot lift rod tip high and then release door

Doing it all this way I could feel the lead down in 6ft of water with a pretty decent drop

To my mind there are two very different scenarios using a bait boat. If you are fishing a small lake and using the boat for pin point accuracy then all the advice given so far is very good.

However if you are using it to get beyond casting range on windswept pits or reservoirs then my approach is different. On these waters of there is anything of a wind then your boat is going to be blown off course and keeping a tight line will be difficult, even autopilot boats will not reach the spots in a straight line. Also in most cases you are going to get water splash into the hoppers in a big headwind if you have long hoppers then most of the contents of the hoppers can be washed to the back of the hopper. PVA and foam nuggets are not going to work.

In a big wind it can take too long to tighten the line by which time your boat has been blown away from your spot I just release the hopper on the slack line, very occasionally it tangles. But the tangle could easily occur in the hopper as well. To counter that put your lead and hook link in first then your bait. If you can mix pellets and ground bait so they bind you can put a protective "crust" over your rig. Obviously in this situation the stiffer the rig the better., Also consider a method ball they will withstand the water splashing into the hoppers or paste around your hookbait.

In reply to Post #10
Totally agree with that

I always use a heli set up with the lead at the back of the hopper and the rig (amnesia D or hinged stiffy) laid out in front, whether dropping on a tight line or slack have never had a tangle

A lot of good advise being given here thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply, definitely gets my brain ticking 😂

In reply to Post #12
Im astounded no one said, "learn to cast" , that was the standard response to any bait boat questions somefew years back on here well done everyone

In reply to Post #13
I'm amazed at the number of people who give the impression of being competent anglers on here, but actually use a bait boat.

There you go...

In reply to Post #14
Or could be proficient at both lol

In reply to Post #14
Terry Hearn obviously not proficient then.

I don't use bait boat myself but wouldn't think twice about using One if the situation dictated it.

In reply to Post #1
Ive been using bait boats and boats for years and everything suggested is solid advise. As previous posts its about the situation you are fishing in. Anything sub 150 yards I have always preferred to use a bait boat, anything more a standard boat makes more sense due to the current, weather, line drag making controlling the baitboat a nightmare and forfeiting the original reason for using it i.e. accuracy.

In reply to Post #14
I'm amazed at the number of people who give the impression of being competent anglers on here, but actually use a bait boat.

Terry Hearn obviously not proficient then.

I don't use bait boat myself but wouldn't think twice about using One if the situation dictated it.

Funny you should say that because I use one when fishing the same lake that Terry is famous for using one on, if you fished it you would soon see why as well, then there's Pecky and Stokes on the lake next door of course

Years ago I used to use a baitboat, until I felt that I was using it for the sake of using it to get closer or even into overhanging trees without thinking sometimes going too far.

Even then I used to use braided hooklinks with no problems. Simple answer is still use PVA, string mesh or bags on the hooklink to prevent tangles.
I would do the same even if casting or lowering baits in by hand, from bank, boat or wading out.

Simple answer, hopefully a simple solution