rigs in weed

[beginner]

need a rig as the lake im gonna start fishing is weedy any suggestions

[steveobeveo]

pastonater
running rig pop-up hook bait

[camo]

Short hook length if fishing on the bottom or long one if fishing on or above the weed, I prefer a short hook length of four inches and a bottom bait, in a small pva bag with crushed or chopped boilies, with a few freebies around the hook bait, and with the consept of the lead safety clip if it gets snagged the lead will pull free and you will still be in contact with the carp.

Keep it simple

Years ago we used the inline lead and some anglers still do when fishing weedy waters but it's the lead clip system that I prefer these days.

God I sound like old father time, probably look like him too.

[00andrus]

;D ;D ;D ;D

camo, do you know the frank warwick weed helicopter rig where the lead sinks to the bottom of the weed and leaves your rig to sit perfectly on top of it?

its a really good rig, works really well, but very hard to explain

[camo]

There is a simple rig to overcome this problem

Firstly find out the depth of weed that you are fishing in and make your hook length to that depth or slightly longer, as you cast and your rig hits the surface lift your rod and trap the line allowing the lead to hit the bottom and your baited hook sits nicely on top of the weed.

[tarpon]

Weed fishing
Aquatic vegetation - weed is a necessary part of the environment in which fish live. It is likely to increase with the advent of global warming and the long - term use of chemical fertilisers, which leech into numerous watercourses. Many anglers today when confronted by weed, view it as an instant problem and only see the negative aspects.
The following guide will try to give anglers an appreciation of weed and hopefully change attitudes towards it.

Types of Weed

On Aquatels two types of weed dominate, Canadian pondweed Elodea canadensis and Water Milfoil Myriophylum spicatum . Both are submergent (underwater) species, rooting on the lake bottom and extending, in places, to the surface. Both can be very intrusive and can spread rapidly when small strands and fronds are broken off. These sink and take root forming new weed beds. Both can also form extremely dense aquatic forests, especially in shallow water bodies, as in Aquatels. However, like all living species, growth is dependant upon on food. As the nutrient level will not be evenly spread over the whole lake bottom the density and amount of weed will vary from area to area.

Advantages

All weed beds harbour stores of natural food for fish. Wherever there are weed beds, there are fish. Fish congregate around weed beds not only for food but also because they feel safe. Safety and food a distinct advantage to any species. Most fish also utilise weed to spawn and lay their eggs. Once hatched the young fish then use the weed as a nursery. Weed beds also provide stabilisation to the bottom substrate.

Disadvantages

Weed can make fishing difficult especially for inexperienced anglers and for those encountering it for the first time. Casting out ?blind? on a weedy water is as good as asking for a blank. It can clog up your line, your hook, hinder presentation and make it impossible for the fish to find your bait . Therefore, bait presentation and placement takes on a greater importance. Once hooked, fish will head for the nearby weed as a place of safety. It follows on that fishing with weed means that new techniques have to be learnt, more often that not in the form of blanks and lost fish. Bite indication takes on new significance, as the line could travelling through, or on top of weed. Indication of a take has to be at the earliest possible time. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage is that it takes time and experience with the weed in order to learn new ways and methods of fishing. Each individual situation needs to be thought about. Whichever swim you choose to fish, you have to form a picture of where the weed is and isn?t, where it is thickest or the lightest. Build a mental picture of what?s in front of you or better still map it out in a notebook. In many ways the amount of natural food is one of the biggest problems when fishing weedy lakes. Even when you have got all the angling parts of the equation right, fish can be pre-occupied with natural food and its abundance, that the last thing on their minds is to eat an anglers bait..

Getting Over It

The first thing to do is learn the swim. Find the weed, find the clear areas, where the weed is light or thick, areas between differing weed beds. Most angler s achieve this with a marker rod set up. However marker floats can get caught up in weed and not work correctly. Often simply tying a heavy lead directly to the end of your mainline will give a clearer picture. Simply cast out towards the desired spot. As the lead is going through the air start to ?feather? the line with a finger. When the lead hits the surface, trap the line at the spool and lift the rod slightly so the lead is travelling through the water on a tight line. If the bottom is free of weed you will ?feel? the lead hit the lake bed and the rod tip will spring back slightly. If nothing is felt, then the likely hood is that the cast went straight into the weed. If you ?feel the lead hit the bottom then drag it across the lakebed. When the rod locks up solid that is the weed bed. By learning this technique (?feeling the lead?) it will be possible to give a rough guide to where the weed lies. If a marker set up is then used, it?s possible with the same technique to pin point the weed beds accurately. Do not forget to use line clips on the reel. These can give you accurate recasts to the same spot. Another useful tip when you have found the right distance, is to lay your marker/hook length on the floor and pay out the distance to be cast, along the bank. Make a mark on the bank and reel the line in. Re-cast to check the line clip. When casting out your hook baits, use this distance to clip up to and cast out, ensuring the correct length of cast. Do not forget to take the line out of the clip when the rod is in the rests. After each fish simply pace out the distance again, clip up and cast out. These techniques are not easy to learn and take time to get used to the feel of different types of bottom and weed. But once learnt, especially if braided mainline is used, its possible to build a good picture of each individual swim, even down to the height of the weed from the bottom. Another method that can be employed is the use of particle baits. By baiting over a long period with particles the fish will often clear the weed on your behalf as they disturb the bottom and the weed looking for small morsels. Baits such as hemp, partiblend and pellets will all get fish rooting around. By baiting in the same spot over a period of time, eventually there will be a clear patch made for you by the fish.

Techniques

P.V.A. bags can solve a lot of problems when overcoming weed. They ensure presentation of both the bait and rig is good. Its useful to note that when using solid P.V.A. bags, pricking the bag makes it sink to the bottom faster. It may also help using makes of bag that have a slower dissolve rate. Both these methods will aid getting the bait to the bottom in an effective manner. A lot is often said about the use of long hook lengths when weed fishing. This is fine when the weed is short or of the nature as blanket/silkweed. However, on waters such a s Aquatels, the weed extends from the bottom to the surface on long stems. The use of a long hook length can ?hang up? in the weed. There can be a case made for using short hook lengths so the bait reaches the bottom in a more presentable fashion. It is also worth wrapping the hook point in P.V.A. tape. This stops the hook point from pricking into the weed and masking the hook before it has settled in the desired place. P.V.A. foam is a major benefit in weed. This holds the hook length up until dissolved and aids the rig settle more effectively. Snowman rigs can help, as can various forms of critically balancing the hook bait so it sits gently on the bottom. Good bite indication is of paramount importance fishing in weed. Depending on the situation any movement of the lead or bait must be registered. Heavy running leads indicate/accentuate indication, having slack or tight lines depends upon distance fished and amount of weed that you are casting over. Don?t be afraid to put your rod tips high in the air. Often takes can be hit early by watching the rod tip pull round before a buzzer will sound. Have bait runners or clutches set fairly tight, this stops the fish from going too far. Sit next to your rods, if you are doing night sessions have the rod butts next to the bivvy door so you can be on them quickly. Use of a solid bankstick set up may be more beneficial than a pod. Once hooked in dense weed, do not let the fish have any line, try to keep its head up, that way its movement should keep it free of ?weeding up?. Once the fish has been guided to more open water it can be played normally.

Treat weed beds with the same respect that you would treat snags. They are an important feature within the lake and fish can always be found around them or near them. Turn the weed to your advantage, by taking advantage of it.

Hope this helps in some way matey