Just a quick one about the important bit – the “sharp end”, the last yard – probably the most important bit of all the tackle you buy.
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The view of leadcore’s straight line |
It’s often written about how this part really matters, but how many people know what it really looks like laying on the bottom? For me a lot of the time it doesn’t actually matter as I’m fishing during the darkness, but now the days are getting longer, even I have to think about it!
There are also two schools of thought, firstly everything needs to be concealed to avoid spooking fish, the other is that if the fish can see it, they won’t spook as they won’t bump into it – probably both are true to one degree or another!
But if you can make the end tackle blend in as much as possible AND get the fish not to bang into it, that must be the best way…. mustn’t it?
Leadcore is normally the method to pin down that last little bit and disguise the tackle, but it actually sticks out pretty blatantly unless it 100% matches the bottom and sinks into the silt a bit, but even then you still end up with a straight line on the bottom, and there are few straight lines in nature. Leads, tubing, beads can all add to this, but they are in the main a necessary evil. We can then get into the debate as to whether fish can recognise beads, leads, etc for what they actually are…. But I won’t!
I’ve been using the Magaligner rig with a helicopter set up a lot recently, so wanted a more subtle presentation as the lake was crystal clear so moved to an adapted Pallatrax “Stonez” system, coupled with fluorocarbon mainline.
The “Stonez” comes as an inline weight with tubing…..
Which was chopped down, and I use a couple of extra bits….
To leave me with this..
The hooklength it attached to the top swivel, the PVA bag/stocking can be tied to the bottom one – just as in Samantha’s rig.
From above in the water, it looks a lot more natural than leadcore – I’m not really worried about the lead, as I’m not convinced fish are spooked by them, let’s face it on the average water the fish wouldn’t be able to swim more than a couple of yards without spooking, but you lose that line of the leadcore.
If viewed close up, you can just about see a bit of shadow from the fluorocarbon, but to be fair it was only in a couple of inches of water. But to me, it is much better than the leadcore.
Obviously if used straight through rather than as a helicopter set up, the Stonez would be much more subtle without the tubing (just use enough to protect the mainline, an inch or so past the weight), but even without it, it’s worth having a look at your end tackle in the edge and seeing if there’s anything you can do to make it better.
Dave Rothery
