5 Essential Holderness Rigs

Safety

Always use a shock leader. 10lb breaking strain per ounce of lead is the minimum required to keep other beach users safe. With this in mind the rig body you choose should be at least the same breaking strain of your shock leader.

Component quality

Using quality rig building components is essential. Search the Internet and you’ll find no end of stories where someone has lost a good fish due to a cheap Aberdeen hook snapping or a dodgy swivel giving way. We spend fortunes on gear and bait, so why skimp on the bits that directly connect you to the fish?

Hook Clipping Systems

In the diagrams below I’ve shown 3 different systems for clipping down the hooks. These are the Breakaway Impact Shield, Breakaway Imp and Breakaway Impact Lead – and before you even think it…I don’t work for them! All 3 will give a 100% release rate if used correctly. My preference is the Breakaway Impact Lead purely because I like to keep things simple, but you could use any of these systems on any of the rigs.

2 Hook Cascade Rig

This is a long range scratching rig that will deliver 2 worm baits in perfect condition as far as you can cast them. The rig can be made without the use of the Gemini SRT Spring, but this helps to tension the whole rig and prevents snood stretch.

Tip – On the bottom snood leave about 10mm between the top and bottom crimp. This allows the required ‘slack’ for the SRT Spring to also tension the lower snood correctly.
Tip – Making the top snood slightly longer than the bottom one will ensure that both baits are fishing tight on the sea bed.

Components:

1 x size 1 rolling swivel
2 x size 6 rolling swivel
4 x crimp
5 x bead
1 x Gemini SRT Spring
1 x Breakaway Cascade Swivel
1 x Breakaway Fast Link/Gemini Rig Clip etc.
2 x size 2 – 2/0 hooks

2 Hook Wessex Rig

A close to mid range rig which offers superb bite detection. The lower snood is fished hard on the bottom and the top snood just off the bottom. Because the lower snood is a running leger the fish feel very little resistance and the bite is transmitted straight to the rod tip, which isn’t always the case on rigs such as a one up one down rig.

Tip - Add sequins and coloured beads to attract flatties and whiting.
Tip – A plain lead of 3-4oz will allow the rig to slowly move around and find the fish.

Components:

2 x size 1 rolling swivel
1 x size 6 rolling swivel
1 x safety snap (or size 1 swivel with lead link)
2 x crimp
3 x bead
2 x size 4 – 2/0 hooks

Pulley Pennel

The pulley pennel is probably the most widely used big fish rig on the Holderness coast and has landed some very big cod, ray and bass. The pennel hook arrangement easily takes full squid or bulky cocktail baits, while the pulley system lifts the lead out of the way of the grabbing clay beds and rocks, that can be found anywhere from Aldbrough to Spurn, when retrieving a fish.

Tip - A Fox Pulley Bead distributes the load on the rig body during the cast far more effectively than a swivel can.
Tip – Instead of struggling to slide tubing over the top hook to old it in place simple wrap the snood 3 times around the shank of the hook. It’s just as secure and easier to adjust.

Components:

1 x size 1 rolling swivel
1 x Fox Pulley Bead
3 x bead
1 x crimp
1 x Breakaway Impact Shield
1 x Breakaway Fast Link/Gemini Rig Clip etc.
1 x size 1/0 – 3/0 hook
1 x size 2/0 – 4/0 hook

Single Hook Clipped Down

Deliver medium sized baits at extreme distance with the single hook clipped down rig. The Gemini SRT Spring keeps everything tight on the cast and prevents snood stretch. The Breakaway Imp keeps the bait tucked tight behind the lead to improve stability, and ultimately, distance.

Tip - Add a bait stop above the hook to stop the bait blowing up the snood during impact.

Components:

1 x size 1 rolling swivel
1x size 6 rolling swivel
3 x bead
2 x crimp
1 x Gemini SRT Spring
1 x Breakaway Imp
1 x size 2/0 – 4/0 hook

Long and Low

The long and low rig keeps a bait nailed to the sea bed during big tides and also allows the bait to move in a more natural way. A pennel setup can be used to accommodate the biggest baits.

Tip - Because of the design of this rig a fish must dislodge the lead for a strong bite to be registered. This could pull the tip over or cause a drop back bite. To spot drop back bites wind down the tip of the rod, then watch for it springing back.

Components:

1 x size 1 rolling swivel
1x size 6 rolling swivel
2 x bead
2 x crimp
1 x bait clip or Gemini Pulley Clip
1 x Breakaway Imp
1 x size 2/0 – 4/0 hook

Short URL: http://holderness-coast-fishing.co.uk/?p=496