lakhyaman
Well-known member
Hi
I live in Bangladesh and fish in my own little fishery there ( I have posted on the "Intro" forum)
Recently while fishing there I have run into problems with the hooks on the bolt rigs i have been using. I am very new to bolt rigs and the like and much prefer to fish with a float outfit so it is probably something I am doing wrong. If you will bear with me I feel I have to set up the situation so you can get a clearer picture:
The setting:
The water is a small one of about 4 acres. It is stocked with Indian cyprinids and Cyprinus carpio.
The Fish:
Although one species, the Catla (Catla Catla) are there up to 20 lbs most of the fish average between 6 and 10 lbs.
Small Catla (Catla catla)
Rohu (Labeo rohita)
Mrigal (Cirhinus mrigala)
Mahseer (Tor putitora)
The pics show the approximate size of the fish I was dealing with.
the Equipment:
Rod - Hardy Marksman Smuggler Avon (casting weight 60 gms)
Reel - Shimano Baitrunner DL 4000 FB
Line - .33 mm
The rig consisted of a 2 oz lead (semi fixed) with a 5 inch braid hooklink
Bait -0 hair rigged sweetcorn
the problem was with the hooks.
I had any number of runs and hook ups but every time I wound down to the fish the hook would straighten and the fish would be off. Thinking I had the wrong type of hook on I changed to other types and had the same result.
From left: Owner size 4 model no: 5111-071 cutting point hook. Owner size 2 5111-091 cutting point, Mustad size 2 model unknown, Gamakatsu Octopus size 6 hook.
The photo shows some of the hooks that were straightened.
The thing was that while the bolt rig was doing its thing on the side I was fishing with a peacock quill at my rod tip with a Hardy marksman 13 ft float rod with hooks from the same packets and landing fish after fish without an issue. In fact the photos show some of the fish caught!
I was obviously doing something right as I was getting run after run and well hooked fish. but the hooks kept straightening!
I can only surmise that the bolt rigs being set up so that the fish is hooked in the bottom lip (I think) the hook point was not penetrating completely and thus all the strain was on the hook point when the shank was being pulled upwards by the fully bent rod causing the hook to straighten. But an Avon rod is hardly (in my opinion) such a powerful one as to straighten thick wire hooks. Also, the fish were on long enough for the hook point to have penetrated well enough and the hooks straightened on a couple of occasions when the reel was giving line smoothly under not very heavy drag!
Neither were the fish of such monstrous size that they had the power to straighten out hooks already tried and tested on them!
I would be delighted if you would tell me what I am doing wrong!
All the best
Lakhyaman
I live in Bangladesh and fish in my own little fishery there ( I have posted on the "Intro" forum)
Recently while fishing there I have run into problems with the hooks on the bolt rigs i have been using. I am very new to bolt rigs and the like and much prefer to fish with a float outfit so it is probably something I am doing wrong. If you will bear with me I feel I have to set up the situation so you can get a clearer picture:
The setting:
The water is a small one of about 4 acres. It is stocked with Indian cyprinids and Cyprinus carpio.
The Fish:
Although one species, the Catla (Catla Catla) are there up to 20 lbs most of the fish average between 6 and 10 lbs.
Small Catla (Catla catla)
Rohu (Labeo rohita)
Mrigal (Cirhinus mrigala)
Mahseer (Tor putitora)
The pics show the approximate size of the fish I was dealing with.
the Equipment:
Rod - Hardy Marksman Smuggler Avon (casting weight 60 gms)
Reel - Shimano Baitrunner DL 4000 FB
Line - .33 mm
The rig consisted of a 2 oz lead (semi fixed) with a 5 inch braid hooklink
Bait -0 hair rigged sweetcorn
the problem was with the hooks.
I had any number of runs and hook ups but every time I wound down to the fish the hook would straighten and the fish would be off. Thinking I had the wrong type of hook on I changed to other types and had the same result.
From left: Owner size 4 model no: 5111-071 cutting point hook. Owner size 2 5111-091 cutting point, Mustad size 2 model unknown, Gamakatsu Octopus size 6 hook.
The photo shows some of the hooks that were straightened.
The thing was that while the bolt rig was doing its thing on the side I was fishing with a peacock quill at my rod tip with a Hardy marksman 13 ft float rod with hooks from the same packets and landing fish after fish without an issue. In fact the photos show some of the fish caught!
I was obviously doing something right as I was getting run after run and well hooked fish. but the hooks kept straightening!
I can only surmise that the bolt rigs being set up so that the fish is hooked in the bottom lip (I think) the hook point was not penetrating completely and thus all the strain was on the hook point when the shank was being pulled upwards by the fully bent rod causing the hook to straighten. But an Avon rod is hardly (in my opinion) such a powerful one as to straighten thick wire hooks. Also, the fish were on long enough for the hook point to have penetrated well enough and the hooks straightened on a couple of occasions when the reel was giving line smoothly under not very heavy drag!
Neither were the fish of such monstrous size that they had the power to straighten out hooks already tried and tested on them!
I would be delighted if you would tell me what I am doing wrong!
All the best
Lakhyaman