A shorter rig casts further and is easier to cast in a restricted space or from a standing start – ideal for the pier.

If you fish from a high venue, like a pier or cliff, the angle your line enters the water is much steeper than if you are fi shing from a fl at beach. This means that the hook snoods on a normal paternoster rig, which has snoods up the line, can be off the sea bed.

Most sea fish will not take a bait well off the sea bed, so you can rectify this with a stubby paternoster with its snoods close to the lead weight and nearer the sea bed. With the stumpy snoods and shorter rig body, it is more practical from a crowded pier and more suited to the overhead, offground or standing start cast. It is also an ideal pier scratching rig for early in the New Year when the small species remain.

The three-hook paternoster was shown in this series in its longer form (February 2005) and this is basically the same with the rig body and snood lengths shortened. Other rigs shown in the series, including the loop rig (August 2005 edition) are suitable for the stubby build.

Components

RIG MAINLINE: Minimum 60lb for use with 5oz lead.

HOOK SNOODS: 20-25lb copolymer, such as Amnesia.

● 1 x Gemini Genie lead link. ● 1 x 80lb swivel for the top of rig connection (connect this to a Genie link on the end of your mainline). ● 3 x 45lb swivel. ● 6 x micro rig beads. ● 5 x crimps (the shortest crimps are suitable). ● 3 x hooks (size 1 or 2 for general fishing, size 1/0 for bigger species). ● 1 x lead weight.