In-Line leads are so much more effective when it comes to the initial pricking of fish compared to standard swivel leads fished in the conventional manner. Try setting two rigs up one with a swivel lead and one with a in-line lead. You will probably be quite surprised how much more of a jolt the in-line gives you when the line tightens.

There is a clever little trick you can incorporate into your rig though to make your swivel leads just as effective and is a method shown to me many years ago by long time friend Dave Booth. He came up with the really simple but highly effective method of trapping the hook link to the lead with insulation tape!This really does work well and is perfectly safe to do as the water gets under the tape and loosens it off after a period of time in the water should you suffer a crack off or whatever. All the advantages of a semi-fixed in-line lead but allowing you to use your conventional swivel leads. This is something I find myself doing more and more particularly now the cold weather has really set in and I want my lead working as proficiently as possible.

Give it a go I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

I guess I should add before signing off that I very rarely suffer tangles with the taped lead method although I do tend to use it mostly for close to medium range work when I am often using 1oz to 2oz bombs and need to maximise their effective pricking weight.

Best fishes – Shaun Harrison.

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