best rig for landing good cod through kelp

[jp81]

I always use pulleys. I find tho, if you put a stop knot on the main rig body, it still has the pulley effect but the stop knot helps with bite detection and also up's the hooking potential. Simple but effective. I always use rotten bottoms, even if fishing clean ground. You just never know when your gonna get hung up with a fish on.

[CHUKKA]

what about when you need distance ? i struggle to thump 30lb line straight through i have to use a 80 shocker

geoff king

Geoff is a better caster than most realise. He has no need on the marks he fishes. His attention to detail might be overlooked but his knowledge of marks is second to none. Top angler who knows where to go more often than most. He has a diary and competition records going back many many years.

[CHUKKA]

what about when you need distance ? i struggle to thump 30lb line straight through i have to use a 80 shocker

geoff king

Geoff is a better caster than most realise. He has no need on the marks he fishes. His attention to detail might be overlooked but his knowledge of marks is second to none. Top angler who knows where to go more often than most. He has a diary and competition records going back many many years.

[fish fingers]

he,s the man thiers no doubt about that all these fancy rigs etc.. look at the fish stores has had aswell now davids gear is prehistoric lol

[Deans]

good read this like. well worth the post

gonna give some of these ideas a try.

unless am whacking the bait off a cliff top

[Billzo]

Geoff is a better caster than most realise. He has no need on the marks he fishes. His attention to detail might be overlooked but his knowledge of marks is second to none. Top angler who knows where to go more often than most. He has a diary and competition records going back many many years.

i second that m8,
a great bloke 2 talk 2 & he does give out info if ya need any he has helped me with a few marks, tacktics ect & now tried, tested & proven.
bill.

[g-force]

i second that m8,
a great bloke 2 talk 2 & he does give out info if ya need any he has helped me with a few marks, tacktics ect & now tried, tested & proven.
bill.

Just don't let him come up and fish next to you mate, he'll catch all your fish

Gary

[Stewart 1971]

Cracking thread this lads, really informative read. I'm in the anti-pulley camp; I've also recently started experimenting with braid and so far it is working really well - got some 100lb on a Penn 535 for really heavy work and .36mm 66lb Power Pro for longer distance fishing on a casting multi.

[Rocker]

Have to stick up for pulleys, they work fine for me, I've had 39 size cod out since 1st September mostly on pulleys. Most fish hook themselves! Use heavy mono, big hook, 3ft hook length and a heavy sinker and they work fine! For me anyway!

[g-force]

Fishing in the heavy kelp isn't for everyone - if you don't like losing gear or aren't up to skull-dragging a fish through yards & yards of heavy weed then it probably isn't for you. I must admit I love my summer fishing up the coast - nothing better than catching codlings in baking sunshine & a t-shirt when everyone's "put their gear away". My only regret was that this year I couldn't get out more - due to the appalling crabbing I was more concerned about getting bait frozen down for the winter.

It then makes a nice change come the winter to get on the beach in darkness when the fish are in and break out the toy reels & light line....however the gradual build-up of sand in the car, garage & house pretty soon reminds me why I much prefer fishing off the rocks & mixed ground beaches like Whitley & Tynemouth where at least you can stand on a nice rocky skeer

[Billzo]

Just don't let him come up and fish next to you mate, he'll catch all your fish

Gary

at least i would know that i was in the right place gary m8 lol.
bill.

[IANBRENNAN]

Hello
Great thread with some great idea's
Any chance you could post some pictures of you favourite rigs
like how you clip down a longer hook trace than plunder trace
Please
Ian

[Elbob]

I have fished Cresswell a fair bit lately onto mixed and rough ground and have been messing about with various main lines and hook lengths. I feel I'm close to an ideal set-up:- Mainline 80 lb braid, 30 ft 80 lb mono shock/ rubbing leader, An 80 lb swivel to a fast link clip. 3 ft 60 lb rig body with a blood loop tied 1 ft from the bottom with a 2 - 3 ft 40 lb hook length and 6/0 Bass hook. Also use a 6 oz grip lead with big spikes bound with elastic thread, seems to minimise sinker snags but not totally eliminated. Not casting a great distance but so far I have lost minimal tackle and fish. Also, I no longer take a rod rest and prefer holding the rod and feel every knock or nibble. I wonder how many bites I missed in the past? Im also toying with the idea of a longer softer rod for the braid. but that's for another thread.

[CHUKKA]

what about when you need distance ? i struggle to thump 30lb line straight through i have to use a 80 shocker

Most of the top anglers have tried braid and don't use it. Save yourself some money and time and stick with tried and tested methods. Concentrate on top bait and getting to learn which marks fish given the conditions.

[Stores]

Agree with previous comments that this has been the best thread on NESA for ages - no sniping, backstabbing or one upmanship - lets keep it up.

With regard to set ups you all know what I prefer - simple is best - no pulleys, no rotten bottom set ups (although mine's a type of rotten bottom), no beads, bits of metal, stoppers, uppers or downers.....you get the gist.

I was intrigued by Gary's bottom hook idea in the weirs, something I've never really entertained other than when I've been fishing on, say, Tynemouth beach and I've moved into the Slatey or Harbour and the weather's been so cold that I've kept the beach set on - hardly scientific. But it did jog a memory from my schoolboy days, fishing along at Sharpness in February.

Come the back end of the season, in the 70's, there was an expectation and excitement that if you got a decent codling there was every chance you'd get another as spawning codling came as couples (cock and hen). I might be wrong but I'm sure it was Tony Taylor, stood 10 yards from me and the old man, either on **** Hill or in the Lobster Pots, who pulled in two codlings, one on a top hook, one on the bottom one.

The point being that 50 years ago anglers were experimenting (like me as a young 'un) or knew (like Tony) how to fish the weirs and yet, all these years on, it's still a debatable topic and that's what makes every fishing trip so much fun.

Don't know if Tony still gets on here but it would be interesting to know whether my recollections are accurate and if this was his set up every time.