Common mistakes

Snood too short

The whole point is letting the fish move off without resistance. A 20 cm snood defeats this. Aim for 60 cm minimum, longer when the fish are spooky or the water is clear.

Wrong lead clip

Use a free-running clip designed for the job. A stiff swivel or tight-tolerance clip won't slide cleanly under bite pressure and you'll miss takes. Test before you cast: tip the rig up and the lead should slide down the line by gravity.

Forgetting the beads

Without buffer beads the lead crashes into your swivel knot every cast and weakens it. Two cheap rubber beads save you a lost rig.

Lead too heavy

This rig is about subtlety. Use only as much lead as it takes to hold bottom. Too heavy and the fish feels the weight before the lead has slid up the line, exactly what you were trying to avoid.