Specialist rigs · French boom · flounder spreader

Spreader rig

A traditional wire boom holds two hooks well apart on either side of a central lead, fishing a wide strip of bed.

Mainline / leaderSwivel at the centreWire spreader30–45cm French boom2–6oz leadclipped under the centreSnood 15lb, 45–60cmone per armFlounder spoonoptional, sits above baitHook size 2–1
Targets
Flounder, dabs, plaice
Where
Estuaries and anchored boats on sand and mud

What you need

Boom
Wire spreader, 30–45cm across
Lead
2–6oz under the centre
Swivels
One at the centre, one on each arm end
Snoods
15lb, 45–60cm
Hooks
Size 2–1 long shank
Attractor
Flounder spoon or beads, optional

Build it

  1. Tie the mainline to the centre swivel.
  2. Clip the lead under the centre.
  3. Tie a snood to each arm swivel.
  4. Thread a spoon or beads onto each snood if using them.
  5. Tie a hook to each snood and bait with peeler crab or ragworm.
On the beach

Lower it until the lead touches, then lift and drop slowly so the snoods drag across the mud. The movement of the spoon draws flounders in.

Knots for this rig are in Knots. Line strengths, hook sizes and weights are starting points: scale them to your tackle, the ground and the tide. Diagrams are schematic and not to scale.