Using a Bolt Rig in Fishing

Where educated or nervous fish are giving tentative bites on normal legering tactics, often referred to as "twitch" bites, you have to find a way of accentuating the bites you are getting by encouraging the fish to move off with the bait in a more positive manner. The short hooklink paternoster encourages positive bites when used with a heavy lead and in fact this could be considered to be a type of bolt rig, as indeed can the carp angler's helicopter rig. The name originated because the purpose of the rigs is to make the fish bolt with the baits in their mouths, thereby giving unmistakable indications.

Pure bolt rigs, however, take that general principle one stage further in that they will normally feature the bait mounted on a hair rig with the hook itself being bare, so that the hook point pricking the fish further encourages it to bolt.

The standard bolt rig is very similar to the earliest leger arrangement of a running or semifixed lead on the main line above the hooklink, although the bolt features a much heavier lead than is actually needed for the cast, coupled with a very short hooklink of about 6 in (15 cm). It is fair to say that such rigs are mainly used by carp anglers, although they are becoming more in, vogue with barbel anglers fishing statically for bigger-than-average fish.

One adaptation, which is now the most often used rig by carp anglers, is to swap the normal bomb leger weight tor an in-line, drilled streamlined lead, which is very resistant to snagging. These leads are used with stiff tubing through the centre, through which the main line passes, this tubing being connected by silicon tubing to the hooklink swivel to make the lead semi-fixed.

Most anglers using bolt rigs will do so in combination with braided or dacron hooklinks, and if long casting is involved, a substantial problem exists as the limp hooklink materials will tangle around the main line. To overcome this, these rigs usually incorporate a length of rig tubing longer than the hooklink above the lead. During flight, the heavy lead obviously flies in advance, with the hooklink trailing behind. It is at this stage that the anti-tangle tube prevents the link curling around the main line. If you want to avoid tubing but still use braids, another solution is to use a setting gel that quickly dissolves in water. Some gels stiffen the link for casting, but revert to normal after a few minutes' immersion in the water.

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Using a Feeder Bolt Rig in Fishing

There are three variations of the feeder bolt rig for use in stillwaters, the most commonly used being, in essence, identical to the short hooklink paternoster, with a heavy swimfeeder replacing the lead. This is the rig that has become a standard for Stillwater roach anglers, and has solved the problem of missed bites. It normally features a light hooklink about 18 in (45 cm) above a 2 oz (50 g) blockend feeder, baited with maggots or casters. After casting, the line is drawn tight, a heavy butt indicator attached, and most bites are indicated by a dramatic drop back.

The second version has an in-line swimfeeder on the main line 18 in (45 cm) above the hooklink, with a 2 oz (50 g) bomb on the end of the line, as in a normal paternoster. When the cast has been made, the action of drawing the tackle tight invariably pulls the terminal rig a little way towards the bank. In the first arrangement, this will pull the hookbait away from the maggots escaping from the swimfeeder whereas in this case, it pulls the hook towards the free offerings. This is a small point that could make all the difference on a hard day.

When roach fishing in either of these styles, which could see only 2 lb (0.91 kg) hooklinks and size 16 hooks, it is fatal to strike as such, as it is easy to crack off on a tight line. It is sufficient to simply lift the rod and start playing the fish. It is also one of those occasions to backwind rather than use a clutch.

Casting heavy feeders requires a main line of at least 6 lb (2.72 kg) breaking strain, and it is impossible to set a clutch to suit a 2 lb (0.91 kg) hooklink in these circumstances. To protect the light hooklinks during the playing of a big roach, or anything else that takes the bait for that matter, many anglers insert a short length of power gum or pole elastic above the hooklink as a shock absorber.

The third bolt-feeder arrangement is very much in vogue these days, especially on commercial small carp fisheries, and it is called the method feeder rig. A ball of groundbait and mixed feed particles is moulded round a special method feeder and the hookbait, invariably mounted on a very short hooklink, is pushed into the side of the feed. The idea is that the fish start rooting around in the bait, breaking it down, and the hookbait is taken quite naturally as it falls free of the whole. It is a devastating presentation and has led to many large catches.

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