End Tackle According To... Tom Dove
“Now, where did I put my scissors?” Tom Dove talks terminal tackle and rig bits…
There were two game-changing moments which altered everything for me, the first being the advent of the Chod Rig. You could cast it almost anywhere and get a bite, which made fishing easier for a lot of people. More recently, the Spinner Rig dramatically changed things. It allows you to change the hook quickly and then get the rod back out, without you having to re-tie the whole rig. That has made things so much easier, and I wouldn’t revert now to how I used to fish.
The last rig-related items I acquired and loved were bait screws. I hadn’t used them before, believing that baits would fall off. They don’t, though, and they’re well handy!
On my wish list for a future end-tackle item is something that will scare the birds away so that I can use a throwing stick again. Is that an end-tackle item? It could be, because you might have to cast it out. Gulls are just aggro. They ruin floater-fishing and they ruin boilie-fishing, so something that will scare them off would be great.
The best rig tweak or trick I saw was probably years ago with Ben Freeman with his naked Chod. He used it on leadcore, like everyone else, but had run out. He used it on the line and it went from there.
When it comes to rigs, I’m influenced by Neil Spooner!
I have an excessive collection of pop-ups. I have loads of scissors, too, but I keep losing them, which is why I have so many. Suddenly, though, I’ll not have any at all and I’ll wonder where they’ve all gone! I’ve got so many hooks in my bag as well, that it’s beyond a joke.
Where are we regarding rig innovation at the moment? How can you better the Spinner Rig? Maybe a small camera on the end or something? As far as efficiency is concerned, I think we’ve come about as far as we can, really.
One small tweak I made to my rigs which had a massive outcome was with the length of my hooklink. When I first started using the Spinner Rig, I didn’t know how long to tie them. In Croatia I started by using them nine-inches long before going down to three. Having gone down to around three, I just lost everything I hooked. Gradually, I worked my way back up, and with them at six-and-a-half- to seven-inches, I hardly lose any.
Hand-sharpening hooks is really important. It’s also important to know when it’s required, though. In the right situation, it’s something you really must do, but in the wrong one, it can cost you fish. If there are loads of nuisance fish about, or you leave your rig out for long periods, you might lose fish. Hand-sharpening hooks at the right time will see you land loads more.
My preferred hooklink length is, as mentioned, six-and-a-half- to seven-inches.
When it comes to hooklink materials, I favour something clear and relatively stiff. I use 15lb Boom, which is a fluorocarbon. I’d rather have a rubbish rig, than a good one that tangles occasionally. I don’t want any doubt in mind that it might be tangled, so I go for something with a degree of stiffness. Fluorocarbon’s clear, so it’s also inconspicuous on the bottom.
When it comes to mounting my hookbait I still like to use floss most of the time, but I have started using bait screws, as mentioned.
