Is bolt rigging illegal??

[Ron Clay]

Some years ago whilst spending a day fishing for tench with the legendary Peter Stone, I asked him what he thought to the way carp fishing has developed. He answered by saying that he thought that bolt rig, shock rigs and other self hooking rigs could in in fact be illegal and classed as "Set Lines". I do remember that years ago I read something about what a set line was supposed to be. I forget the exact wording but any rig that caused the fish to hook itself without the angler attending the line and striking the hook home was classified as a set line and therefore deemed illegal.
What do you think?

 

[Philip Inzani]

Ron...interesting point. I think it would be good to see exactly what the wording was on it and if it was actually passed as a legal requirement as such.

My (limited) understanding was that there was indeed a rule about set lines and I think this was the reason Tommy Morgans 47 pound Lomand Pike was removed from the lists as he has the rod lashed to a tree....I am recounting this from the top of my head so someone may be able to correct me on that.

It does make you think.

 

[Ron Clay]

Thans for your reply Philip. During the sixties I believe it referred to set lining on the back of many rod licences.
I do not have access to fishing bylaws. Does anyone out there have such information? What exactly is the law on "Set Lining"

 

[Rob Brownfield]

This is interesting. In Scotland, the use of rod rests are infact illegal, as it is classed as a *set line* The deffinition here is *Any rod left un-attended, placed on the ground, or held in a rest.....etc*!!! If Tommy Morgans rod had been lashed to a tree, it would have been *Un-attended* as it was not held in his hand.

A blind eye is turned on most waters if you are coarse fishing, however, I do know of one angler in the far north being prosecuted for have 3 set lines (Rod pod when after pike) and fined ?75 per rod. It went to appeal and he was let off...

It could be possible that you are all breaking the law when using rod rests!!!...

 

[Jonathan Faro]

I don't know if it is of any relavence but a mate of mine told me that it was illegal to leave your rod with the line in the water

Jon

 

[andrew jackson]

Jonathan
Your mate is correct to a point. The rule is, that no angler should leave a rod and line unattended. Environment agency definition of unattended is, that an angler should stay within ten yards of a rod and line. Presuming it is cast out of course.
Back to the issue of bolt rigs being illegal. It is clear that the problem is not the rigs as such, but the self hooking tag they have been given. It is true that some fish hook themselves on these rigs, but it is also true that fish can be hooked on a freelined set up. Any carp angler with any amount of experience will tell you that the self hooking tag is a fallacy. To use a fixed lead on some of our more pressured waters can actually work against you. Wily old carp that have seen a trick or two, can pick a bolt/shock rig up and feel for the resistance. Carp in a water I used to fish, had the bolt rig sussed long before I started fishing there. That was sixteen years ago.

 

[andrew jackson]

Ron
I have just read through the above again, and I must sincerley appologise to you and Peter Stone.
I would not dream of suggesting that you guy's, have limited carp fishing experience. But unfortunatly that is how it may read. Too eager to hit the submit button I am afraid, and not enough attention to picking my words. If I have caused any offence I can only apologize profusley.
sincerley
Andy

 

[Ron Clay]

No offence caused whatsoever Andrew.
My first experience of self hooking rigs for carp was in South Africa in the sixties. There they used to tie a half brick to a two hook rig with cotton and tow the whole lot out with a rowing boat, often 300 metres into the lake. The line was attatched to two contacts which controlled the hooter switch on the car. Very effective at waking you up it was!

 

[andrew jackson]

Now thats a self hooking rig. Love to see sombody try that at Savay.

 

[BUDGIE BURGESS]

Yes that was indeed one of the reasons Tommy Morgans Lommond fish was scraped.I believe the correct term for using rod rests/tying to trees etc is "fixed engine".Many years ago when I was fishing Loch Awe hard I contacted the Loch Awe Improvement Society.(in those days fishing was free on the Loch and they were more or less the controlling body)They explained that these rules(although technically covering all fishing) were mainly aimed at game anglers and poaching.They thought it highly unlikely for a Pike angler to get nicked for using rod rests!