Easy rigs

Fishing the feeder is one of the most popular technique here in Hungary. There is no question on that. The sensitivity of the feeder tip and various rigs allows us to adapt almost any situations. We can catch the most sensitive, most careful fishes as well, if we can find them, and offer the right bait on the hook using the right rig.

I spent so many beautiful hours fishing this lake using different rigs.

There are plenty of bait offering solution or possibility to bring the groundbait into the water, but which is the best for us? Which should we use in a particular situation, how can we chose? What are the main principles? I try to find the answer for a while. Why do a specific rig works on a water, while others doesn’t. I started to collect the most usable rigs. Find out, why are they so practical, what is the trick behind the success?

Traditional (or standard) anti tangle rig

This is the most popular, widely used feeder rig in Hungary. It is versatile, easy to make and all of the peaceful fishes like carp, tench, bream and so on. Only an anti tangle tube, a single cage and a simple hooklenght needed. And of course a swivel with a rig stopper. The anti tangle tube can be cut easily to adapt to the circumstances of fishing. The biggest advantage in using anti-tangle rig is that it saves us from tangles. Is seems obvious, isn’t it? But why is it important to say? Because we can use more type of anti tangle rigs, but have a tangle with this specific one is really an art or a miracle if I can say this. függvényében.

Conceptual drawing about the rig (click on it to enlarge!).

During the years, I was able to cast and tangle the lines with all rigs, except this! Even we use longer hooklength, we can make sure that our bait will arrive the water surface on the proper way we wanted.
The second advantage is the possibility to change the cage or the lead fast and easy. Some of my friends load the cage and then just change it with the empty one on the rig. To be honest, I don’t like this, because the groundbait get drier fast on this way I think. The other advantage it that we can change the type of the cage. At the initial bailing in, we can use drop-shaped cage, which can carry a big ball of groundbait, and after that the cage can be changed to a standard feeding cage. Using it we are able to cast more corn (for example) in the groundbait. Furthermore we can use maggot feeder cage or simple leads instead of cages.

Perfect rod and reel for this rig.

I like this rig, because it is really easy to vary in the middle of fishing. Safe and easy to make. It seems it is the perfect choice for all seasons for all species, but it has some disadvantages as well. The easiest to see is that the anti tangle tube is not straight, therefore the rig flies badly while casting. The air resistance is bigger than in case of other rigs, so the reachable distance is also limited. This is the cost of the anti tangle. To be honest, it is not so limited. We can fish on close or middle distance (around 50 yards), but when the fishes - we want to catch - goes in the middle of the lake so we need cast over 70 yards (it is usual in Hungary because we have more lakes with big water surface), than another rig needs to be chose. Nevertheless, if we are fishing closer, we can use this rig for silverfish on a winkel-picker or on a much heavier carp feeder as well.

Nice catch actually. I think I dont need more proof to show you about how effective rig is this.

Free running rig for silverfish

The rig below can be very useful for fishing silverfish. The increased sensitivity and flexibility are the main advantages of this rig. Rudds, breams and roaches are not so famous due to their aggressive takes. Beyond we are using sensitive tips on the rods, it is important as well to keep the rig light, to minimize the resistance. It is obvious that fishes doesn’t like the bait, if it is hard to get it. The more careful the takes are, the more important to keep the friction coming from the tackle parts as low as possible. Anti tangle tubes helps in avoiding tangles and makes the fishing easier, but... So we can use anti tangle tubes but they generates some friction.

Conceptual drawing about the rig (click on it to enlarge!).

There is another solution to make the rig more sensitive. It is possible to simplify the rig until the only resistance will be kept by the rod tip. Are you curious? it is simple, much more than you think! You just need to remove the anti tangle tube, and use a simple quick link, which is already attached to the mainline. The feeder cage runs free on the mainline, while the quick link just holds the cage on the line, but does not increases the friction of the rig. I usually use a rig stopper between the quick link and the small swivel (because the weight of the swivel is also important), I knit the hooklenght into the swivel as well and the rig just made. You don't need so many parts, it can be made fast in almost everywhere, and it is the most sensitive rig I ever used on the feeder. Beyond silverfish we can use this rig to carp and tench of course, because the weight of the cage is limited by our mainline only. So if you want to use a 3 oz cage with 0.25 millimeter line, it’s absolutely ok.

This is absolutely my No. 1. tackle at all, very effective even in windy conditions.

What are the disadvantages of this rig? Next to the sensitivity, this rig can be tangled easier than any other ones. It should be used as we cast a waggler. Slow movement and stillness is required for casting. But please don’t be afraid, just a little practice is enough to use this rig perfectly. After it, the fishing will be like a play for kids. It is also suggested to use it in windy conditions - despite the tangling - because the lighter line cuts the airflow and the cage flies to its direction like an arrow. This method is not to be used for greater distances. Casting stronger really increases the possibility of tangles, because the cage can turn in the air around its axis. There is nothing to stabilize it in the air (like an anti tangle tube). Therefore the convenient fishing range is between 20 and 40 yards. The 40 yards distance is a much more a theory than reality. I used this rig in that distance for once or twice without getting tangled, but it is not so accurate and easy to use than other rigs. Once and for all, the free running silverfish rig seems much more usable for close distance fishing due to its sensitivity and simplicity. Really the best rig to catch the smalls.

This was a really short fishing with this rig, but great impression!

This two rigs can give you the basics starting feeder fishing. Of course, you can change almost everything and try out what you got in your mind. Next time in the next article we check two rigs as well. I try to explain their advantages just as disadvantages, because they can be used effectively, if we know them. Learning fishing is a never ending story I think. Every time I can learn some new tricks. I want to encourage everybody to try something new, try out strange ideas, because we can catch more fish and more experience than we expect before!