The idea behind the rotten bottom rig is that when a fish is hooked over rough ground you will be able to both land the fish and if need be loose the lead without losing a fish or losing the whole rig at the same time. The rig is used when primarily targeting larger fish such as conger and huss or even large wrasse when the ground is especially rough and snaggy and the kelp and weed is thick.


Description

The rig works by doing the following; bait your hooks accordingly: if a large fish is your quarry then a pennel is required if not then a single hook will do. When the rig is ready to cast connect a weak link or a rotten bottom as it is known to the lead, and then to the link at the bottom of the rig. Place the pin through the eye of the leads and then point the pin into the tin hat, then you are ready to cast. When the rig hits the water the tin hat is pushed up the rig body releasing the lead from the pin. The lead then sits on the sea bed away from the rig. When you are ready to reel in, the lead will have fallen into a snag and for that reason the weak link, when pulled on, will break free leaving the lead and not the fish on sea bed. All you need to do then is reel in the fish, bait the snood and then tie on another weaklink and away you go again!


Important

The body of the rig needs to be of a similar diameter to the Shockleader to account for any pressure placed on the rig during the cast e.g. 50lb rig body = up to 5 oz of lead.


Components

Rig body swivel and rig body Enigma or Powerflex
2 x crimps
2 x beads aero or 5 ml
rotten bottom, link, pin and tin hat
rotten bottom line - weak link line - attached to lead
Snood line - Memor-X