Best Perch Live bait rig ?

[shane99]

Finally now a member of a big Perch water after 3 years on the waiting list

Just trying to decide on the best live bait rig. Have trawled the net & got a few idea's of course but more idea's always welcome.

I haven't settled on a hook pattern yet but the Fox rage drop shot hooks have been good for lob fishing for me along with
Sukuma circle hooks. The question here is does a circle hook work with Live baits as no rig I have found on the net use circle hooks when live baiting which I find surprising ?

Any pointers very welcome

 

[Philip]

I guess final choice will depend on the nature of the water your fishing…deep…weedy etc etc.

When i was doing a bit of live baiting for them I looked at a number of different rigs but nothing really grabbed me, everyone was obsessed with low resistance but often resistance can be reduced just by making things smaller.

Anyway I ended up using a tiny float paternoster with a Drennan Chubber float, Size 6 Drennan Super Specialist hook and 6lb line straight through although in open water I would be happy to go lower than that…maybe 4lb.

The float was fished bottom end only so it slid on the line with a stop knot above it. The size of the float was matched to the size of the bait. All the shot was then bunched about 6 inches from the hook in a line. The paternoster link was created by taking a bit of weaker line with a lead at one end just big enough to tether the bait (usually 3/4 ounce was enough) and tying a loop in the other end of the line. Importantly the loop was tied just once not twice. I then slid the loop over the hook and up the line until it was above the bunched up shot. I then pulled the tag end to close the loop so it gripped the mainline (this is why the loop was only tied once). I then slid it down so it sat nicely on top of the bunched up shot, this also kicked the hook out at an angle as well helping to avoid tangles. The depth the bait was fished at could be varied with the length of the paternoster link.

Anyway it worked really well for me.

Circle hooks ? … not for me as I recon they are limiting your hooking capabilities not enhancing them but others swear by them.

 

[103841]

I don’t swear by them, but as a relative novice with fears of deep hooking both perch and pike , I have found circle hooks to be a blessing.

 

[Philip]

I would agree Circle hook are better to avoid deep hooking but thats the point in case.

In my opinion the reason circle hooks generally catch in the Scissors is because they are basically inefficient at hooking in general else they would hook them everywhere.

A more normal hook « risks » catching in far more places in the mouth more easily.

Not saying they dont work...of course they do but I would much rather go with a more normal pattern & just strike early enough to avoid deep hooking.

 

[shane99]

I would agree Circle hook are better to avoid deep hooking but thats the point in case.

In my opinion the reason circle hooks generally catch in the Scissors is because they are basically inefficient at hooking in general else they would hook them everywhere.
A more normal hook « risks » catching in far more places in the mouth more easily.

Not saying they dont work...of course they do but I would much rather go with a more normal pattern & just strike early enough to avoid deep hooking.

I have you you right, normal pattern it will be. I will probably favour the drop shot hook being fine wired & made for purpose, rubber fish/real fish ...

People are obsessed with resistance, which I get when ledgering, but when float fishing resistance is virtually redundant in my mind.

The Complete Specialist Angler - Part Two: Perch - UK Match Angler

I will probably settle on this rig as it makes sense to me - is that another version of what you did Phillip ?

 

[Philip]

Yes that's basically the same rig, different components but same principle. I also left my float sliding rather than fixed.

One point about fine wire hooks, I know some anglers (Steve Burke for example) say to avoid them as the heart of a perch is in the back of its gullet so a fine wire going in deep could kill it.

I think the risk is overstated as the majority of hooks will go in to the bend with a fish pulling on the end anyway but I mention in case.

 

[103841]

It’s not clear to me from that diagram but make sure you have a light breaking strain piece of line going to the lead using a ring or swivel, if the perch gets you into a snag the lead will easily break free.

 

[shane99]

It’s not clear to me from that diagram but make sure you have a light breaking strain piece of line going to the lead using a ring or swivel, if the perch gets you into a snag the lead will easily break free.

Tied some yesterday S63 for various depths with 2.7lb fluorocarbon for that reason, but sussed out after doing all that you can use a drop shot weight & adjust to suit mg:

 

[103841]

Is a drop shot weight heavy enough? When livebaiting I want my rig anchored so the livebait doesn’t stray from a given area.

 

[shane99]

they come in various weights S63

 

[shane99]

Yes that's basically the same rig, different components but same principle. I also left my float sliding rather than fixed.


I would find the depth of the swim & then what depth you want your bait, then bring the float to surface, before you hook your live bait !

On that point, lip hooked or tail hooked ??

 

[103841]

they come in various weights S63

I drop shot myself and am familiar with the range of weights, I use a 3/4oz weight, no drop shot weights I’m aware of get near that kind of weight.

 

[shane99]

I drop shot myself and am familiar with the range of weights, I use a 3/4oz weight, no drop shot weights I’m aware of get near that kind of weight.

Morning S63 - they are on e bay up to 30 grammes - I am only still water fishing so should be ok.

 

[Philip]

I would find the depth of the swim & then what depth you want your bait, then bring the float to surface, before you hook your live bait !

On that point, lip hooked or tail hooked ??

I lip hook, I have never really got on with tail or elsewhere hooking. I’ll only hook elsewhere if I am using much larger baits on 2 hook rigs for Pike/Zander/Catfish.

On the depth point, one other point to highlight, the rig in the link relies on the paternoster weight alone to keep the bait down. I prefer to have some sort of weight down the line as well unless I am fishing a sunken float paternoster.

 

[shane99]

have settled on Kamasan B983's

 

[shane99]

I lip hook, I have never really got on with tail or elsewhere hooking. I’ll only hook elsewhere if I am using much larger baits on 2 hook rigs for Pike/Zander/Catfish unless I am fishing a sunken float paternoster.

any pics Philip ? on the sunken float paternoster

 

[Philip]

I had a couple of made up rods with sunken paternosters sitting on my rack for months and literally just changed them over to something else a couple of days ago.

...I'll try and tie one another up and sort out a pic for you in a while but in essence the basic concept is the same as the other paternoster. The difference being that the lead link slides free on the mainline so a taking fish pulls to the float and indicator rather than the lead. I like it allot as you can always be certain the bait is fishing at a given distance off the bottom. However you need indication at the rod for a take as the float is suspended/sunken beneath the surface.

 

[shane99]

Big River Perch Fishing In Autumn – Bob Roberts – Fishing information for the complete angler
perch-rig1.jpg

Here's another rig in this article which I would quite like to try

 

[Philip]

Thats basically my sunken float paternoster if you add a polyball/float up the line.

He is using the rod tip to hold it upright. However for fishing further out you need something else to hold it up..thats were the float comes in.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I use a similar set up to the one Philip described, except I have a free running Zeppler float on the line. I place the rod on a Delkim and point it directly at the float.

On rivers I set the bait-runner so it just can’t give line against the pull of the current or bait. Another refinement is to hair rig a small barbed hook with a knot-less knot then knot-less a larger hook about 1.5cm away. This is to a degree a bolt rig and there is far less of a chance of deep hooking.

Instead of the small hook you can tie on a bait band and attach the bait by piercing the top lip with a crochet type bollie needle, stretch the band and pull it through the lip. The bait is held on amazingly well and if you want to release it you just reverse the process.


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