Rig · rough ground, bigger fish
How to tie a pulley rig
Fishing. The rig settles, the hooklink runs out through the bead and the bait works away from the lead. A taking fish feels line, not lead.
Targets
- Cod
- Bass
- Rays
- Conger
Baits. Whole squid, big worm baits, mackerel fillet
What it is made of
- 1Rig body60 lb clear mono, about 60 cm
- 2Top swivelSize 4 rolling swivel
- 3Pulley beadHooklink runs free through the bore. This is what lifts the lead
- 4Hooklink50 lb mono, 45 to 60 cm
- 5HookSingle 3/0 to 5/0 Aberdeen or Viking
- 6Breakaway lead4 to 6 oz, often on a weak link over rock
Tie it
- Swivel to one end of the 60 cm body.
- Pulley bead on, lead link on the tag end.
- Hooklink through the bead, stop knot above it.
- Single 3/0 to 5/0 on the end of the hooklink.
- Check the bead runs free before you fish it.
A pulley only works if the bead is free to run. Trap it and you have built a very long flapper.
When to fish the pulley
The pulley exists for rough ground. When a fish is hooked and you start to wind, the line pulls through the bead and lifts the lead up towards the rig, so it comes back over the rocks instead of dragging through them. That is why it is the usual choice for cod, bass, rays and conger over broken ground and weed.
When to leave it in the box
On open sand it offers little over a simpler rig and is longer to tie. It carries one hook, so it is no use when you want several baits working at once.
How it goes wrong
- A bead that sticks, so the lead never lifts and the rig behaves like a long flapper.
- Hooklink longer than the rig body, which tangles round the lead in flight.
- No weak link to the lead over really heavy ground, so a snag costs the whole rig and the fish.
Other rigs for the same fish
- Pennel
Best for big baits. Also takes cod, bass, rays.
- Pulley pennel
Best for rough ground. Also takes cod, bass, conger eel.
- Up and over
Best for big surf, long casts. Also takes cod, bass, rays.
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Buy the parts
What you need for the pulley
Tagged Amazon.ie links for the published east-coast parts list. Prefer a pre-tied pack when you want to fish now; otherwise buy the hooks, leads, and terminal below.
Buy on Amazon.ie, Luroad pre-tied pulley rigs (5 pack)Pre-tied · primary
Pre-tied pulley bodies: check hook size against your target.