Rotten Bottoms

[ChrisJD]

Just starting out with rock fishing. What\'s the best type of rotten bottom? Also are you actually casting into the kelp or just by the side of it. If in it how do you get your gear back? Any info much appreciated!

[gogs]

Hi chris most of us use this set up for a rotten bottom,it is two gemini links clipped together at the end of the trace with one acting as a bait clip and the other one is upside down which you hook your lead onto with a weak link (i use 20lb weak link and 30lb straight through mainline) never had a lead snap of using this set up





as for the kelp,cast in the middle of it or look for holes where there are gulleys between the kelp,using the rotten bottoms usually gets your trace back from the kelp and also having a fish on usually helps you get your gear back in aswell if you can get it upto the surface quite quickly,hope this helps a little,

gogs.



[Edited on 14/9/2003 by TC]

[TC]

That looks like a doddle to make, Gordon.

I\'ll be using that from now on.

I had to resize your picture, m8 - it was a bit toooo BIG, really.

It would be appreciated if anybody who is uploading pix to the Board could keep them to a MAX width of around 640 pixels, thanx

[gogs]

tony when i posted that pic it was only 46kb i dont know how it went that size :P

gogs.

[peter.m]

If I\'m not casting far I use rotters. Plain and simple with 20lb rotten link. Haven\'t found fault with them, they work just like the upside down Genie Link. I\'m going to try the clip down bit though to see how it goes.

[Jimbob]

Agree with Gogs - what I use too

[ChrisJD]

Thanks guys that\'s really helpful. If you\'re using 20lb weak link then I take it it\'s serious mainline with no shock leader?

[gogs]

just 30lb line straight through chris,whichever brand you are happy with.

gogs

[tartanpete]

hi gogs,just found your rotten bottom set up...great gonna use it this winter...cheers..pete

[big_sean]

just thought i would post a reply on this subject as i mainly fish rough ground and heavy kelp marks and i always use a shock leader this is because the line near the rig can get scuffed and cuts in it so using 30lb straight through is in my eyes not a good practice a lot of people i know dont call them shockleaders they call them rubbing leaders

one other point is if you are fishing and you see someone a bit away casting further out and pulling in fish you might try and go further out but would you always remember that you were only using 30lb straight through
this is a very difficult one but i would say safety should always come first

[gogs]

sean i seem to remember we all had the discussion on the old board about shockleaders and rough ground and most lads did without myself included, when using a overhead style cast there is basically only one way a lead can go if it snaps of(and in all my years i had my first this summer,not having a practice cast before the start of a comp,and having broke out of a snag the last time i used the reel,the line was tightly bunched and the result was a birds nest that required a strip down and a lead that went 300yrds straight out to sea(pity there was no divers out there but thats another story ) always check the last ten yards of line before the next cast and cut of any damaged line.and if there is any need for extra distance either change reels with a lighter line and a leader or add a leader to the 30lb

gogs.

[Ell]

Sean, I used mainline strength straight through for the first time recently, 45lb mind you and it was in a competition situation, shockleader knots = time, that sounds terrible as sometimes not taking enough time = death. I felt confident and in control (don\'t laugh) and was very aware of those around me, i.e. I had bags of space + the nearest person to me was Ant so he had most of the SE sector covered If i had even the shadow of a doubt I would have used a shockleader, (Honest mr. Lawson)


[Edited on 25/9/2003 by Ell]

[Tat]

I might be out of order here,but I watched a prog. last night that supposedly did away with all this rotten bottom set-up.All he did was tie a couple of knots about a foot above the sinker and this,he reckoned,weakened the line enough to snap off when it got snagged. I suppose he was using 30\'ish lb straight through.Worth thinking about,or not.

[Edited on 27/9/2003 by Tat]

[Ell]

Nee good for safety Tat. If you\'re following the 10lb bs for every ounce of weight rule (min.) the link between your rig and your lead\'s gotta be the same. That\'s why rotten bottoms are used m8. If you knew that already sorry, maybe someone didn\'t though!

the main thing about an effective rotten bottom is it stays on in the cast! and can be broken out afterwards. The cast bit is the most important part of the operation as thats where heeds could get split!

[Edited on 27/9/2003 by Ell]

[Tat]

Aye I knew about the 10lb bit,Ijust never put 2&2 together and came up with crack-off.Cheers for putting me right b4 I hurt som1