The Straight-Through Rig

The simple yet sensible Straight-through Rig

The Straight-through Rig

In fishing we can get lost in a welter of fixings and clips and swivels and rubber beads and other contraptions. Sometimes when I fish for barbel and chub I just want to cut out all the expensive paraphernalia and ‘Keep It Simple’, the best way is with the straight-through rig.

The 10lb reel line goes straight through to the hook, a size appropriate to the bait and fish. A short 30 cm length of a lower breaking strain line, at least 2 lbs lower and any old line will do, is used to tie a sliding stop knot along the main line where you want the lead to hang off. The old ‘rotten bottom’.

Cut the down-facing tag as short as you want it; I leave a good 45mm so that occasionally I might tighten the knot later on. To the upwards facing tag end, tie a weight of your choice and trim that knot fine. Using the up facing end (meaning the tag pointing toward the rod tip end) keeps the lines out of a lot of tangles.

You are now fishing straight through and should the main line ever break above the stop knot, because it can quite easily slide along and off the mainline it will never tether a hooked fish. In fact, I have never lost a fish because of a main line breaking on me yet. I have lost lots of leads though through getting stuck in rocks on the river bed and the rotten bottom breaking, but this is what it’s for. At least you only lose the lead.

**Harrison’s Owner Hooks Competition Contender**