Most of us know the benefits of rig putty but are you getting the most from it?
Get the kettle on
Blobbing rigs with putty is something that I’ve been doing for years and nothing could persuade me not to. During the colder months it can become hard work as even the top brands harden when cold (it’s what they’re supposed to do). Rather than spending 10 minutes working the putty in your hands, simply rest it on top of the lid of your kettle and get a brew on. In a few minutes you’ll have a fresh cuppa and soft putty that’s easy to work with, and clings well to the line. Thanks to my mate Nigel Williams of Avid for sharing this one over a coffee with me.
Avoid coated braids
Another reason why I no longer use coated braid is that it’s very difficult to get putty to cling to it. Uncle Danny’s solution was to sell you another packet of goodies in the form of hook link sinkers which I duly did. Personally, I found that the combination of sinkers + coated braid performed very poorly when compared to braid + putty and have never bought another packet. Sorry DF.
Going the extra yard
My preferred method is to fish a naked inline lead. Just to be extra sure the final yard of line is pinned down, add three tiny blobs of putty (one every foot) back from the lead. Remember, unless you really slacken off the mainline you will lift it off the bottom, especially on a marginal slope. Carping is all about confidence and this trick works for me!
