Step-by-step: How to tie a Helicopter Rig
This is the kiddy for when you're fishing in silty areas...
The Helicopter Rig, or as it’s also commonly known, The Rotary Rig, is very effectIVE in silty conditions. The lead will penetrate into the lakebed leaving your hooklink to move up the leader and stay clear of the silt, giving you a perfect presentation. This rig has masses of advantages over lead clipS and in-line set-ups, however, if it isn’t constructed correctly, it can become a death rig, so follow the step-by-step carefully.
01 First of all, take your spool of leadcore and start to unravel a good length (6ft) off the spool dispenser as shown.
02 Slide back five-inches of sheath and cut the inner lead off from inside using a pair of scissors and then discard it.
03 Slide the sheath back along so you are left with a five-inch supple section of just the outer sheath.
04 Take a splicing needle and poke the end into the middle of the empty sheath, where it meets the inner lead.
05 Start to slide the needle along the middle of the hollow sheath, up towards the end of the leadcore.
06 When you get halfway, double the sheath back as shown in the picture. This ensures you have a small loop.
07 Push the needle out of the middle of the sheath and hook on the end and gently pull it back through.
08 Put your needle through the loop to make it perfectly round and neat. Then trim off the excess tag.
09 This is what the finished spliced loop should look like. You will tie your main line to this loop.
10 Now take a 5mm ESP bead and thread it onto your needle. Ensure the big bore is closest to the handle and then pass it onto the leadcore.
11 Take a small piece of 0.5mm silicon tube and thread it onto a baiting needle and pass this onto the leadcore.
12 Slide the silicone down and push the small 5mm bead over said silicone. Make sure you moisten it first.
13 Now take a size 8 ring swivel and slide this onto the leadcore and let it sit down by the bead that’s on the leadcore.
14 Then take a slightly smaller bead and slide this down; the swivel should have a bead either side of it.
15 Take a pair of scissors and cut a three-inch section of 2mm silicon tubing and slide this on next.
16 At the other end do the same as you did originally – pull out a five-inch length of lead wire and discard it.
17 Splice the loop as before but this time slide on a quick-change clip before pulling the tag back back through.
18 Take your chosen lead and cut the swivel off using a pair of pliers/scissors.
19 Once the swivel has been cut off you then need to attach the lead to the quick-change clip on the leadcore.
20 Now slide the silicon over the quick clip and lead loop, then push the bead into the silicone as shown.
21 All you need to do now is tie your hooklink onto the swivel and you are ready to cast out and bag up.
