Float Paternoster Rigs On Rivers

Out of curiosity I never fish rivers for pike or perch much but with a float paternoster on a river is this to slow the pace you trot the float downstream in a heavy flow or to fish the bait static of the deck? Or could you apply both depending on depth speed of current and so on?

Usually fished static, weight on the deck and float above with paternoster mid depth. Good method using deadbait.

gree, but also great with live baits as you can ensure they stay mid water in full view of any lurking preds.

I fish with a slightly different arrangement than is usually described. In a normal paternoster rig (as opposed to the helicopter rig) the link to the weight is a seperate length of line with the reel line going through a swivel eye to the bait length. This worries me in that the weight and / or line could become entangled during the playing of the fish. Also, this line often tangles round the hook length in cast or when fishing. That is what puts me off using it. I kept getting tangled. I've never been tempted to get in the water to look at the paternoster rig, but I suspect that it doesn't hang there all neat and proper like it is shown in the diagrams.

The way I do it is to have a sliding float stopped by a float stop and then to finish off the reel line with a small strong swivel. The float travels between the swivel and float stop. Then through the other eye of the swivel is another length of line at least equal to the reel lin strength. On one side of the swivel the line ends in a loop that is fastened loop to loop with a ledger weight. The line at the other side of the swivel goes to a link swivel that in turn attaches the hook length whether that be a wire trace or stiff mono in the case of catfish. There are several variables that can be altered to suit the conditions;

Weight - I usually have the bulk of the weight required as a bullet weight or swan shot under the float (it sits above the swivel). The other weight is on the line that runs through the swivel. This is just enough to hold against the flow or wind drift. In practice mine is usually between 1/8 and 1/2 ounce.

Length of Line between hook length / trace and weight - this is long enough to keep the bait off the bottom. In practice I have the length of line at least twice the length of hook length / trace with a maximum overall length of 6 to 8 feet. This is to allow for it to be at an angle caused by wind drift, current or by tightening toward the rod. This angle helps prevent the bait snagging against the line going to the weight. This is the biggest problem I encountered using the standard paternoster as described in fishing books since time began.

Depth of Float - This needs to be enough to allow an angle of line from swivel to lower weight. The more overdepth you set it the shallower the angle will be and that keeps the bait away from the weight link at the cost of placing the bait lower in the water, i.e nearer the bottom.

Those who sea fish will recognise much of this as part of the pulley rig that has been around for years. The pulley rig tucks the weight up against the reel line by effect of the fish pulling the weight up like a pulley. This does exactly the same with the added benefit of making the rig less resistant to a taking fish.

When you cast this rig, the fish you use as bait is usually heavier than the lower weight and so it drops pulling the lower weight up to the swivel where the bullet weight and float is. This is why I have a maximum overall length of 6 to 8 feet for the running line. Once the rig hits the water the fish bait become lighter than the lower weight owing to its natural near neutral bouyancy. So as soon as the rig hits the water the lower weight drops first pulling the bait length up to the swivel.

With the float pulley rig when a fish takes the bait it pulls the float down. That in turn pulls the lower weight up and this balance reduces resistance on the float as the bouyancy is negated by the lower weight.

The rigs can be tied seperately and kept on a pole winder ready for use. The main thing to remember is that the fish will be pulling against the link swivel and lower weight through the swivel. As long as you keep that in mind and make the right choice of swivel and link swivel it shouldn't be a problem.

I've never worried about resistance when piking so i use a simple fixed rig........but what i will say is to be aware of bite offs!!

Not bit offs in the usual sense but when the line above the trace is taken into the pikes mouth......it WILL happen at some time in your piking life unless a couple of simple ploys are used.

Use an uptrace and either use a floating line or keep it tight from float to rod........if the line sinks and belly's it can spell trouble.

I forgot to add that if you need to add a weak link to the bottom lead, i.e a safe lead, use a paper clip through the eye of a swivel to attach the lower lead, the other end of the swivel being attached eye to eye to the line.