Heli rigs for tench. How to make them safe?

[Tmackmin]

Hi, so it's almost time to bring out the tench rods. This will be the first year I'm really targeting them and I'm looking for a bit of help. I'll be mixing up inline and heli rigs and it's the heli rigs I'm looking for advice about.

I've seen the standard heli rig with two float stops either side of a swivel but using 10lbs mono mainline I'm concerned about the swivel wearing the line nr the feeder when playing a fish. When carp fishing the heli rig is usually running with either a heavier leader or a heli buffer bead over the swivel to the lead, to stop this from happening. So if you fish with two float stops on the mainline, the float stop will stop the hooklink swivel getting onto the heli buffer bead, or if you fish two float stops on a leader (spliced) or fluoro leader with a knot, (as I've seen suggested on YouTube), I cannot see how the float stops will be able to slide off the leader in case of a mainline break. So I'm unsure how I can fish this safely unless fishing it direct on the mainline is fine?

Secondly I want to fish short fluoro 10lbs hooklinks. Any suggestions for a good fluoro with good knot strength? I've been looking at seaguar but no idea which model to get.

Thanks for any help as usual.

[davelumb]

I've tried all sorts of helicopter rigs for tench (and bream) and the swivel rotating on 0.30mm mono hasn't been a problem. I prefer in-line feeder rigs for maggots though.

Why fluoro? I've used Reflo Powerline for hooklinks, or a sinking braid.

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[Tmackmin]

I've tried all sorts of helicopter rigs for tench (and bream) and the swivel rotating on 0.30mm mono hasn't been a problem. I prefer in-line feeder rigs for maggots though.

Why fluoro? I've used Reflo Powerline for hooklinks, or a sinking braid.

DSC_8489.JPGDSCN1680.jpg

Thanks Dave. I guess I wanted to use fluoro as its slightly stiffer to kick it away from the mainline and feeder to avoid tangles. I find with uncoated braid carp fishing, it can tangle easily if I don't use a small mesh bag to kick it away when I hit the clip. I've never used very short braid hooklinks except in a pva bag, so I've no experience of whether that happens, especially when it's trapped up the mainline away from the feeder.

[davelumb]

I've tried all sorts of helicopter rigs for tench (and bream) and the swivel rotating on 0.30mm mono hasn't been a problem. I prefer in-line feeder rigs for maggots though.

Why fluoro? I've used Reflo Powerline for hooklinks, or a sinking braid.

DSC_8489.JPGDSCN1680.jpg

Thanks Dave. I guess I wanted to use fluoro as its slightly stiffer to kick it away from the mainline and feeder to avoid tangles. I find with uncoated braid carp fishing, it can tangle easily if I don't use a small mesh bag to kick it away when I hit the clip. I've never used very short braid hooklinks except in a pva bag, so I've no experience of whether that happens, especially when it's trapped up the mainline away from the feeder.

Braid can tangle. It's one reason I prefer the in-line feeders.

I tried fluoro but didn't see any advantage over Reflo in the strains I was using. Using a stiff rig sleeve on the hooklink helps keep tangles down with mono and braid.

[squimp]

I tie my tench (etc) heli rigs using either a small (match size) swivel bead or a home-made arrangement of a swivel set on a centimetre of stiff rig tube. The idea being to spread the load on the mainline - usually 10 or 12 lb.

I use one float stop above the swivel and no leader - so it can slide off.

To aid free turning of the heli I now put small glass beads either side of the swivel bead.

I often use a fixed swivel immediately below the heli arrangement with the feeder 6” or so below that.

I have used a similar set up but mounted on 18” of tungsten tube - simply bore out the upper bead until it is just tight enough to hold on the cast.

For hooklinks I use whatever comes to hand - mono, Fluoro or coated braid. Even soft braid with 60% (the swivel end!) stiffened with superglue.

This winter I’ve used a cheap Fluoro (bought on Amazon) whist chub fishing and it works just fine. If you want the best look at soft plus (sold to fly anglers). The 10lb is excellent but very thin - so I’d step up the diameter a bit. I use the 19lb for permit tippet and combi rigs for carp.

I tend to fish maggots on a heli set up, but prefer to fish fake casters on an inline rig. Not quite sure why, but both work for me. I’m going tench fishing this year for the first time in a decade - so if you ask me again in June I might give you a different answer……

[Tmackmin]

I tie my tench (etc) heli rigs using either a small (match size) swivel bead or a home-made arrangement of a swivel set on a centimetre of stiff rig tube. The idea being to spread the load on the mainline - usually 10 or 12 lb.

I use one float stop above the swivel and no leader - so it can slide off.

To aid free turning of the heli I now put small glass beads either side of the swivel bead.

I often use a fixed swivel immediately below the heli arrangement with the feeder 6” or so below that.

I have used a similar set up but mounted on 18” of tungsten tube - simply bore out the upper bead until it is just tight enough to hold on the cast.

For hooklinks I use whatever comes to hand - mono, Fluoro or coated braid. Even soft braid with 60% (the swivel end!) stiffened with superglue.

This winter I’ve used a cheap Fluoro (bought on Amazon) whist chub fishing and it works just fine. If you want the best look at soft plus (sold to fly anglers). The 10lb is excellent but very thin - so I’d step up the diameter a bit. I use the 19lb for permit tippet and combi rigs for carp.

I tend to fish maggots on a heli set up, but prefer to fish fake casters on an inline rig. Not quite sure why, but both work for me. I’m going tench fishing this year for the first time in a decade - so if you ask me again in June I might give you a different answer……

Cheers. Some good ideas there. I ended up with some seaguar reel soft in the end and ignored the breaking strain and just went with the closest to 0.3mm. tight lines for this season. I caught some good tench carp fishing last season but would like to catch them when specifically targeting them and not on a 3.25 tc rod

[stubbojo]

when you target them, if like me you will catch carp and vice versa .....
its a bit like targeting eels , fish for something else and a eel will turn up ....

[Tmackmin]

when you target them, if like me you will catch carp and vice versa .....
its a bit like targeting eels , fish for something else and a eel will turn up ....

Or like me I'll probably just blank

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Is there a 100% way of making them safe as per the title of the thread?

Cheers, Alan

[Mako234]

Does the length of the hooklink and how far it is up the mainline have any impact on the hook ups ?

[davelumb]

Is there a 100% way of making them safe as per the title of the thread?

Cheers, Alan

Are breakages above the rig likely? The only break I've had using a heli rig was the mainline to feeder knot breaking. In which case all that happens is the hooklink slide off. No leader and a float stop above the uppermost bead is probably as safe as you'll get.

[stubbojo]

Does the length of the hooklink and how far it is up the mainline have any impact on the hook ups ?

definitely i have been experimenting with different lengths over the years and i can honestly say short does best as a bolt rig and having at least a 2oz feeder
i use nothing now over 75mm or even less 50mm for a hook-link and i have my hook just above the feeder, as the weather warms up they will be all over your feeder .....
i use fluro 10lb to 8lb ....not for its claimed invisibility but for its stiffness which does not tangle as much as mono or braid .....you need that hook near as possible to the feeder
thats in my experiences.....


steve

[Tmackmin]

Does the length of the hooklink and how far it is up the mainline have any impact on the hook ups ?

definitely i have been experimenting with different lengths over the years and i can honestly say short does best as a bolt rig and having at least a 2oz feeder
i use nothing now over 75mm or even less 50mm for a hook-link and i have my hook just above the feeder, as the weather warms up they will be all over your feeder .....
i use fluro 10lb to 8lb ....not for its claimed invisibility but for its stiffness which does not tangle as much as mono or braid .....


steve

Exactly how I'm thinking of fishing it. I'm going 3-6 inches of fluoro. I'm also going to try the guru qm1 hooks with either a maggot clip or a hair with chopped worm on it.

[Tmackmin]

Is there a 100% way of making them safe as per the title of the thread?

Cheers, Alan

I've been looking into it a bit more and I think if I fish a leader I'll use a chod bead where the top part will easily pull away if there's a break on the mainline and the bead and the swivel can then both slide up over the leader knot or splicing

[stubbojo]

been on the heli rig today , no tench but the roach fishing was superb today in the sun ,
this fish took 3 lobworms on a 10 hook , they also took 3 red maggots on a size 12 later on .....

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probably had about 20lb of roach in an afternoon session ......

regards steve

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Is there a 100% way of making them safe as per the title of the thread?

Cheers, Alan

Are breakages above the rig likely? The only break I've had using a heli rig was the mainline to feeder knot breaking. In which case all that happens is the hooklink slide off. No leader and a float stop above the uppermost bead is probably as safe as you'll get.

I agree, the idea of using safe rigs is a good one but to some existent has been over thought after being inherited form carp anglers. I wonder about things some times such as the concept of tethered fish, is it actually a thing or is it all just all in theory? bit like bite off!
Using the correct set up and regularly maintaining it should very few problems.

Cheers, Alan

[brian harrison]

I've tried all sorts of helicopter rigs for tench (and bream) and the swivel rotating on 0.30mm mono hasn't been a problem. I prefer in-line feeder rigs for maggots though.

Why fluoro? I've used Reflo Powerline for hooklinks, or a sinking braid.

DSC_8489.JPGDSCN1680.jpg

Unlike you Dave, I have had line part using just a swivel rotating on the mainline. Whether it was because of or not is impossible to say. I haven’t bothered since
& use these big eye swivels on chod beads, stop with line stops, it works a treat, they grip on leadcore too should you wish to use it. Found it to be as safe as
possible

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[gary j stockton]

Barbless hook covers any breakages of mainline.

[EddieB]

Hi guys
Not really following the original thread but do you find heli rigs fish better at distance? Rather than say 20/30 yards, would an inline feeder/lead work better nearer in? Just struggling with what I think are takes but not hooking at moment on pretty short distance fishing. Using mags or worm hairs rigs. Many thanks Eddie

[squimp]

Hi guys
Not really following the original thread but do you find heli rigs fish better at distance? Rather than say 20/30 yards, would an inline feeder/lead work better nearer in? Just struggling with what I think are takes but not hooking at moment on pretty short distance fishing. Using mags or worm hairs rigs. Many thanks Eddie

I find exactly that.

I fish my heli rigs on a very tight line and the set up works best for me at a reasonable range.

In-line feeder or inline leads work well for me too and I fish them with a semi tight line - so more suited to closer range.

One possible point; are you using braid as mainline ? I find the heli set up works better with mono - something about the stretch/elasticity in the line….

[davelumb]

Hi guys
Not really following the original thread but do you find heli rigs fish better at distance? Rather than say 20/30 yards, would an inline feeder/lead work better nearer in? Just struggling with what I think are takes but not hooking at moment on pretty short distance fishing. Using mags or worm hairs rigs. Many thanks Eddie

My best catch of tench fell to a heli-feeder rig fished and under-arm lob down the edge. All the takes were wraparounds like barbel give!

[gary j stockton]

Also most fish in the lake big or small will be attracted to your bait, and line bites can be knocks or full of excitement.

[Daniel]

Hi guys
Not really following the original thread but do you find heli rigs fish better at distance? Rather than say 20/30 yards, would an inline feeder/lead work better nearer in? Just struggling with what I think are takes but not hooking at moment on pretty short distance fishing. Using mags or worm hairs rigs. Many thanks Eddie

Takes are pretty easy to spot, either the baitrunners going or the rod tip is being dragged round!

Ignore knocks and taps. It's a selfhooking rig, you'll know when they're hooked.

Length of the hook length can make a big difference.
3-4" is fine for maggots and casters, but I find a hook length of 6-8" better for worms.

Don't go too small with the hook, I'm generally using a 12 for hair rigged worms.

[stubbojo]

its just a good rig for anything tbh , carp , tench and some good roach fall to this method .....definitely good for roach at range in cold weather ....

[EddieB]

Thanks everyone
Will definitely take everything on board and maybe shorten my maggot hook lengths! Using 8lb mono as it’s pretty snagless pond with not many carp. Lots of half decent roach present so line bites maybe the main problem, was worried about that being quite short distance fishing.