How to tie Alan Scotthorne's Hooklength Knot

Here Alan Scotthorne reveals the knot that he uses to join a hooklength to his fishing mainline. It's a variation of the loop-to-loop method, but with a twist. It's easy to tie and incredibly strong...

Alan Scotthorne was never really happy with using loop to loop knots for joining his mainline to his hooklength namely because it can potentially cause tangles and it's untidy.

After experimenting with lines he came up with this knot. Well, it's actually not really a knot - it's more of a way of wrapping and twisting a line onto a loop of line. This makes this knot very strong indeed, and therefore reliable enough to be used on silverfish through to commercial carp waters.

But it's developer and creator proves just how reliable and effective this knot it. If it's good enough to a five-times World Champion to use, it must be good enough for every other angler!

Here's how it's tied...

1 Tie a small loop in the end of your mainline and then pass your hooklength line through the loop like this.

2 Hold the line in your left hand and then double it up with your other hand to create a loop in the hooklength line.

3 Twist the end of the hooklength that is held in your right fingers. This causes the line to spin and twist around the other section of hooklength line.

4 Pass the other end of line, with your hook attached, through the loop that is created when twisting the hooklength line.

5 Moisten the line and pull the knot tight. The tag ends should be trimmed right down as this knot refuses to slip.

Rig for floatfishing close to islands and features

This float rig is ideal when casting tight to an island to catch the carp that patrol around its margins. As you will be casting to a feature you can actually use this rig with the line clipped up because a hooked fish will not be able to swim away from you - it can only swim to the side or towards you.

A Use a loaded, bodied float that is attached to the line with a fixed float adaptor. Alternatively a couple of tiny split shot will suffice. The best float to use is a straight bodied waggler because they pop up to the surface very quickly, ready to detect a bite straight away.

B Mainline needs to be strong enough to cope with carp and the problem of hooked fish reaching any snags. We suggest using no lighter than 4lb.

C Make sure that the depth is plumbed accurately so that the rig is set cotrrectly and that the bait touches the bottom.

D By using a swivel to link the mainline to the hooklength esnures that a replacement hooklength can be attached quickly, and as this rig will be cast a lot of times, the hooklength will not spin up as the bait revolves when it is being drawn back to the bank.

E Ideal hooklengths for this rig need to be 0.14mm and above. The best baits for this style of fishing are either sweetcorn, maggots, casters or a piece of worm.

Get more bites when feeder fishing for bream, carp and tench

If you want to get more bites when fishing a groundbait or open end feeder, try this neat trick and twitch your rig back. It’s easy to do and can trigger even more bites than you’ve ever had before. It works brilliantly for bream, carp and tench – even roach too when you’re fishing a maggot feeder.

It is very simple and relies on the fact that you’re drawing your hookbait right over your loosefeed – simple really!

After casting your feeder rig, leave it for five minutes as you may well get a bite straight away. But if you don’t it’s time to twitch your rig to tempt those fish into taking your bait.

The only thing you need to think about before you start twitching your rig is to remember the length of your hooklength. For this example, let’s say that it’s 3ft – an average length for a typical feeder rig.

Pick up your rod and gently move it to one side to take up the slack so you have a tight line to the feeder (A).

Now gently begin to pull your rod tip further to dislodge the feeder (B). You’ll feel the feeder bounce. Once it dislodges, continue moving your rod tip very slowly by 3ft. No more than that or you will have defeated the object.

Now your feeder will have emptied the remainder of the bait trapped inside it, your hooklength will have straightened and your hookbait will have been pulled across the bottom, right on top of your feed (C).

Leave the rig in the water for another five minutes to see if you get that extra bite. If not, wind it in, re-bait and recast, and repeat the process all over again.

How to use a chubber float for fishing shallow and fast rivers or streams

The short, fat and dumpy chubber float is perfect for fishing shallow and fast river glides or trotting on streams. It’s capable of carrying a lot of shot, due to the size and buoyancy of the float. This is perfect because fast, shallow swims need a lot of lead down the line to ensure that the bait is pushed down to the bottom right where the fish are.

A typical chubber rig is simple to tie, and here’s how…

A Your mainline ought to be a floating one. Drennan Floatfish is perfect. Choose a breaking strain that matches the fish that you are likely to catch. A 3lb line will be adequate for most situations, but you may need to step up to 5 or even 6lb if there are lots of big barbel present.

B The chubber float needs to be attached to the mainline using three rubbers – one just under the sight tip, one in the middle and one at the base of the float.

C There are two ways to shot a chubber float – either use a string of large shot (BBs, AAs or even SSGs) placed around 1ft from the hook, or alternatively use an olivette. This creates a much smaller and neater bulk of weight.

D Because chubbers should be fished in fast water, the fish don’t have that much time to check out the hooklength, so this sort of rig can be fished straight through to your hook. You still need to match the hook size to the size of the bait you are using.

How to plumb the depth when floatfishing a waggler

Close in

Hold the plummet in one hand and your rod in the other – flex the tip of the rod slightly by pulling the line taught. Open the bail arm of the reel. Swing the rod upwards, let go of the plummet and take your finger off the spool to cast the plummet into the swim. Timing and a smooth motion is crucial, so do it very slowly to begin with to gain practice. Casting the plummet in this fashion minimises the disturbance it causes when it hits the water – but you can cast it overhead just like you would a float if you can’t master this way.

At distance

Pinch an SSG weight onto your hook (inset). Cast it into the swim in an overhead fashion. As long as the SSG is enough to sink your float it will take it out of sight if you are too shallow. When you can only see the fluorescent part of the float, it is set at a dead depth.

A. This shows you are too shallow.

B. This shows you are slightly too deep.

C. This shows you are just on the bottom.

How to find the depth when pole fishing

Plumbing and finding the depth of the lake, canal or river when pole fishing is a lot easier than finding the depth when you're float fishing because you can simply lower the plummet into your swim and gently drop it onto various areas of the swim to gain a true picture of the venue's depth.

It's a vital part to a successful session as it will give you a true picture of what's under the water and therefore give you a great insight into where you should be feeding and placing your bait.

You can also use your plummet to locate any underwater obstacles too by gently 'swinging' the plummet through the swim to see if it becomes lodged against anything that's submerged.

Here's how to go about finding the depth on your pole line...

STEP 1

Pass your hook through the eye in the plummet

STEP 2

Secure your hook into the cork in the base of the plummet.

STEP 3

Lower the plummet into the swim below the end of your pole.

STEP 4

Add a section of pole at a time and plumb around the swim, lowering the plummet straight down, not at an angle, to ensure an accurate reading of the swim.

STEP 5

Once you have got the exact depth of the swim, hook your hook into the base of your pole top kit. This will pull the elastic out slightly and secure your rig. With Tipp-Ex, mark the point where the top and the bottom of your float sit against the pole. This means you always have a point to refer back to should you change the depth you are fishing during the day.

A. This shows the float is set too shallow

B. This shows the float is set too deep

C. This shows the float is set perfect

Simple waggler rig to catch fish overdepth

This is a simple, straightforward waggler rig that will catch fish from stillwaters, canals and rivers. It’s the basic float rig that every angler ought to know how to tie.

The float is locked onto the line using a silicone float adaptor (these allow a quick change of float whenever required) and is locked in place using the vast majority of shot either side of the adaptor.

You’ll find the number and sizes of shot needed to cock the float printed on the side of the float. This will give you a guideline as to the amount of shot needed.

Next place a few much smaller dropper shot just below mid-depth (a few No6 or No8 shot will ideal).

After this place another two or three No8 shot equally spaced between the last shot and the hook. These will provide a slow and gentle fall of the bait through the last few inches of water.

You will need to plumb the depth really carefully so you know how deep to set the rig, and aim to set the rig 4-6in overdepth so that the bait settles on the bottom.

Most fish feed on the bottom, so this is a good place to start presenting your bait.

A Add enough shot to the rig so that your float’s sight tip just breaks the surface.

B Use a silicone float adaptor to attach the float onto your line, and lock the float in place using the vast majority of shot.

C Your strength of line needs to match the species of fish you are likely to catch. For small fish use between 2.5-4lb, and for carp use between 4-8lb.

D This group of No6 or No8 shot need placing just below mid-depth.

E Spread two or three No8 shot equally between the last group of shot and the hook.

F Your hooklength needs to be slightly weaker than the mainline so if a breakage occurs, it will occur here and not on your main rig.

G Aim to present your baited hook on the bottom at the start of the session as it’s here that most fish will feed. Present the bait between 4-6in overdepth at the start.

How and when to use a Driftbeater float rig

Want to be able to keep your float rig still when fishing a large windswept lake? Well here’s the rig for you – the simple driftbeater rig. When fished correctly this rig can be used to anchor your bait to the bottom in the strongest of undertows.

It works by placing a fairly large shot overdepth, so that it rests on the bottom. This helps hold the rig in place far better than a standard waggler rig fished overdepth ever would.

Driftbeater floats are a little specialised items of fishing tackle so not all tackle shops sell them, unfortunately. They are a bodied waggler having a very long and slender stem that leads to a bulbous balsa sight tip. No other float looks like a driftbeater.

You will need to plumb the depth accurately when using a driftbeater rig, as you have to place a shot far enough down the line so it rests on the bottom.

Here’s how to make the rig:

A Shot the float so that only the body is submerged. Don’t worry that there is 8ins of the stem sticking out the water – you’ll rectify this when you are fishing with the rig properly.

B Your mainline will need to match the species you are catching. A good starting point will be around the 3-4lb mark. Also, sinking mainlines are better as the line will cut through the surface tension and sink, preventing it from being pulled across the water surface in the wind.

C Find the depth of the swim using a plummet, then add another 12ins to the length of the rig. Now place a substantial split shot 8ins from the hook. A No1, or in extreme conditions a BB shot, would be ideal.

D After casting, allow the bottom-most shot to settle on the bottom, then sink your rod tip and wind it a few turns to sink the line between rod and float. Place your rod in rests with the rod tip submerged and slowly turn the reel’s handle until the float sinks to its sight tip. It is now ready to register a bite. Although there are times when the float will be instantly pulled under, most bites will lift the float right out the water.

E Remember to use a hook to match the size of the bait you are fishing with.

How to tie a resistance-free running feeder or leger rig

The resistance-free running rig has to be one of the simplest leger and feeder rigs a fisherman ought to know how to tie, and it’s deadly too. It will work on rivers, lakes and canals, for almost all British freshwater fish, and below you'll find out how to tie it...

This rig can be used with a groundbait feeder, a blockend feeder or a straight lead, and it can be used with a very short hooklength or a really long one – the choice is yours.

This rig is ideal as it allows the angler to swap and change the weight, style of type of leger/feeder being used in seconds. You simply unclip the Feedabead or snap link swivel and swap the feeder/leger over. This is handy if you need extra weight to cast through a wind. Maybe you’ve fed enough and want to switch to a smaller feeder. Or perhaps you want to search the water for signs of fish and wish to switch to a straight lead – you can do it all with this rig.

Here’s how to tie it…

A Your mainline needs to be strong enough to cope with the fish you are likely to catch. An average day on an average stillwater will require 4-6lb line.

B Thread a Korum Feedabead or snap link swivel onto your mainline and follow this with a small bead.

C Now securely tie on a micro swivel. Micro swivels are tiny and therefore they weigh very little, so a fish that takes the bait won’t be able to feel the weight of this tiny swivel.

D Clip your chosen weight onto the Feedabead or snap link swivel. It could be a groundbait feeder, a blockend feeder or a straight lead.

E Your hooklength choice will again depend upon the size of fish present in the venue. The best hooklengths are high-tech lines as these offer great strength for a reduced diameter, meaning you’ll get more bites and stand a better chance of landing the fish you hook. A good starting point for general fishing will be 0.10mm, but step up to something like 0.16mm if you are hitting into lots of big carp.

F Your hook needs to match the size of your chosen bait.

How to tie a stickfloat rig ideal for trotting on slow flowing rivers and streams

Trotting a small river for roach, chub, bleak, dace and skimmer bream is a fantastic way to spend a day fishing. It’s an active method that involves flicking your rig out, paying out line from the reel, mending the line to make sure the float travels along the right line, and occasionally holding back the float to make the bait flutter off the bottom. Then wham. The float ducks under and a fish is on. Brilliant!

This type of fishing requires a different approach to stillwater fishing where the float is cast overhead. A stickfloat rig needs to be cast underarm, from one side. This means that tangles can prove a problem, but not if you have set your rig up correctly. And this one, below, is not only ideal for catching fish at all depths as the bait falls, but it’s also virtually tangle free! Here’s what you need to do…

A Choose a light floating mainline, something like 2-3lb Drennan Floatfish would be ideal for this rig. The floating line lifts off the water easily, therefore you can mend your line to keep control of the float really easily, plus you’ll be able to strike fast bites easier too.

B The best type of float to use when fishing slow-paced rivers and streams is a plastic, cane or carbon stemmed stickfloat as these are nice and light. It needs to be attached to the line using three rubbers. Thread them onto the line first and then pass the float inside the rubbers. One rubber needs to be positioned under the sight tip, the other in the middle and the final one over the stem. Once you have found the correct depth, mark it using a single No8 shot directly underneath the float.

C The shot needs to be equally spaced down the line, but the majority of the weight needs to be positioned in the top two-thirds of the rig. Here pairs of shot have been used, equally spaced down the line. Pairs of No8 or No6 shot are ideal.

D The last two shot should be set singularly to produce a slow and natural fall of the hookbait through the last foot or so of water. No8 shot are ideal for this.

E As with all rigs, your hook needs to suit the bait that you are fishing with.

How to float fish a river with a Crowquill Avon trotting rig

The crowquill Avon is a very underused float nowadays, but it’s one of the very best for tackling pacey, powerful or deeper rivers where plenty of shot is needed to get the bait down to the feeding fish.

The float itself is quite long and features a large and long balsa body that requires a lot of shot to cock it correctly, and that’s perfect for pushing the bait down through powerful flows.

Because the crowquill Avon is produced from natural quills, it’s often bent, but that needn’t worry you as the float will still perform perfectly well.

Here’s how to set one up…

A Your mainline needs to be quite strong as you are likely to encounter quality fish using this rig. A 4-6lb floating line would be ideal because the floating lines give you better float control and a faster line pick-up on the strike.

B Attach the crowquill Avon float using a couple of float rubbers. Thread the rubbers onto your mainline first and pass the sight tip through the top rubber and the float stem through the bottom rubber.

C Shot the float with a bulk of large split shot around 18ins from the hook. A string on BBs, AAs or even SSGs are perfect, depending upon the size of the float being used.

D Use a single tell-tale shot around 8ins from the hook. This is a positive rig so a fairly large No1 shot will be adequate.

E Use a hook of a size to match your bait.

Presenting expander pellets on the bottom with the pellet deck rig

This rig is ideal for presenting expander pellets on the bottom for carp, tench and bream. It can be used in depths of 3ft or more and when fished correctly it can tempt bites when all other pellet rigs fail.

A Use a long, body-down pole float for this style of fishing. One having a long plastic bristle is perfect as bite registration will be near instant.

B Cock the float with an olivette to form a bulk. This needs to be positioned around 12in from the hook.

C Place two dropper shot equally spaced between the olivette and the hook. Ideally they should be No10 shot that are light enough to create a gentle and natural fall of the bait through the final few inches of water.

D The hookbait should be set so that it just touches the bottom, so accurate plumbing is vital with this rig.

E The best way to tempt extra bites with this rig is to loosefeed little and often with sinking pellets, then lift and lower your rig regualrly. This gives the expander pellet plenty of movement, and the simple waft of the bait dropping down to the bottom can bring a bite when a static bait is often ignored.