Making Pennel Pulley Rig - Some Questions

I've been pretty much only using 2 hook flapper rigs since I started bait fishing 2 summers ago, but think it's high time I started trying a different rig. I wanted to try my hand at making the pennel pulley rig and found an excellent guide online here:
http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Sea-Angler/S ... ulley-rig/

After reading the guide I still had a few questions and was wondering if I could get some pointers..

- Is it important to use a hook with an offset eye for the upper hook, or is it OK to use a normal hook on top on a pennel rig?

- Must the length of the 'snood' part of the trace be roughly the same as the part that goes down to the lead link, so that the lower hook can be clipped onto gemini clip / lead link etc while casting?

- Is a lead link really needed? (I've always just clipped my weights directly into gemini clips up to now).

- Lastly, what strength lines would I be looking to use for the snood part and the line to lead part for targetting bass & codling - the strengths of the lines in the guide (see link above) seem to be based on using the rig over rough rocky ground and excessive for if it was to be used surf fishing.

Thanks in advance for any tips on this, would be much appreciated!

- Is it important to use a hook with an offset eye for the upper hook, or is it OK to use a normal hook on top on a pennel rig?

No but it's a nice to have.


- Must the length of the 'snood' part of the trace be roughly the same as the part that goes down to the lead link, so that the lower hook can be clipped onto gemini clip / lead link etc while casting?

If you use heavy line for the snood this should not be an issue. For light line snood I use a clip on pulley line and adjust this to be snood

- Is a lead link really needed? (I've always just clipped my weights directly into gemini clips up to now).

I use Gemini clips for rough ground but hey do tend to unclip. The breakaway clip is better. I make my own namix leads. Clean ground I use impact leads

- Lastly, what strength lines would I be looking to use for the snood part and the line to lead part for targetting Bass & codling - the strengths of the lines in the guide (see link above) seem to be based on using the rig over rough rocky ground and excessive for if it was to be used surf fishing.

I don't have experience of of pulleys for these fish. I have found lower snood strengths tangle. I prefer a penel clip down for lighter lines.

Brilliant stuff many thanks for the tips Donagh

Sorry for bumping this thread but I had a couple of follow up questions after trying out a hand made pennel pulley rig a couple of times since original post. I managed a couple of doggies on the rig so far, but had been hoping for something else.

The main question I have is that I was using 4oz. gripper leads, but I started thinking afterwards that maybe using a gripper lead with a pulley rig defeats the purpose, as the fish will feel resistance from the anchored weight?

Is this the case that should you only use rolling weights with a pulley rig (when fishing from a beach), or would it make sense to still use a gripper lead in some scenarios?

the resistance from the grip lead will help set the hook when the fish decides to grab the bait and go. i prefer using the long and low/up and over rig on clean beaches. if its rough ground id use the pulley tho

Sorry for bumping this thread but I had a couple of follow up questions after trying out a hand made pennel pulley rig a couple of times since original post. I managed a couple of doggies on the rig so far, but had been hoping for something else.

The main question I have is that I was using 4oz. gripper leads, but I started thinking afterwards that maybe using a gripper lead with a pulley rig defeats the purpose, as the fish will feel resistance from the anchored weight?

Is this the case that should you only use rolling weights with a pulley rig (when fishing from a beach), or would it make sense to still use a gripper lead in some scenarios?

Imho if you use a pulley rig without a griplead in surf you will end up with a nasty ball of nylon when you reel in. If you want to use a rolling lead stick with a running lead set-up. I also believe that running leads are best used when holding the rod touch-ledger style, as the fish can pick up the bait and run with it showing a bite on the rod tip but not lifting the lead to set the hook.
I use 28lb fluorocarbon for bass on clean beaches, but it tangles easily in big seas

Cheers for the tips lads - that answers my question anyhow - that a gripper can be used with this rig, and using a rolling lead can result in a tangled trace. I think I'll experiment with different rigs when the season re-opens in mid June as have been sticking to the old two hook flapper too much, cheers again