Advise on split shot please...

[soffit]

Its always been said that split shot crimped onto the line will weaken it to some degree and that seems a reasonable assumption. I used to use lead. It was so soft you easily work out by feel what pressure was needed to stay on the line and no more.

I've bought two lots of the non-toxic shot and find it quite difficult to use. One lot was from a cheap&cheerful place because the dispenser was a good design but the shot was ****; even the small stuff needed some bottle to close. The other was from a dedicated tackle shop; shot much more malleable but the dispenser was rubbish.

So..... Is there a Rolls Royce of shot?

Ps : Recently been doing some float fishing on a small river and putting the bulk of the shot on a long tag left over from tying two loops to join main to hook length to get around the problem[ Used the hook length loop as to hangs down anyways] Been taking off the float and trying to catch stuff 'On the drop' Lots of solid but missed bites. Reckon the concentrated weight is well below the bait so a bent line gives a good bite but no contact? Was going to try some spaced out BB's today for killer presentation but its blowing a gale so yer hook might end up as facial jewelry

---------- Post added at 10:00 ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 ----------

Its always been said that split shot crimped onto the line will weaken it to some degree and that seems a reasonable assumption. I used to use lead. It was so soft you easily work out by feel what pressure was needed to stay on the line and no more.

I've bought two lots of the non-toxic shot and find it quite difficult to use. One lot was from a cheap&cheerful place because the dispenser was a good design but the shot was ****; even the small stuff needed some bottle to close. The other was from a dedicated tackle shop; shot much more malleable but the dispenser was rubbish.

So..... Is there a Rolls Royce of shot?

Ps : Recently been doing some float fishing on a small river and putting the bulk of the shot on a long tag left over from tying two loops to join main to hook length to get around the problem[ Used the hook length loop as to hangs down anyways] Been taking off the float and trying to catch stuff 'On the drop' Lots of solid but missed bites. Reckon the concentrated weight is well below the bait so a bent line gives a good bite but no contact? Was going to try some spaced out BB's today for killer presentation but its blowing a gale so yer hook might end up as facial jewelry

I think I'll move it... there is a small audience around here

 

[beerweasel]

I use Fladen (expensive but good), I thought Dinsmores and Anchor were too hard.
I'm not sure I understand your shotting problem, if I tie on a hook length there is
no tag or loop (?).

 

[soffit]

I use Fladen (expensive but good), I thought Dinsmores and Anchor were too hard.
I'm not sure I understand your shotting problem, if I tie on a hook length there is
no tag or loop (?).

If you tie a loop you normally clip off the excess? Rather than tidy it up I used it to attach the shot so you can fix it as hard as you like but it doesn't effect the line strength.... its sort of on a branch line...

 

[beerweasel]

I have to admit I've never tried that, it sounds like a paternoster rig.
If it works then it's fine, but I prefer the normal shotting patterns.
Good luck with it though. :w

 

[soffit]

I have to admit I've never tried that, it sounds like a paternoster rig.
If it works then it's fine, but I prefer the normal shotting patterns.
Good luck with it though. :w

Suppose you leave three inches of surplus after tying a loop. You tie or pinch the weight at the end. Take up the slack after casting and the fish can travel six inches without feeling any resistance apart from your bite indicator. This assumes the fish is cooperating by by taking the bait away from you but that applies to any ledger set-up.

This is not how I am fishing because I'm taking fish[or not ] as the rig drops through the water but as a bottom ledger set-up it seems a reasonable idea in still water or a small river where you can keep the tackle pretty much in a straight line.

 

[monclerkids]

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[peter crabtree]

I use the Preston shot, in the little green or grey dispensers, sizes AAA down to 12. Nice and soft, never had any line damage with these.

 

[mol]

I use Fladen (expensive but good), I thought Dinsmores and Anchor were too hard.
I'm not sure I understand your shotting problem, if I tie on a hook length there is
no tag or loop (?).

I quite like the Anchor stuff but then I haven't tried the Fladen stuff.

I wouldn't worry too much about the shot problem, I think it's more in peoples heads than a real problem as thousands of anglers use shot on a regular basis, if it was that bad we would have found something else.

 

[little oik]

Due to the nature of the fishing over here I tend to use heavier wagglers than the norm over there .I will use olivettes and or shot . AAAs and BBs on silicone sleeving No 4s on the line and then stotz for the rest (mainly because of line thickness doesn't go well with smaller dust shot ) Using this method I have had no breakages due to line crimping etc.Mind you the fish are not exactly hook shy over here so finesse isn't in the mix, unless silver fishing in the winter months