I love the simplicity of a standard running ledger — a weight sliding on the mainline with a short hooklink trailing behind. It’s one of the first rigs I learned on the Brittany rocks and it still bags me pollack and bass on the Welsh coast. But when the wind gets up and the surf turns choppy, that tidy little rig can tangle, bury in sand or simply fail to present the bait naturally. Over the years I’ve converted that simple running ledger into a windproof Wales surf rig that keeps baits clear, cuts down tangles and stands up to strong onshore gusts without sacrificing casting distance or bite sensitivity.

Why convert a running ledger for wind

Running ledgers are great for sensitivity and strike detection because the weight runs on the mainline. Yet wind and surf introduce three main problems:

  • tangles and fouling when the hooklink wraps around the mainline during a gusty cast;
  • burial of the weight and bait in soft sand, which mutes bites;
  • reduced bite registration when waves and wind ladder the line on the surface.

    • My aim is to keep the core advantages of a running ledger — sensitivity and simple strike mechanics — while adding anti-tangle control, better bait presentation and a way to stop the weight burying or smashing into the hooklink on heavy hits.

    Core changes I make

    Here are the practical modifications I use every time I convert the standard rig:

  • add a short boom/arm for anti-tangle;
  • use a rubber sleeve or bead to lock the weight in place during the cast then free on the drop;
  • fit a shock-absorbing link (dropper style) to protect trace knots and reduce sudden hook pulls;
  • tune the hooklink length and material for wind (slightly longer than usual to keep bait off the sand).

    • Step-by-step build

    I’ll walk you through the exact pieces I use and the order I tie them in. My standard mainline is 15–20lb braid (Sufix 832 or similar) with a 30–40lb shock leader where needed. For hooks and traces I use fluorocarbon for low visibility and abrasion resistance — Seaguar or similar in the 20–30lb range. Hooks: Kamasan B900 or similar strong pattern for bass and cod.

  • Tie a swivel to the end of your mainline using a strong knot (Uni or FG if you braid-to-leader). This is your running point.
  • Slide on a rubber tubing section (3–5cm) or an anti-tangle sleeve over the mainline before you add the weight. The tubing will sit between the mainline and the weight to reduce contact and keep things aligned during the cast.
  • Add a bead to protect the knot and then the running weight (pyramid or bomb) — I stick with 3–4 oz for most Welsh surf conditions, heavier if you’re fishing into thick onshore winds or long distances.
  • Directly above the swivel tie a small boom: a 10–15cm length of stiff monofilament or a purpose-made boom tube anchored to the swivel with a short length of braid or loop. This boom is angled slightly downward when cast and holds the hooklink away from the weight.
  • Attach your hooklink to the end of the boom via a loop or a small rubber sleeve that allows free rotation. I favour a loop-to-loop connection or an Albright knot for smoothness.
  • Fit a shock link on the hooklink: a small length (10–15cm) of supple braid or mono tied with a strong knot between the boom and the hook. This takes the brunt of a heavy run or wave surge and reduces the chance of your hooklink breaking at the knot.
  • Finish with a 30–60cm fluorocarbon trace depending on the species and seabed. For bass I’ll use 40–50cm; for cod or pollack fishing from a rocky point I’ll shorten it to 30cm to reduce snags.

    • Parts list and recommended sizes

    Part Recommended Why
    Mainline 15–20lb braid (Sufix 832) Low stretch for casting distance and sensitivity
    Shock leader 30–40lb mono Protects top section from big runs
    Running weight 3–6oz pyramid or bomb Holds bottom in surf; heavier for distance/wind
    Boom 10–15cm mono/stiff tube Anti-tangle presentation
    Hooklink 20–30lb fluorocarbon, 30–60cm Low visibility, abrasion resistance
    Hooks Kamasan B900 / Daiichi 1730 Strong, sharp for surf species

    Tuning for wind and surf

    Wind changes everything, so I adjust these variables before every outing:

  • weight size — light winds: 3–4oz; strong onshore winds or long casts: 5–6oz;
  • boom length — longer (15cm) when the swell is messy to keep the trace off the mainline; shorter when you want quicker bait fall;
  • trace length — longer for flatter sand flats to present bait above the sand; shorter for rough ground to reduce snags;
  • use a drogues or an inline drogue if conditions are really windy — it slows the sink rate and stabilizes the rig.

    • How I cast and fish it

    When casting, I always make a two-step check: ensure the boom is free and not trapped under the weight tubing, and give a short pre-tension before the full cast to seat the bead and tubing properly. I favour a smooth long cast rather than a brute force fling — this reduces tangles.

    Once the rig is in the water I let about 30–45 seconds for the weight to bite into the sand and the line to lay out. Watch the tip: wind can lift the line and create false bites, so I use a slightly looser drift on the spool to allow the weight to settle and the bait to sit naturally. If I’m using a buzzer or static bait, I’ll give a small lift every few minutes to reposition the bait if the tide is moving fast.

    Common failures and fixes

    Even with a windproof rig things go wrong. Here’s what I do when they do:

  • tangles on landing — shorten the boom slightly or use stiffer tubing to prevent the hooklink wrapping;
  • buried weight — switch to a flat pyramid or add a rubber shroud to the weight so it skids rather than digs;
  • breaks at knot — replace with a bonded loop-to-loop or improve knot choice (Palomar for hooks, Uni for braid-to-mono).

    • On the Welsh coast, conditions change fast. I’ve found that converting a standard running ledger into this type of windproof rig keeps my bait visible, reduces lost fish and improves bite detection in conditions that would otherwise ruin a session. It’s not complicated, but the small changes — a boom, a bit of tubing and a shock link — make a big difference when the wind is howling and the tide is running. Tight lines and see you on the bank.