A drop down rig for plaice etc. at long range
The is rig was regularly used by the late Adrian Farely for plaice with the wishbone arrangement or for cod by substituting a single or pennel hook rig.
The Power Gum will maintain tension on the snood when clipped down while releasing on hitting the sea. A lift of the rod tip will move the lead and ensure that the snood sits away from the rig body.
Rig Components
Main Body
1 x 3/0 Oval Split Ring
1 x 1/0 Oval Split Ring
1 x Snood Swivel
1 x Small Swivel or Swivel Bead for wishbone (the swivel bead can prevent wear and tear on the snood)
1 x Cascade Swivel
1 x Crimp
1 x 3mm Bead
1 x Breakaway Adjustable Crimp (allows the snood to be re-tensioned should the hook need to be replaced)
1 x Breakaway Impact Shield; this can be replaced by your favourite bait clip or lead incorporating a clip.
1 x Lead Link
1 length of Powergum
Approx. 1.5 – 2 metre length 50-80lb BS main line to match shock leader
Snood
1 x 500 – 1.5 mm length 20-30lb BS snood
1 x 500mm length 15-20lb BS hook snood
2 x Sequins for bait stops Beads and / or sequins for attractors
1 length of Powergum
2 x Size 2 to 1/0 hooks
The Rig Body
- Tie on the lead link and thread on the rest of the components in this order; Impact Shield / Bead / Crimp / Cascade Swivel
- Tie on the larger oval split ring.
- Fix the crimp above the bead and impact shield allowing for movement of the shield.
- Tie the heavier snood line to the cascade swivel on the trace body then tie the other smaller swivel or swivel bead to the other end.
- Tie the one of the hooks to the snood length, thread on a sequin and tie a Powergum stop knot above.
- Thread the snood through the small swivel or swivel bead.
- Thread a sequin onto the spare end, tie the second hook on and tie a Powergum stop knot above the sequin. The stopped sequins above the hooks will prevent the baits being blown up the snood when casting.
- If you wish to use sequins and / or beads as attractors thread them on the line before and after step 6.
- Locate the hooks in the impact shield or bait clip holding the sinker down firmly and tension the trace body from the oval split ring, position the cascade swivel up the main line until the snood line is tight and measure the distance.
- Tie the small oval split ring to the powergum and fix the small spilt ring to the larger one. Using the previous measurement tie the snood swivel to the power gum ensuring that the distance is approximately 25mm less than the distance between the tensioned cascade swivel and the oval split ring at the top of the trace.
- When fishing the stretched power gum will keep the snood under tension until impact with the sea and on release the snood will be free to slide down the trace.
Click on image for larger version
There are numerous sources of terminal tackle both locally and on-line, here are a few suggestions –
