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Review Dongle

jackjock

jackjock

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What's folks thoughts on the Dongle rig , I've a mate who thinks their the best thing since sliced bread but have yet to be convinced , your thoughts.
 
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I've used a similar rig for plaice with crab baits for years. Works well and no deep hooked bycatch is a good thing
 
They look interesting but not yet made or tried one. Billy Fishing shows how to make them and swears by them. Only managed to get out once this year, health still on the decline. ??
 
Found they work well for me for rays n hounds may lose the odd fish but personally outweighs deep hooking something you are returning. Like any rig time and a place for them. Always worth a try and not listen to others thoughts, only way to see if it’s something to add to your rig making list.
 
I tend to give them a bit longer to get the bait down but find with hounds and ray they take it down fairly fast. Bass n cod draw so much water when they take the bait it’s taken straight in. To be fair my hook up rate is no better or worse than a pennell rig. If you look at the donkey chokers some of the carp boys use on a hair rig they wouldn’t fish it if they thought they might miss a run. ?
 
jackjock said:
My concern about the dongle rig is the fish as got to get the full bait in its mouth plus the only hook , a lot of fish wont do this with a big bait , granted some will but i can see a lot of lost fish.
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In the wee shoert video by GSP above he says size 4/0 and avbove circles and emphasises big fish. He learned of it fishing over in Fuertaventura.
Billy Fishing in Norway uses it a lot with almost half a mackerel on. He also has a video all about making the hair rig part of it.
 
Thrasher said:
In the wee shoert video by GSP above he says size 4/0 and avbove circles and emphasises big fish. He learned of it fishing over in Fuertaventura.
Billy Fishing in Norway uses it a lot with almost half a mackerel on. He also has a video all about making the hair rig part of it.
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I can see the point in using the rig in the video for fishing rough ground and big fish that you have pointed out but a lot of anglers are using there so called dongle rig for every thing which is wrong in my opinion. Could be a short craze and thanks for putting that video on.
 
jackjock said:
I can see the point in using the rig in the video for fishing rough ground and big fish that you have pointed out but a lot of anglers are using there so called dongle rig for every thing which is wrong in my opinion. Could be a short craze and thanks for putting that video on.
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Yep, there seems to be a bit of general confusion over the rig and the hair with many promoting the use of the hair on standard rigs and calling it the dongle.
I am probably not experienced enough to comment but if you are going to catch fish liable to go back, a hair and a circle hook may be an aid in preventing too much deep hooking?
 
jackjock said:
i,ve a mate who thinks their the best thing since sliced bread but i have yet to be convinced ,
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Bit of a update on my mate with the dongle. He,s now lost 2 big hounds on the dongle so his enthusiasm for the rig is some what blunted, he told me he,s now trying a improved version of the rig -- his version :unsure::whistle::giggle: i think i pissed him off a bit when i told him all my big hounds have come to a fixed pat rig with a single 2/0 owner ebi hook with half a crab on it
 
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I've just had a look at it on you tube,in my opinion it's as if it can tangle up easily.i don't think I will try it,my advice is stick to the rigs you know will work for your type of fishing mate
 
Must admit I’ve had very few deep hooked hounds and hardly any deep hooked ray, probably 2-3 in about 30 years.

If it was every other fish I’d consider circles or whatever but as I say, it’s rare even using normal J hooks.
 
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