The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've used these since I was about nine. I love 'em, but for some reason I don't see people using them much. I know ol' Dick invented the Arsley bomb, but when was the coffin weight first used?!....... I'm guessing the 50s.

It is funny how they have gone so much out of favour. I think I have some somewhere but I haven't used them since I was a boy.
Do you use them in fast water mostly?

I remember using them sea fishing but haven't seen them around for years.

Snape wrote:It is funny how they have gone so much out of favour. I think I have some somewhere but I haven't used them since I was a boy.
Do you use them in fast water mostly?

Yeah, on the wye. Thing is, they have a low profile, and as well as being a little more snag resistant, I find I can use a much later weight as they stick rather well.

St J

See Arlesey Lake thread to see that Dick did not invent the Arlesey bomb

Mike

I'll be damned! Always thought he did!

I use them, but not on rivers. I found if you slide one up the line and put a leger stop made from a piece of c0cktail stick plugged into some shrink tube (or biro tube) you can plug the end of the stick into the hole in the lead - hey presto, a semi-fixed bolt rig (cue gasps of horror from the purists!)

A few years ago, when I was a member of the Yateley syndicate, one of the bailiffs showed me a rig he uses almost exclusively, and he catches a lot of carp from there. It's simplicity itself; a piece of fake (buoyant) corn mounted directly onto a strong, small hook tied to the reel line, with a coffin lead stopped about three or four feet above the hook by two rubber float stops. Another stop is placed six inches above the lead to create a back-stop/shock effect. The weight of the hook only just counters the buoyant corn, and the whole lot is dropped into the weed. The lead sinks through it, and the bait wafts slowly down to rest on top. A handful of corn thrown around it and the trap's set.

Not every modern carp angler is besotted with complicated rigs. Some of them are damned smart.

That very similar to one I use. Nice and simple. St.

Haven't yet found any very early dates for the coffin lead but have found this that may be of interest.
What I knew as watch leads [in sea fishing] was patented by M F Blake and F C Brown on 12th November 1904. The patent says......
"The disc is fitted with conical studs on each side, which embed in the bottom to prevent drifting, and with a central aperture to prevent spinning when being raised or lowered".

There is little that is new in fishing..........

Mike