Catching Predators using single hooks
Catching Predators using single hooks
By Russ Evans
Angling columnist Russ Evans is based at the famous Bury Hill Fishery near Dorking in Surrey and is noted for his match angling activities, however in the winter months when the Predator season opens on 1st October at Bury Hill, Russ gets his zander and pike tackle out for a few sessions on the Old Lake. With the fishery banning the use of treble hooks for dead bait fishing, Russ reveals some tips on the new single hooks only policy now in force.
The new hooks policy
When owner David DeVere announced in the press that he had decided to ban treble hooks at his fishery in favour of single barbless hooks with fish safety in mind, some criticism followed and to be honest it was expected as some anglers do not like change or being told how to fish. Being the tackle shop manager at the fishery I knew well in advance that these changes were coming and as I fish hair rigged baits in my match fishing I was eager to give the hair rig set ups a try for the zander as I knew it was going to present the bait just right for the zander. To be honest I had already used a hair rig set up for the zeds the season before in tests and my catch rate was very good, increased in fact, so now that it was going to be common practice at the fishery I knew plenty of our visiting anglers once they got used to the set up were going to see the benefits of the new hook rule change from not only a baits presentation point of view but from easy unhooking.
There are three types of barbless hooks rig set ups to choose from in sizes 4, 6 and 8 and all of these are available to buy in the onsite tackle shop along with dead baits and the terminal tackle needed for a good day. All of the hooks are ready made up and presented on a 30lbs high tech coated trace wire so that it does not kink when in use and these are the three variations to suit the anglers personal needs and preferred way of tackling the predators.
Rig 1 option is just a s...
