Hard none toxic shot.

[rayner]

What options do you have for avoiding none toxic shot damaging your main line?
I have tried several options with a certain amount of success.
At the moment, I favour a loop to hold the shot using float stops to hold the float.
This is for waggler floats.

 

[markcw]

Have tried using silicone tubing on the line for the shot to grip on ? Or a dedicated waggler adaptor ?

 

[peter crabtree]

Don’t squeeze them on too tight. Saying that, I’ve never suffered line damage from shot of any size. I do however always cut off the line that has had shot on it before using it again.

 

[markcw]

What brand of shot are you using, ?
Another way is to put I piece of line in the groove of the shot as you put shot on mainline, that way it will grip on both lines and cause less damage and be easy to move

 

[rayner]

Yes, moving shot away from where they were pressed on is always a good idea.
My problems start when sliding the shot up the line, the line can kink with the AAA shots. Using only a 3lb reel line with AAA shot is easy to kink the line for me.
The shot I use is Anchor double cut, the shot is not a problem others are far worse.
I don't like to use silicon I like to put a baiting needle at the bottom of the split then close the shot to form a dent then open the shot to use.
To save my main line I put the shot on a loop of line through the float, then my bulk on either side of the float. My float is connected via a snap swivel through the tiny loop at the locking shot. The swivel is stopped by float stops. Effectively I only have smaller shot below the float.
Written down it sounds tricky, is really simple in truth. I get the idea the shot laying sideways through the float interferes with the cast.

 

[sam vimes]

I've largely stopped using shot in favour of olivettes and float stops. When I do occasionally feel the need for more elaborate shotting, I tend to use Dinsmores Grippa Styx instead of shot.

 

[rayner]

I don't think olivettes are good for grouping around the float, they would affect casting too much for me. OK, for fishing short, mostly my waggler fishing is 20 - 25mtr.

 

[sam vimes]

I don't think olivettes are good for grouping around the float, they would affect casting too much for me. OK, for fishing short, mostly my waggler fishing is 20 - 25mtr.

You're absolutely right, but as I very rarely need to do so, it's really not an issue. If it is, I use the Grippa Styx. Another way round it is to use a loaded waggler, float stops and a small olivette. As I've increasingly found, there are plenty of ways to skin a cat. The only thing I can't do without resorting to shot/grippa styx is shirt button and similarly strung out shotting styles.

 

[rayner]

Normally I use only a No6s shot mid-depth then No11s spaced at 10" intervals in the bottom half. That is from 5 to 6 feet of water. Sliders have a totally different bulk down shotting. I never get the chance to fish sliders now. The deepest water I fish now is 9 feet, still using a No6s mid-depth with doubled No11s that can be split for a slower drop.

 

[rayner]

I've been trying to soften off the split in the shot, the best I've come up with is by placing a baiting needle at the bottom of the split, then squeezing the shot with pliers to form a groove for the line to sit in. OK, I have to use a No10s to stop the shot from slipping, I thought I could work with that tiny fault.
Then I thought of stainless wire, which I use for making pole floats, a little finer than the baiting needle, using the same idea as the baiting needle for grooving hard shot, the groove in the shot is now a bit finer.
I want to try a 2lb main line for waggler roach fishing.

 

[sam vimes]

Be wary, you may find that deliberately grooving your shot just means that it starts slipping prematurely.

 

[rayner]

Yes, I had that idea, I stopped the bulk shot sipping at home with No10s shot. Of course, testing my theory on the bank would be the acid test.

 

[bullet]

If your that worried about it, you could try tungsten putty on the line, might work out a bit dear, mind.

 

[john step]

I may have posted about ZLT shot before but here goes.
I have found ZLT shot softer than others. It is often difficult to source.
Being a tight git I reuse shot.
After one use the shot doesn't grip enough to lock a waggler.
However I have used the method Rayner alludes to above for years. A no. 8 Stotz either side of the locking shot solves all. Being Stotz they can be slid with the ZLT without damaging line.

The slight inconvenience of having to lock with Stotz overrides the negativity of having to use hard shot.

 

[108831]

I really don't like sliding non-toxic shot,in fact if they start to slide they are in the bin,I open shot to move them,at the moment I like Gary's choice,many/most are rubbish,that said I dont get cut off because of shot,if I see damage it's a retackle job....

 

[john step]

I really don't like sliding non-toxic shot,in fact if they start to slide they are in the bin,I open shot to move them,at the moment I like Gary's choice,many/most are rubbish,that said I dont get cut off because of shot,if I see damage it's a retackle job....

The thing is with ZLT they are so pliable when re used its almost like sliding a bullet on the line. No damage.

 

[108831]

It's not so much damage of sliiding(though a serious consideration)I never liked lead shot sliding,which when fishing the waggler in particular lead to regularly having to reset the depth and shotting positions,non-toxic shot made that so much better for me,this coinciding with decent lower diameter lines,which means higher breaking strains for reel lines can and probably should be used,I never use below 3lb line these days,often 4-6lbs,it is all dependant on float methods you opt for,no doubt some will disagree,but that is my findings....

 

[rayner]

By squeezing the shot first on the stainless wire, it forms a groove, that as Sam Vimes said, allows the shot to slip. I was trying to make the groove smaller, to just hold tight enough. I then decided stopped with No10s shot to stop the slipping makes the shot act like olivettes.
I'm happy now that I can safely fish with a 2lb Maxima.