Mainline swan shot rig vs swan shot link ledger

[Stuart Whiting]

Hi peeps,

Over the years I've used many different rigs when targeting big chub, as far as I'm aware of most people would use a paternoster link ledger incorporating an arlsey bomb or a few swan shot, or a free running rig,

However for a number of years I just simply pinch 1 swan shot about 3 inches from the hook mainly using bread, even when using large lumps of flake it will float and pop up from the shot aswell as crust which is what I want

At times I won't think twice about touch ledgering for such fish if I feel that there being finicky as I can give em an extra bit of line by pushing the rod forward at the slightest tremble on me line

I believe in using Very simple no nonsense type of rigs and I've never really experienced any difference between using a swan shot link or the shot pinched on the line

Many years ago there used to be confrontations between Peter stone an walker, Peter as far as I'm aware of pioneerd the use of Link ledgering but walker argued this as being inferior as most of the time fish would often feel and move the lead before any registration was ever detected on the rod tip

Personally I favour 1-2 shot pinched directly on the mainline and also know of some other very good chub anglers who do the same with no problems

Any particular thoughts on this subject, be interested to here any views as this isn't covered very often

Stuart

[Trevor]

I just pinch the shot on the line as well, between 1 & 3 depending on the rivers flow.
I like the simplicity of it and I've had some nice chub and barbel using the method.

[RBTraditional]

I use a variation of swan shot pinched on the line which may number 1, 2 or sometimes as many as three depending whether I want to hold the bait in position for longer in strong currents or let it trundle. Other times I may just elect to use a small running arsley bomb paricluarly in slower deeper swims, where I feel it gives me better bite registration. I do like to hold the rod and feel for bites where I can but due to hands that are prone to locking up and going numb after holding the rod for too long I do resort to the rod rest for long periods during the day to give the old mits a bit of r and r.

[Paul D]

Drilled bullet when I want to bounce a bait around, plasticine if its snaggy,Bob Roberts anti tangle link if I'm using a feeder and very occasionally a flat pear in strong flow and I want a static bait.

[RBTraditional]

Oh yes I forgot the drilled bullet...re employed it in the autumn for a few sessions after many years of not using it....really worked well on a couple of upper Medway swims.....thanks for reminding me.....must make a note to use it again.

[SeanM]

I agree. There's a lot of nonsense talked about ledger rigs and how to make them free running or how to set up so that the fish doesn't feel the lead on the take. Most theories result from a misunderstanding of the mechanics of the set up and simply don't work in running water. Some may work on still waters if the fish moves away from the rod, but most of the time the fish will feel the lead as soon (or maybe slightly before) the bite is registered.

I will still use swan shot pinched on a loop of line, but this is mainly to reduce the possibility of damage to the line.

[Aitch]

I use the single swan-shot on the line in light currents but a ball of plasticine on heavy flows... you could add a piece of rig tube to wrap the plasticine around after threading the line through it and using a small stopper to turn the rig into a weight adjustable inline running rig...

[Chris Bettis]

For me it is Swan Shot pinched gently onto the line. I am unconvinced that there is any benefit in any other method.

[Match Aerial]

I have been doing that for years it works just as well as anything else, and it saves messing about.

[Stuart Whiting]

Thank you for all of your replies, it appears that many of you are the same as me and quite happy to place the shot directly onto the mainline

It's sometimes mentioned that a few people fear that it damages the line, maybe if you were to crush hard then I suspect it probably would damage the line but in general we only pinch the shot on,

Another point worth mentioning is many of us would also be happy to use heavy wagglers or swan loafer floats where large shot is bulked onto the line, in simple terms it's absolutely no different

Within my 36 year angling career I've not once ever experienced line breakage through using any form of shot,
If a line should ever break its eaither chaffed through abrasion, dodgy knots or it's been directly pulled to its maximum limit

Keep it coming, be interested to here more response

Stuart