Basic Leger Rigs

The most basic leger rigs ( and as I am a pedant, it is leger ( from the french meaning to lay or sit in place), and not ledger ( an account book))

I have written this simple guide to how I do basic leger rigs, these are used with either the standard Arlesley bomb as shown or a feeder.

The idea of a fixed ( or bolt ) rig is that when carp fishing the rig is self hooking, so when the carp take the bait and "bolt" the weight of the rig sets the hook as the line tightens up, this is great for fishing on bite alarms as you do not have to strike the hook to set it. The big disadvantage has always been that any form of fixing the rig leads to the possibility that if you mainline is to break whilst a fish is hooked then the fish can be dragging the weight around with it, these sort of rigs are known as "death rigs" because it is possible for the fish to then be tangled in a snag and tethered or just weaken by for ever dragging a weight around.

All the rigs I show here are "safety" rigs and will easily allow a fish to lose the lead if the mainline breaks.

1. The simple running leger, this is not a fixed or bolt rig and is probably the simplest rig you can use for bottom feeding fish.



This shows a size 8 swivel tied to the main line ( I use a 5 turn grinner or Uni-Knot ) and a buffer bead fitted over the knot to protect it. I have used a big eye swivel with a quick clip and sleeving to attach the lead to the line. Here is the exploded view



The large eye on the swivel allows it to be free running, the quick clip means you can change the lead or feeder without retying the rig very quickly, and the bit of sleeeving helps avoid some of the annoying tangles that can occur.

This rig needs to be struck when a bite is detected, the fish will not feel the weight as they take the bait, and in the event that the mainline breaks the weight will slide off the mainline and leave the fish trailing just the hooklink, swivel and buffer bead. With no load on the broken line and a barbless hook, the fish will eject this rig very quickly.

2. A simple "semi-fixed" leger, this will give a bolt action a set the hook as the fish takes the bait, but will work free during the playing of the fish.



This is a size 8 swivel tied with a grinner, a "tail" rubber fitted over the swivel and my previous big eyed swivel and lead fitted over the end.

This is how you tighten it up.



As you can see the big eye swivel is gripping the tail rubber and fixing the lead in position. When you get a take, the resistance of the rubber will allow the hook to self strike, but as the fish runs and you begin to play it the swivel will slip and become loose like in the simple running leger, if it jams some how, the size 8 swivel can pull free of the tail rubber.
This makes this a very safe rig, sometimes the resistance is not enough and you want to anchor the weight a bit more securely ( especially if you are using a larger weight ), then it is simply a matter of using 2 tail rubbers to trap the big eyed swivel.
This is a firmer rig but will still pull free in the event of a snag up.



3. The fixed rig with safety clip.



This rig is almost a fixed rig but still intrinsically safe, the lead is attached to the clip, the tail rubber then closes the clip, be careful not to ram the rubber on too far, if you do this the the lead will not come off the clip in the event of a snag up, but not far enough and you can lose leads on the cast.
The size 8 swivel sits inside the clip and is a snug fit. This rig the appears totally fixed on a take, but in play if the lead gets caught the size 8 swivel will pull clear of the clip and allow the lead to be free running, if the lead becomes totally jammed in play the it can pull clear of the clip and allow you to continue to play the fish.
Ok, you lose a lead but you might just keep that whopper on the line to land it!



Finally I have just added a bit of sleeving to the rig, with the use of tail rubbers and buffer beads if is possible you use sleeving to improve rig presentation, the sleeving is held in place by the rubber and it helps keep the mainline snag free and if you use weighted sleeving will pin the line down forming a "safe zone" around the bait.
This safe zone is good if hunting "spooky" fish as the do not feel the line as they swim into your baited area.

Here is the fixed rig with a bit of sleeving.



Well I hope that has been of some use to some of you, and I am sure some of the more experienced anglers can add some of their tips to this, and correct any errors I may have made.

Mike

great info there mike