MAKE A WISH
Wishbone rigs get their name from the  chicken bone you make a wish with. They are designed to present two hooks on  separate hook lengths very close together. This gives you the options of using  two different types of bait, or two different cocktail baits side by side.  Wishbones also maximise the scent trail from these baits in to a compact strong  stream of juice improving the likelihood of fish following the trail back to  the baits.

For the main trace of the wishbone  attaching to the hook trace swivel I use 30lb Amnesia. This helps eliminate  tangles in surf conditions. At the base form a long loop and tie in two over  hand granny knots to secure. You now have a wishbone shape.

To keep the wishbone spread, slide on a 5mm  bead and rig crimp, then push the bead really tight to the knot forming the  wishbone before crimping the crimp in place. Do the other side the same and you  create a really rigid wishbone effect. I then use short 20lb Amnesia hook  lengths attached by a leader knot to the wishbone snoods coming from the  crimps. You’ll need to add sequins and a Powergum stop knot, plus adjust the  hook snood lengths so that they clip in to a bait clip positioned behind the  lead or in to an impact shield. I use the beads and crimps system for all my  long range fishing wishbone rigs as it is lightweight and creates minimal air  drag during the cast.

You can also use silicone tubing as the  arms of the wishbone. Create the wishbone in the 30lb line as before. Cut a  6-inch length of silicone tubing, then cut half way through the tubing exactly  in the middle. Feed each wishbone end down either side of the tubing through  the middle cut. You can use large Powergum stop knots to hold the tubing in  place, or a bead and stop knot, then attach the lighter 20lb hook snoods below  with the leader knot. This system works okay for medium casting range, but is  not as stiff as the beads and crimps system.

Looking at wishbone’s for boat use, then  there is a different way to create the wishbone. Tie a 3 to 6-foot 20lb hook  trace to a boom and tie a swivel to the free end of the trace. Cut a 12-inch  length of 20lb line and pass it through the middle of the free eye of the  swivel. Slide between 5 and 9 coloured beads on to each side of the line either  side of the swivel. To trap the beads in place use telephone wire, stop knots  of crimps, it doesn’t matter. Tie a smaller size 8 swivel to each end of the  line below the beads, then add a short section of 20lb Amnesia to the free  swivel eye to create the hook snood. The swivels help cut down tangles when  drift fishing. This is a great plaice, gurnard, dab and whiting rig.

TIPS AND TRICKS
Anglers not wanting to carry Tilley,  Coleman or Samalite base lights for camp and rod tip illumination should be  checking out there local climbing and outdoor shops for the new clip on LED  lights designed for camp map work, and as a moveable light source for general  working about camp.

The best use two LED’s fed by three AAA  batteries and will last yonks. They have a simple round ball positioning system  to position them at a chosen angle with a clip-to-grip bracket that can fit on  rod rest heads or rod rest legs and shine upwards to illuminate rod tips or  downwards for baiting up. They can clip to the tops of bivvies and brollies for  basic camp lighting, but are especially suitable for clipping to the lid edges  of tackle boxes. This will be especially useful for boat anglers fishing night  sessions this winter for cod.

Check them out at some good tackle shops,  but mostly Millets and other climbing and camping stores. Cheap ones retail for  about a tenner, though really posh ones might be double that.

Stick to the biggest spring tides falling  the three days either side of the highest tide. The best cod catches mostly  come on the rising tides before the peak tide, with numbers of cod inshore  falling away as the tides get smaller.

Choose carefully where you will fish. Aim  to position yourself where you can cast in to deeper gutters that run along the  beaches, or pick out areas where there are patches of broken ground or rocky  outcrops that cross the beach. Cod like feature and are less likely to be found  over pure sand.

Bait is also key to good catches. You need  blow lug and black lug. Use the black lug to bulk up with, but use two or three  blow lug at the bass to give the bait blood and juices that will spill out in  to the tide. Also consider tipping off these worm baits with mussel, queen  cockle and squid for added attraction. Another tip with early fish is to tip  lug baits off with white rag. Early cod, especially on the East Coast, can go  bananas for white rag.

If you are new to cod fishing, stick to the  deeper beaches where casting distance is less important. Normal beachcasters  capable of casting 5 to 6oz leads are perfect with reels loaded with 15lb line,  but to gain extra distance you can drop to 12lb line. Every yard can count when  codding.

Cod will be our main target for the next  few months, so I’ve detailed how to make a top beach cod rig in the rig  section.