![\"carp](\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2013\/11\/ron11-300x273.jpg\")
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I got talking to a guy on the bank this week about rig safety and how things have changed over the years. If you look back on books written in the 80\u2019s by the likes of Rod H and Kevin Maddocks you\u2019ll see several rigs that while very effective even today, are not up to the current safety standards the sport has come to expect.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Fixed lead systems were first introduced in the late 70\u2019s and coincided with the invention of the boilie and the hair rig. The three fished together suddenly had all takes turning into real flyers. While the bolt rigs, as they were known, were undoubtedly brilliant carp catchers, they caused problems for the fish in the event of a crack off or a breakage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Now all rigs are safe until the above mentioned event happens. The modern systems give the fish as good a chance as is possible to shed the hook and lead. This however, supposes that the anglers read the instructions and fish the rigs as they are intended by the manufacturer. <\/span><\/p>\n Over the last season or so I\u2019ve seen a number of anglers using the \u2018Safety\u2019 systems incorrectly which in some cases negates totally the effectiveness they afford and takes us right back to the \u2018Death\u2019 rig scenario we used to have before carping awareness of the dangers became common knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n So what are the options and how should they be set up to be safe?<\/span><\/p>\n Safety clips:<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n I believe Kevin Nash was the first to bring these Safety clips out, but I also remember Rod Hutchinson offering a similar idea back in 1993. There are a number of companies now producing these items of end tackle.<\/span><\/p>\n I myself use them for the majority of my fishing as they are to my mind, when set up right the safest system that still offers the benefits of the fixed, bolt rig type presentation. My preference goes for a dumpy pear lead in most case.<\/span><\/p>\n I will make a couple of points here though, from observations I\u2019ve made over the years. It is quite easy for many of these clips to pull free of the swivel. This to my mind negates the bolt effect of the clip system, as the clip and tubing is then free to slide up the line during the fight. I will concede that in event of a breakage if gives a chance for the whole lot to slide up the line and free the fish. I\u2019ll add here though that this is not a certainty and I can quite easily see the tubing getting stuck or tangled with no possibility for the lead to come off, perhaps some way up the line if you crack off.<\/span>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2008\/05\/lead-in-clip.jpg\" "\\"lead-in-clip\\"")
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\nI have been using the Korda clips for a long while and my preferred way of setting up the rig is to drill a hole in the clip and tie it on to the swivel, thus preventing it from pulling free. Set up this way in event of a lead getting stuck, plugged or weeded the lead pops off easily. I also think that if I do have the misfortune of leaving a rig in the water the lead will also free the fish without too much problem. The last point I would make here is that it is important to push the tail rubber on just enough to hold the lead in place. If you ram it as far as it will go then in many cases the force needed to pull off the lead is excessive, and more than likely will render the clip system ineffective. There are other makes on the market like the lock jaw clips that snap around the swivel giving the same effect as my tie-on method.<\/span><\/p>\n