Uptiding or boatcasting is a technique that involves casting your bait uptide at an angle of about 45 degrees using a grip lead. This was popularised in the Thames estuary during the early 1980's. The idea is to present a bait outside the"scare area" caused by the noise of the tide against the boat's hull and anchor warp. Another benefit of uptiding is that much lighter tackle can be used than with normal downtide fishing. With uptide tackle it is possible to fish with 18lb line and 6-8 oz leads, where 30lb class downtide gear would not hold with over 1lb of lead! Specialist rods and casting reels are necessary rather that conventional boat gear.

A paternoster is any style of hook rig where the leader is tied to a fixed lead, the hooks then are on droppers above the lead. Usually one to three hooks are used on a paternoster rig depending on the species you are after. The droppers can be either blood loops tied directly in the leader or more often a stop knot, bead, swivel, bead, stop knot arrangement is used.

What are bait clips? Why use them?

Bait clips are designed to hold the hook, bait and hook trace close to the body of the rig during casting. They are usually made from wire about 1.5 inches long, with the last 1/4 to 1/2 inch bent back at 45 degrees, a piece of tubing holds the clip in place against the main line. The clip is positioned that the hook bend is held in the bend of the clip. The clip will hold the hook and bait in place during the cast, but on hitting the water the clip will release as the trace collapses due to the deceleration of the lead.

Bait clips are used for two main reasons:

a) Distance is increased as the tackle is kept more streamlined. The trace lengths and clips can be adjusted so that the bait is only a few inches behind the lead and rides in its slipstream.

b) The bait is not buffeted and flapping loosely during casting so better bait presentation results.

There is a more streamlined from of bait clip that incorporates a nose cone as well as a clip to hold the hook during the cast - an Impact Shield. Breakaway Tackle's impact shields provide maximum protection for the bait from buffeting during the cast and minimum distance loss due to drag.

This shows a single hook paternoster using an impact shield.There is an oval split ring on the end of the rig to take the weight. The base of the shield is about 3/4 inch (20mm) in diameter.
An impact shield in close-up. Note the bead and stop knot above the impact shield, this should hold the impact shield in place and not slip. Some anglers use a small crimp or telephone wire twisted around the line instead of a knot. The lower part of the impact shield is held against the line by a 1/4 inch piece of rubber tube.
This shows how the impact shield swivels on hitting the water to eject the baited hook from the clip.