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There is often a need to fish a 'free roving' live bait on running water and this rig provides the ideal set up to use for this and is best described as trotting rig as it would normally be allowed to run down in the flow rather than just 'free rove'.

The rig uses a 'through the middle' sliding float with plenty of top showing to provide good visibility when being run down in the flow. This also provides good support and visibility when used for 'trolling', which might be on the same river you were trotting or on a still water (this is more fully described in 'trolling') with live baits or even dead baits.
The difference between the 'free rover' set up and the 'trotter' is the way the bait is hooked. As you will see here the end treble is in the flank and the upper trace hook is now fixed in the top lip. This allows the bait more natural passage through the water than would be achieved with the dorsal to pectoral root mounting method this would see the bait being battered and the hook holds strained damaging an otherwise active bait.

The uptrace is used to prevent bite off's from tangles with the reel line and this is as usual a 24 to 36 inch, 30lb BS wire trace. To this is attached a 15 to 18 inch 20lb BS two hook trace.

The weights used can be 2 or 3 2SSG shots or more commonly these days quick change sinkers attached and locked to the uptrace lower swivel, which make both adjusting the weight simpler and a safer rig as the weights can be shed if they become snagged.











NB: it is illegal under Environment Agency By-laws to move fish from one water to another with out consent and Pike Online supports this restriction on the translocation of fish wholeheartedly and recommends each angler observes this ruling and any that may apply on the individual fisheries you may visit.