What tackle you need when fishing in weed

Every aspect of your tackle needs to be stepped up from rod, to line, to hook, to meet the rigorous demands of fishing in weed. There is no point hooking them if you are not able to land them due to inadequate tackle.

Rods
A powerful rod with a test curve of at least 3lb is advisable. A 13ft rod can be advantageous as the extra reach helps to keep the line higher when playing a fish.

Strong line is essential when fishing in thick weed

Line
It’s time to get the towrope out here. Use monofilament of at least 15lb, stepping up to 18lb in really thick weed. It needs to be abrasion resistant, as it will come up against mussels in the weed that can cause cut-offs. A floating braid can help when fishing over weed, preventing the line from sinking too deep into the weed and giving better bite indication.

Losing the lead is vitally important and WILL help bank more of your bites

Leads and lead systems
It can’t be overstated what a difference losing the lead during the battle makes on the ratio of carp landed when fishing in thick weed. Without this protrusion on the line for the weed to jam on hook pulls are reduced dramatically. The fight is closer to the surface too, keeping the fish clear of thick weedbeds on the lakebed.

There are various ways of ensuring that the lead is released. A drop off in-line is ideal for solid PVA bags, while a lead clip such as the Safety Bolt Bead will ensure that swivel leads are released. When fishing a Choddy or any rig helicopter-style, the lead can be tied on with a weak link of 2lb mono, or with waxed dental floss using a granny knot and secured with PVA for casting.

Colour match your rig components

Leads
For the ultimate in camouflage choose a textured lead. These can be covered in weed, further aiding concealment.

Drop-off helicopter for solid bag work

Hooklinks
Long and short hooklinks both have their uses in the weed. Whatever the length the material needs to be robust enough to stand up to abrasion from tough weed stems. As with your main line, step up the breaking strain. Coated braids offer versatility, allowing you to entirely strip back the coating for those times when a long supple hooklink is required. Match your materials to the weed, so choose green components rather than gravel brown.

Use a big, strong hook and you will land more fish

Hooks
There is no place for small fine wire hooks when fishing in thick weed. Step the size up and use a hook with a thicker gauge wire to avoid the hook tearing out under pressure. Don’t be afraid to go big – a size four will grab a lot more flesh than a size 8.