How to pick the correct lead for the right situation

Lead Set-Up: Semi-Fixed In-Line

Lake Bottom: This is best suited for a harder lakebed, such as gravel or clay. It’s also the ideal lead/set-up for a solid PVA bag approach.

Angling Pressure: If used with a PVA bag, it means you can present a hookbait stealthily without causing unneeded commotion of finding a clear area with a marker float.

Type of hooklink: Again, if fished in a solid PVA bag, a short, soft, braided hooklink works best. This allows it to fit inside the bag and allows lots of movement for good hook holds.

Recommendations: To set up an effective, tangle-free, semi-fixed lead set-up, you need to make everything as streamlined as possible. Make sure you use a rubber tail on the back of the lead as this does exactly that.

Lead Set-Up: Running In-Line

Lake Bottom: In-line leads are generally fished over a firmer lakebed such as gravel and clay. This lead set-up is very good for highly-pressured carp.

Angling Pressure: If everybody on your lake is fishing with the conventional semi-fixed in-line set-up, then by using it running can give you a real edge.

Type of hooklink: If you are presenting your set-up inside a solid PVA bag then a short, soft braided hooklink works best. If you’re fishing over a harder lakebed then use a stiffer hooklink.

Recommendations: Remove the hard insert from the lead, thread the lead onto your main line and follow this with an Anti-Tangle Sleeve. Tie on your rig as normal and then pull the Anti-Tangle Sleeve down onto the swivel.

Lead Set-Up: Running Pendant

Lake Bottom: Running pendants can be fished from hard gravel features to silty areas. This style of lead set-up shouldn’t be fished into weed though, as the lead can jam..

Angling Pressure: This lead set-up is being seen less and less, so if anglers on your lake are continually using semi-fixed lead set-ups, then a running pendant could be an edge.

Type of hooklink: The type of hooklink on this set-up is very versatile dependent of the lakebed. If fished onto a hard area, go for a stiff hooklink, whereas on a silty bottom go for braid.

Recommendations: The key to an effective running lead set-up is to make the loop that the line runs through as frictionless as possible. Nash Tackle’s Anti-Tangle Run Beads are perfect, as are Korda’s Run Ring Rubbers.

Lead Set-Up: Semi-Fixed Pendant

Lake Bottom: Semi-fixed pendants can be used on gravel, in silt and around weed because the lead is able to discharge.

Angling Pressure: Look at what other anglers on your lake are using and use a different set-up. For example, if people are using heavy semi-fixed leads then use a light one.

Type of hooklink: The hooklink that you are using can vary dependent on the lakebed. The harder the lakebed, the stiffer the hooklink, which has very good hooking properties.

Recommendations: There are many companies that produce lead clips, all differing in quality, from how they dump the lead through to user-ability.

Lead Set-Up: Helicopter Set-Up

Lake Bottom: Generally fished over soft areas, such as silt which is covered in debris and would cause problems with other lead set-ups.

Angling Pressure: A lot of people all use Chod Rigs with the helicopter set-up over silt and bottom debris.
Try using bottom baits instead.

Type of hooklink: Softer hooklinks are suited more to this presentation. This allows the hooklink to follow the contours of the lakebed.

Recommendations: If you’re unsure of how to construct a safe helicopter rig, then opt for one of the many ready-tied, ready-to-use versions that are out there. ESP’s Helicopter Rig Leadcore Leaders or ACE’s Leadcore Helicopter/Chod Rig set-up.