coarse fishing manual

setting up a waggler rig

This step-by-step guide shows you everything you need to know in order to combine the key items of your tackle to create a basic float fishing rig prior to plumbing the depth.

seTTing uP a Waggler rig

Run the line through the tiny hole in the end of the float adaptor. This vital gadget helps you change floats during a fishing session, as you can simply pull the float out and replace it with another one without having to tackle up again.

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Remove the rod from its protective bag and gently push the sections together. Most 12ft or 13ft rods are supplied in three sections with two joints. These should be slotted together firmly, but dont jam them hard against each other this can damage the carbon.

Ensure that the rod rings (otherwise known as guides) are in a straight line. If theyre off-centre your casting performance will be hugely restricted.

Select your reel and secure it firmly to the rod via the screw-down seat. You dont want it dropping off the rod halfway through a battle with a big fish!

Slide the float a few feet up the line. Read the shotting capacity on the float and lock the float in place by pinching the appropriate split shot at its base, remembering the 75% rule as you do so the quantity of the shotting capacity that should be placed at the base of the float.

At this point ensure that the float is well under-shotted by attaching less shot to the line than the shotting capacity stated on the side of the float. This is essential to help accurate plumbing of the depth with a plummet (see pages 38/39). Drop the float in the water and ensure that an inch or more of the tip is standing proud. This will help with the depth-plumbing process.

mainline hooKlinK To roD To hooK

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Attach the reel line to a hook-to-nylon following the loop-to-loop knot illustrated. Note how the hook passes through the loop on the reel line NOT the loop on the hooklink.

Thats the first phase of the rig constructed. That wasnt too difficult, was it?

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Open the bail arm on the reel and release the line from the clip on the side of the spool.

Pull line off the reel, thread it through the centre of each rod ring and pull it back down to the reel seat. Close the bail arm.

Moisten the end of the float and push it into the silicone float adaptor. Moistening the base helps it slide into the adaptor.

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Tie a small figure-of-eight loop in the bottom of the mainline.

now were going to move on and show you how to plumb the depth of the water with the rig. Though many anglers ignore this vital skill its essential that you dont make this mistake. its a process that takes you only a few minutes at the start of every float fishing trip but it has a dramatic effect on what you catch. The most successful anglers always plumb the depth before they start fishing.

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