Setting the clutch on a baitrunner reel

[Newt]

Er, I thought the whole point of a bolt rig was that the fish hooked itself due to the resistance of the heavy lead and then rushed off in panic, taking line off the baitrunner and setting the bite alarm off.

 

WickerDave - you are 100% correct and I can only surmise I was having a brain fart when I posted that since I really do know better.

 

fish_surrey - sorry about that part of my post. I was dead wrong about the bolt rig piece.

[RobStubbs]

if you set the drag on your baitrunner to just a couple of pounds of pressure, and are fishing a bolt rig then theres no need to strike at all, the hook should already be well and truly set, striking only increases the chances of snapping your hooklink or causing a hook pull.

 

Er no, a bolt rig with even a heavy lead will only lightly prick the fish. You still need to strike to actually set the hook. Now a strike may be anything from a sharp action, to just flicking off the baitrunner and gently increasing pressure by pulling into the fish.

 

Rob.

[larry1]

Iv'e gone off the bolt rig method &prefer to fish with as small a lead as possible sometimes no lead at all &also prefer to fish slack lines as & i set the baitrunner clutch a light as possible.

Also i set reel clutch light so when you get a take the fish doesn't realise its hooked a swims off gently .

All i do then i lean into the fish no need to strike it's already on the gradually tighten clutch till i turn the fish & get it swimming towards me under the pressure im putting on rod.

Ive landed carp over 10 lbs in no time IMHO i don't think they realise they hooked . But you have to net them 1st time or you'll have trouble if you don't .

Ive found fishing this way i get far more takes &land far more fish.+the fish don't take off like scalded cats like they do when fishing bolt rig style.

[steve17]

rob, flicking off the bait runner and applying pressure to a fish is just the same as playing one normally, a strike (to me) is a jerky reaction, often at speed in which i have found to be more likely to dislodge a hookhold.

 

by using a tighter clutch to the norm i find helps set the hook better before you pick up the rod.

 

the only reason i am saying this that i used to strike even on screaming runs, and resulted in more lost fish than simply gently applying pressure. Each to their own i guess but thats what works for me......

[Oldfellah]

The baitrunner should be set fairly tight to help the hook set when the carp first runs. In my book striking is both unecessary and likely to either damage the carps mouth or loosen the hookhold.

We had a party of Dutch anglers last week who lost half a dozen fish soon after hooking to 'hook pulls'. When I watched them I was horrified to see them striking hard and holding the fish very hard with a tightish clutch - the result was that the first fish landed in my presence and weighing 28lb had a hole in its cheek that you could put your finger through

When you have a run just pick the rod up and tighten into the fish.

I always set the clutch at a tension that gives line when the tip is nicely compressed initially and then adjust during play. When I have the fish ready for netting I loosen the clutch and apply finger pressure to the edge of the spool leting me react if the carp makes a sudden last bolt for freedom.

As I tell all my guests, your prime concern when setting clutch levels and playing the carp is to ensure a little damage is done to the fish as possible.

[RobStubbs]

The baitrunner should be set fairly tight to help the hook set when the carp first runs. In my book striking is both unecessary and likely to either damage the carps mouth or loosen the hookhold.

 

Don't take this the wrong way but I think most people will disagree with you. Striking will not damage a carps mouth unless you do it so violently (and at close range) that you apply a massive force at the hook end. A normal strike will be no more than a few pounds on the hook and is required to set the hook since it is only pricked during the run, in most cases. You may acheive the same by just pulling into the fish but you may not and to suggest an ordinary strike will harm fish is just plain nonsense.

 

Rob.

[Guest tigger]

Unlike the last poster I don't believe the drag should be set for the fish size, rather the fishing situation. I tend to fish mine quite light, probably just a few lb's or so, unless fishing near snags or in weedy swims. Once you have a fish on you can tighten it or slacken it off during the fight. The only thing I would advise is to slacken of a little bit when you get the fish in the margins for netting as that's when surges can pop the hook out. Again be wary of marginal weed and trees etc.

 

Rob.

 

 

Sounds about right to me.

[Peter Sharpe]

Thanks guys, I think I'm getting the idea now. The only other thing is that I do seem to be losing a number of fish on the take, when I snap back with the rod, the hooklength snaps and I'm using 6-8Ib hooklengths.

 

Contrary to most posters on here, I usually set the baitrunner to the tightest that I can get away with, without the risk of the rod being pulled out of the rest. You don't need to strike, just lift the rod to the 10 or 11 o'clock position and engage the clutch.

I would say that 6lb line is far too light for bolt rig fishing, (which I assume you must be if you are using the baitrunner) and even 8lb line is pushing it a bit. If you are using a even a light carp rod, then you can expect to be snapped off all the time on 6 lb line.

[fish_surrey]

Contrary to most posters on here, I usually set the baitrunner to the tightest that I can get away with, without the risk of the rod being pulled out of the rest. You don't need to strike, just lift the rod to the 10 or 11 o'clock position and engage the clutch.

I would say that 6lb line is far too light for bolt rig fishing, (which I assume you must be if you are using the baitrunner) and even 8lb line is pushing it a bit. If you are using a even a light carp rod, then you can expect to be snapped off all the time on 6 lb line.

 

I've actually moved up a notch or two and am using 10Ib braid hook length and a 15Ib mainline and I actually use the feeder. Thanks for the advise though.