Ledger weights sizes just no need for it!

[Dave H]

I have always found with a straight forward run rig that the lighter weight I can get away with the more successful I have been. But I hear weights of 3oz or 4oz being used and I think why?

So obviously the theory is that it holds the line down and as soon as the fish runs with the bait the line can run freely through a heavy weight keeping the whole thing very sturdy. It is not rocket science but I found over the years the heavier the weight the more bites I missed due to dropped baits as resistance could be felt I think not by the weight but the lake bed due to the fact the lead has hit the bed so hard it has fractionally buried itself even on a gravel bar but on weed or silt definitely and then the result is the fish feels the silt or weed before it even gets through the lead.

The exception being is obviously distance casting as the chance has to be taken which is why i rarely fish beyond 50 yards

I have always religiously stuck to my River type ledgering method and that is just enough to hold bottom in the flow (maybe a bit of movement slowly but you get my drift as far as the rivers are concerned)

So then I rarely have fished with anything other than a 1 1/2oz max !but with the largest run ring connected. My theory is to lay the weight on top of the weed or on top of the silt so when the fish runs it feels no resistance. If I could be sure that casting a 3oz weight even feathering it on the cast would land on top of the floor I would use it but I never am.

Thoughts?

[Anderoo]

You could use a short boom section of stiff mono between heavy weight and run ring, if you wanted to be sure the run ring wasn't being dragged into the lake bed.

 

Alternatively, the friction could come from the other end of the setup, with your bite indication.

[Sportsman]

I would be interested to know if anyone has ever experienced a crack off when launching 3 or 4 oz weights out into a lake.

In my beach casting days we always used a shock leaders of at least 10lbs per oz of weight being cast ie. 50lb for a 5oz weight.

Now I do understand that there is a difference between a full blooded pendulum cast and a gentle lob into a lake but I hear folk talking about casting 100yds plus in lakes and that requires a degree of force, so are shock leaders routinely used, particularly when there are other anglers on the far side of the lake in the firing line.

[chesters1]

i'v never used anything larger than an ounce ledger ,mostly its half an ounce ,on the biggest lake i have fished i can get to all the points i shouldn't do in the rules about swims and casting in the rule book IE halfway towards a swim on the other bank.

i really peed of an angler years ago who had been baiting up using a baitboat 3/4s of the way across the lake ,he once i took my place had been baiting up my swim

Edited February 27, 2012 by chesters1

[Mark7]

I have always found with a straight forward run rig that the lighter weight I can get away with the more successful I have been. But I hear weights of 3oz or 4oz being used and I think why?

So obviously the theory is that it holds the line down and as soon as the fish runs with the bait the line can run freely through a heavy weight keeping the whole thing very sturdy. It is not rocket science but I found over the years the heavier the weight the more bites I missed due to dropped baits as resistance could be felt I think not by the weight but the lake bed due to the fact the lead has hit the bed so hard it has fractionally buried itself even on a gravel bar but on weed or silt definitely and then the result is the fish feels the silt or weed before it even gets through the lead.

The exception being is obviously distance casting as the chance has to be taken which is why i rarely fish beyond 50 yards

I have always religiously stuck to my River type ledgering method and that is just enough to hold bottom in the flow (maybe a bit of movement slowly but you get my drift as far as the rivers are concerned)

So then I rarely have fished with anything other than a 1 1/2oz max !but with the largest run ring connected. My theory is to lay the weight on top of the weed or on top of the silt so when the fish runs it feels no resistance. If I could be sure that casting a 3oz weight even feathering it on the cast would land on top of the floor I would use it but I never am.

Thoughts?

I would not advocate big leads as a matter of course. Given the opportunity, I would freeline, as I am doing at this very moment, using clonking great deadbaits in the margins - no need for leads here! In some circumstances (upstream legering, for example) I usually opt for just enough to hold bottom, but on occasion I've used big leads to combat adverse conditions. If you require low resistance with sensitivity then a large lead is critical. Anderoo's point is good-using a link of appropriate length to prevent the run ring ending up in silt or weed does the trick. I use a cork ball up against the run ring and semi rigid tube over the mono link. That way, the line runs freely through the ring. A lead of under 3ozs will follow the fish on a run, bouncing and clattering along on the gravel or snagging in the weed. This will not affect a daft carp or barbel that has already hooked itself, but may well cause a shy predator to drop a bait, as they often do. With 30 or 40lb braid there is little risk of cracking off, and even the 40 lb test is only the diameter of 10lb mono. Try experimenting with different lead sizes in a tank or bath. It as suprising how light a 1oz lead is under water, and how easily it moves against the resistance of an indicator. Even on gravel there is little grip with smaller leads. Oddly, I have found that small leads are just as effective as large with bolt rigs.

[Anderoo]

Oddly, I have found that small leads are just as effective as large with bolt rigs.

 

I agree, but I think they have to be inline rather than pendant (e.g. a lead clip) for maximum effectiveness. In the warmer months I use bolt rigs a lot for tench and bream (and the occasional daft carp) and very rarely go above 1.5oz, only if I need a bit of extra weight to punch through a cross-wind. Even then 2oz is my limit. Those little inline leads really work well.

 

I saw a DVD recently that, with the help of a diver, 'proved' that anything under 4oz will not hook fish, as there just isn't enough weight. This was proved by the diver picking up rigs with his thumb and seeing how painful it was. Oddly, I don't fish much for thumbs or divers, and have ignored this scientific research! Although I expect a lot of waters will be bombarded with 4oz leads for a while...

 

A big advantage of a 1.5oz lead over a 4oz lead is they land with a plop rather than a ka-booosh, and also don't require really strong gear to launch it out there.

[John Weddup]

I would not advocate big leads as a matter of course. Given the opportunity, I would freeline, as I am doing at this very moment, using clonking great deadbaits in the margins - no need for leads here!

 

 

Hi Mark

 

How do you know when a predator has picked up bait and comes towards you a foot or two and sits there chomping your deadbait down.

 

John

[Mark7]

I agree, but I think they have to be inline rather than pendant (e.g. a lead clip) for maximum effectiveness. In the warmer months I use bolt rigs a lot for tench and bream (and the occasional daft carp) and very rarely go above 1.5oz, only if I need a bit of extra weight to punch through a cross-wind. Even then 2oz is my limit. Those little inline leads really work well.

 

I saw a DVD recently that, with the help of a diver, 'proved' that anything under 4oz will not hook fish, as there just isn't enough weight. This was proved by the diver picking up rigs with his thumb and seeing how painful it was. Oddly, I don't fish much for thumbs or divers, and have ignored this scientific research! Although I expect a lot of waters will be bombarded with 4oz leads for a while...

 

A big advantage of a 1.5oz lead over a 4oz lead is they land with a plop rather than a ka-booosh, and also don't require really strong gear to launch it out there.

Yes, smaller leads are certainly quieter!

Edited February 27, 2012 by Mark7

[Mark7]

Hi Mark

 

How do you know when a predator has picked up bait and comes towards you a foot or two and sits there chomping your deadbait down.

 

John

[/quote

 

Hi John

 

Using braid, Delkims and rollovers set heavy to indicate dropbacks and tightening up very carefully after casting. If a pike so much as looks at the bait I will get a bleep! I would argue that this method, at short range, gives better detection of fish coming toward the rod, because you are tightening up directly to the bait. With a 12-18" trace to a running lead, then theoretically a fish could pick up the bait whilst moving toward you, stop and eat it static and you' be non thw wiser until it moved off. If a fish picks up my freelined offering it will give or take line immediately. Also using circles exclusively for pike now, so in the unlikely event that it does happen, I will still hook the fish in the scissors. Circles for pike are new to me this season, and it took a while for me to get used to waiting for the bait to be engulfed before striking. So far, 100% scissor hooked, with only one missed run (the first one one circles belcause I tightened up too soon.

[cupra]

I find when using bigger weights for carp i get snagged and snapped off alot more often so i never use the big fox style weights anymore i use the small legers available in any tackle shop as it seems to work alot better