Woody's Angle – The Myth about Death Rigs

THE MYTH ABOUT ‘DEATH RIGS’

I can’t help feeling at times that anglers are the most gullible people of all when it comes to accepting rules. So someone comes up with a sweeping statement that a particular way of tying a rig should now be termed a death rig and as such should be banned. We’ve had a discussion on the forums from time to time about rigs and it really does beggar belief how little people think about something before they jump on the bandwagon and criticise.

First of all lets define what is a 100% safe rig for fishing.

Well, it doesn’t exist, because a 100% safe rig would leave nothing whatsoever, a hook or otherwise, in the fish, nor anything in the water that would cause a risk to a fish or any other creature. So coming back from that, all we are talking about is degrees of safety or risk, whichever way you wish to view it.

So if a breakage occurs anywhere in the system beyond the rod tip what is the best scenario from the fish’s point of view? I suppose that would be just the hook coming undone and being left in the fish’s mouth until it got rid of it or someone else later removed it. Next would be the hook and a short length of line with nothing else attached to it. Why complicate matters with swivels and tubing and clips and stops?

Let’s look at the loop system for attaching a feeder

This is the feeder fishing method I was taught by members of the A4 team from Maidenhead who at the time were sponsored by Mustad and so were the A4 Vikings (Mustad being a Norwegian company). The rig has the benefit that it is virtually tangle free, the first requirement of any rig, and it doesn’t need any fixings other than knots so it is also cheap and simple to put together.

The Loop Rig (click for bigger picture)

The drawing shows it quite well. A feeder is slipped onto the line and then a large loop of approximately 24″ is created with the feeder inside it (please note: the feeder should be on the mainline part of that loop and not the return in case the knot comes undone, the feeder will then stay on the main line). The end 6″ of the loop is then formed into further loops of around 11/2 ” and this is so that the feeder won’t accidentally fall through any other loop. It also stiffens the mainline to prevent a tangle and keeps the hooklink well away from the feeder.

A hooklink of whatever length you choose is then attached to the final loop by the loop-to-loop method. All knots are double overhand type and despite my drawing, the top knot should be trimmed back as much as possible. I watched matchman Kim Milsom once as he trimmed a similar knot six times and still wasn’t happy with it. A very well trimmed knot is more likely to come undone also in the unlikely event that you did break the mainline.

This is the perfect system for fishing a river as it keeps the hook link well away from the feeder on most casts. It should not be used on a stillwater, it just doesn’t lend itself to that application. The Code of Conduct published by the NAA states the following about this rig:

“Commonly used for light line feeder fishing. Use typically with 4lb line (5lb maximum), 2/3lb hook links. Use with caution – must not be used with heavy mainlines and hook links as in the event of the main line breaking the lead or feeder could still be attached to the hooklink.”

I will endorse that and would add that you should not just look at 4 lbs or 5 lbs b/s lines, but also at their diameters. Typically these should be 0.20mm to 0.23mm diameter, which would indicate they are strong standard lines that have not been pre-stretched and will have a certain amount of elasticity. Therefore they will have an in-built cushioning effect on the strike.

Your hooklinks, on the other hand, should be pre-stretched, hi-tech, call them what you will, and should be of fine diameter. Drennan Rig lines and Double Strength lines are perfect for this purpose. No stronger than 2.5lbs with a 4lbs mainline and 3 lbs with a 5 lbs mainline. With experience you will know when it’s right, but until then err on the side of caution. I have landed chub over 5lb before on a 1.7lb hooklink so don’t think you will lose many fish.

Providing this is not fished an a swim full of snags, rock, branches, and other debris then it is safe and all you should ever experience is the loss of the hooklink. That takes us back to that level of risk – a hook with a short length of line attached and nothing on it. As I had said in the forum the only time I have lost a feeder is when a boat cut my line, which can happen anytime on the Thames.

Now let’s look at the fixed paternoster rig for feeder or bomb

This method lends itself to either flowing or stillwater. Is it safe? The NAA’s Code of Conduct says not, but what I will describe about the way of tying it renders it about as safe as any other rig. Yet again, it is simplicity itself as the two lines are joined using a 4-turn water knot.

The Knot use for the Fixed Paternoster

See the layout of the lines forming a ‘Y’ shape, there’s two very good reasons for doing it this way. The first being that the hooklink will try to keep itself away from the mainline. If the hooklink came off the bottom of the knot it would regularly tangle with the mainline that runs to the feeder or bomb. Then you would have problems in presentation and also if you had a mainline breakage, especially if a further knot ensued between them, which can happen.

The second reason being that if this hooklink is going to break under a straight pulling pressure it will most likely break at that knot because it will use the knot against itself as a lever. If the hooklink came off the bottom of the knot there would be more even tension applied to the mainline in a direct pull situation. Think about it! Using a line’s strength against itself is the best way to create a weak spot.

I have seen both John Wilson and Bob Nudd using this simple paternoster rig to good effect. Okay, that alone doesn’t make it right, but used sensibly and with the same lines and diameters as described with the loop method above and you won’t be able to fault it.

However, if it still upsets you, then instead of a 4 turn water knot to join the lines, use a standard sliding knot to attach the hooklink to the mainline. Now what happens if the mainline should break? The sliding knot will simply slide up and off it with a bit of a pull and as was rightly pointed out, it would have been a big fish to have broken the mainline and a big fish would be able to pull the sliding knot off.

The key message should be, of course, always check your mainline for damage and replace it regularly! The greatest cause of all lost line is the fact that it is rotten or has developed a kink.

With both of these rigs, there is just the hook, the feeder or bomb, and the line. Nothing else. They’re simple and relatively tangle free. I would argue their case every time and until someone can demonstrate that they really are ‘death rigs’ and that they have something that is 100% safe, I will use them. Except, of course, where silly rules dreamt up by unthinking people forbid them, but then, some people are like that and I’ll wager they’re float anglers anyway.