Penn Fishing

The classic case is when using artificial lures such as a rubber sandeel or jelly over reefs or wrecks. Long snoods help give an artificial lure a more natural action but the longer the snood the more vulnerable they are to tangling. And with only so many passes over a given mark you cannot afford to spend the entire drift working a lure that has tangled. There are two ways to help avoid tangles, firstly control the rate of decent, keeping the line tight at all times and secondly use a longer than normal boom to keep the lure away from the line above the weight.

Fishing for plaice and other predatory fish with bait on drift also requires the services of a longer that average snood. With two hooks and attractor beads tangles be a frequent visitor and lose you valuable fishing time. Keep things as simple as possible and use a decent swivel because inevitably baits will twist in the tide. Again, the longer boom will help during the time the rig is falling to the seabed as well as a controlled decent.

For covering all the bases a one up and one down rig will often do the business. Cod and whiting are not always grubbing around on the bottom and a second hook three or even four feet off the bottom will often produce fish when the lower bait remains untouched.

Here are three examples of basic rigs that have proved themselves time after time.

One up - one down
For casting traces we try to keep the lower snoods short enough that they cannot tangle with the one above. Use the same principle from the boat when using this rig.

One up - one down
Try to keep the lower snoods short enough that they cannot tangle with the one above.

Gilling rig
A 9in straw boom is a popular choice being light in weight and offering little resistance to the tide. Snoods can be anything up to 15ft long, but be aware as most boat rods are less than 8ft in length bringing a good fish to the boat with 15ft of line between fish and weight can be a bit of a handful!

Gilling rig
A 9in straw boom is a popular choice being light in weight and offering little resistance to the tide.

Drifting bait
A long flowing trace with two hooks is a favourite for fish such as plaice over sandbanks. Two hooks will give you an edge, especially if you use two different baits. Another good case for the straw boom although a zip slider will work, just be careful not to let the rig descend too quickly.

Drifting bait
A long flowing trace with two hooks will give you an edge, especially if you use two different baits for fish such as plaice over sandbanks.