Gardner Camflex Helicopter Leaders

These pre tied leaders from Gardner are made in the UK using their Covert terminal components and and their own quality CamFlex Leadcore.

Helicopter rigs offer tangle free presentations and give good presentation on many types of lake bed. They include a size 12 Kwik-Lok Flexi Ring Swivel for hooklink attachment and ease of changing. 

At a glance

• 3 pre tied leaders pr pk
• 35 lb 1m long
• Green or Brown

With the lead at the end of the leader the finished arrangement is extremely aerodynamic – making this style of rig popular for long range fishing and this arrangement is well known for having good anti-tangle properties.

This lead arrangement is easily adjusted to work on a wide variety of different lake beds, simply by adjusting the distance that the hooklink is stopped above the lead. For instance, in silt push the 0.5mm silicon tube ‘stop’ further away from the lead; this ensures that when the lead plummets down into the sediment it doesn’t drag the hookbait down with it. Alternatively, if you’re fishing on hard sand or gravel spots the silicon stop is positioned close to the lead – so that the bolt effect is maximised.

For Chod rigs simply slide the silicon tube/stop further up the leader.

My top tip: When fishing in weed I like to add a small bit of pva foam to the hook, this helps slow the hook right down as it enters the water pushing it up to the top stop. As the rig settles the foam will come off allowing the hook bait to slowly land on top of any weed or silt.

Ready to go in three steps:
1. Tie on the Helicopter Leader with a strong and reliable knot 

2. Mount lead weight needed onto the Covert Extra Small Speed Link.

3. Mount your hooklink on the size 12 Covert Kwik Lok Flexi Ring swivel. Keep hooklink firmly in position with a small section of tubing or a Covert Anti Tangle Sleeve.

Rig adjustments for different lake beds:

• For silt and light weed, slide the 0.5mm silicon section 8-10cm away from the lead. This means that the lead is in the silt but the hooklink will settle on top of the debris.
• Fishing on firm sand or gravel keep the stop approximately 1cm above the lead.

Recommended connection between mainline to spliced loop at the top of the leader:

• With Copolymer lines A ‘loop to loop’ is extremely consistent – created by forming a strong figure of 8 loop knot in mainline. A popular alternative to use a 5 turn Grinner Knot, normally best tied ‘once through spliced loop’.
• With Fluorocarbon lines Gardner recommend a Tucked Blood Knot with 3 or 4 turns.