Are there any shaped leads that are better than others when it comes to fishing over silt, and is it a good or bad idea to drag it out a bit on touchdown?
Trilobes. 👍
In reply to Post #1
This is a question with a thousand variables - what range are you fishing, how deep is the silt, pop ups or bottom baits, what are you trying to accomplish from the presentation etc.
I would normally just use the lightest lead that I can get away with and fish a helicopter with the top bead up the line and not worry too much. I would not drag it after casting.
But other people will all have their favourite ways to manage silt.
This is a question with a thousand variables - what range are you fishing, how deep is the silt, pop ups or bottom baits, what are you trying to accomplish from the presentation etc.
I would normally just use the lightest lead that I can get away with and fish a helicopter with the top bead up the line and not worry too much. I would not drag it after casting.
But other people will all have their favourite ways to manage silt.
If its really really deep soft silt you can use an empty method feeder as a lead. Pack some pva foam into it too so it sinks slower.
In reply to Post #1
I honestly wouldn't be worried about it. Use longer hooklengths to combat the possibility of your hookbait being dragged into the silt. A few seasons ago I used 4.5 ounce in heavy silt when plugged in I bet it was close on 10 ounces and compared to the 2 ounce lead fished on the same spot it always produced more fish. I can only presume that it was down to the extra bolt effect caused by the plugging effect of the silt.
I really wouldn't want to be moving the rig after it has landed to many possibilities of the hook becoming snarled up. Depending on the distance your fishing you could use pva nuggets or an old pop up tapped to the hook to keep the rig of the bottom while you unplug it. Just a word of warning pva nuggets can be a mare in cold water so I would try a old pop up first.
I honestly wouldn't be worried about it. Use longer hooklengths to combat the possibility of your hookbait being dragged into the silt. A few seasons ago I used 4.5 ounce in heavy silt when plugged in I bet it was close on 10 ounces and compared to the 2 ounce lead fished on the same spot it always produced more fish. I can only presume that it was down to the extra bolt effect caused by the plugging effect of the silt.
I really wouldn't want to be moving the rig after it has landed to many possibilities of the hook becoming snarled up. Depending on the distance your fishing you could use pva nuggets or an old pop up tapped to the hook to keep the rig of the bottom while you unplug it. Just a word of warning pva nuggets can be a mare in cold water so I would try a old pop up first.
In reply to Post #1
I epoxied some latex tubing to some pebbles then epoxied swivels into the tubing. much less dense.
Probably made naff all difference and really effected casting accuracy to be honest. dunno why im mentioning it 😂
I epoxied some latex tubing to some pebbles then epoxied swivels into the tubing. much less dense.
Probably made naff all difference and really effected casting accuracy to be honest. dunno why im mentioning it 😂
In reply to Post #6
I fished a shallow silty lake for a couple of seasons. I used a helicopter setup with the bead pushed up and as light lead I could get away with . It worked well
In reply to Post #6
In reply to Post #5
For some strange reason I thought I would get lots of reccomendations to use a flat pear lead which appear to be very popular on the waters I fish. Guess every lead shape is going to sink into the silt on touch down.
Using a longer hooklength makes sense as does the helicopter set up and as light as lead as possible.
Thanks guys
For some strange reason I thought I would get lots of reccomendations to use a flat pear lead which appear to be very popular on the waters I fish. Guess every lead shape is going to sink into the silt on touch down.
Using a longer hooklength makes sense as does the helicopter set up and as light as lead as possible.
Thanks guys
In reply to Post #10
We have some seriously thick deep black silt in 2 of the loughs I fish, rigwise it's a 1.5 ounce inline flat pear lead,a 4 inch braided hooklink stiffened with Kryston No Tangle or Drop 'em. An old as the hills approach,but works,and works well.
We have some seriously thick deep black silt in 2 of the loughs I fish, rigwise it's a 1.5 ounce inline flat pear lead,a 4 inch braided hooklink stiffened with Kryston No Tangle or Drop 'em. An old as the hills approach,but works,and works well.
I've fished silty lakes in the north west my whole life, I've found a 2oz flat pear or gripper to be good, fished on either a helicopter rig or a leadclip with a slightly longer hooklink.
In reply to Post #12
7oz 😳 I only use 6oz grippers on the beach.
7oz 😳 I only use 6oz grippers on the beach.