Cox & Rawle 3/0 Wishbone Rig

Cox & Rawle 3/0 Wishbone Rig – High-Aero Dual Bait Marine Rig

When bites become scarce or you need to establish a concentrated scent trail at a distance, presentation is everything. The Cox & Rawle 3/0 Wishbone Rig is a premium, professionally tied shore and boat rig engineered to present two baits in close proximity right on the seabed. Built by the trusted experts at Cox & Rawle using their world-renowned terminal hardware, this rig is designed for maximum efficiency, exceptional casting aerodynamics, and completely tangle-free deployment.

The clever design of the wishbone system splits a single snood into two independent hook lengths via a micro rig swivel. This layout lets you fish two identical baits close together to mimic a substantial food source, or experiment simultaneously with two entirely different baits to discover what the fish are dialing into on the day. By utilizing an integrated hook-release impact clip paired with a snood tension spring, both baited 3/0 hooks lock securely right behind your casting weight. This setup drastically reduces air resistance for maximum distance casting and ensures your long snoods remain tightly pinned to prevent bird-nests during flight.

Technical Specifications

• Hook Size: 2x 3/0 Cox & Rawle Uptide Extra Hooks (Ultra-Strong & Forged)

• Rig Body: Heavy-duty 80lb premium monofilament (Built to withstand maximum power casting)

• Snood Rating: 30lb high-tensile monofilament

• Snood Geometry: Variable lengths from $30\text{cm} – 60\text{cm}$ (with the primary section measuring a generous $60\text{cm}$ for maximum natural bait movement)

• Hardware Included:

  • 1x Size 8 Main Swivel

  • 2x Size 6 Marine Rig Swivels

  • 1x Heavy-Duty Rig Snood Tension Spring

  • 1x Precision Hook Release on Impact Clip

• Pack Quantity: 1 Rig Per Pack

Where to Use the Cox & Rawle Wishbone Rig

• Clean and Mixed-Ground Shore Casting: Perfect for distance fishing over sand, shingle, and mud banks. The long $60\text{cm}$ trailing snood allows your baits to roll naturally with the tide, perfectly mimicking displaced marine worms or crabs.

• Estuary and Surf Flatfish Hunting: An exceptional choice for casting into estuary channels or surf tables where flatfish and bass roam. The dual-bait system doubles your visual and scent presence in the water.

• Long-Range Scratching Sessions: When target species are sparse, casting this highly streamlined rig allows you to hit distant deep-water depressions and channels that standard, bulky multi-hook flappers simply cannot reach.

Target Species & Bait Combinations

• Specimen Bass & Cod: Bait one hook with a streamlined sandeel fillet and the other with a fresh king ragworm to offer a high-impact cocktail presentation that large predators cannot pass up.

• Rays & Smoothhounds: Pack both 3/0 Uptide hooks with neat chunks of peeler crab or fresh squid sections. The dual scent trail leaking from a concentrated zone is an absolute magnet for scent-reliant ground fish.

• Whiting, Pouting, & Dogfish: Ideal for double-header action during frantic winter night sessions. Tip the hooks with small slivers of blowed lugworm or bluey strips to catch multiple fish per cast.

Pro Tip from the Gerry’s Fishing Team

Setting up a Wishbone rig correctly on the beach is all about getting your tension perfectly balanced before the cast. First, thread your baits onto the two 3/0 hooks. Next, take both hooks together and place them securely into the hook release impact clip positioned just above your lead link.

Once the hooks are nested in the clip, slide the rig snood line upward until the internal tension spring compresses slightly. This spring acts as a shock absorber; it keeps the long, supple mono snoods under perfect tension so they cannot flap or tangle mid-flight, but compresses during the cast to protect your baits. Upon impact with the water, the clip releases both hooks cleanly, allowing the long $60\text{cm}$ line to settle beautifully onto the sea floor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main benefit of a Wishbone rig over a standard 2-hook flapper?

A standard flapper rig has hooks separated by several feet along the rig body, which creates immense wind drag and cuts down your casting distance. The Wishbone rig groups both hooks tightly together right behind the lead weight inside a single streamlined clip, allowing you to cast significantly further while presenting your baits as a concentrated feeding zone on the seabed.

Why is an 80lb rig body used with 30lb snoods?

The 80lb rig body is a crucial safety and performance requirement. It takes the absolute brute force and G-force generated by heavy 5oz or 6oz leads during powerful overhead or pendulum casts. The 30lb snood material provides excellent structural strength to handle large fish like bass and hounds, while remaining supple enough to give your baits a highly natural presentation.

Can I use this rig from a boat?

Yes, absolutely. While it is highly favored by shore anglers for its casting benefits, it makes an exceptional light-tide boat rig when casting down-tide away from the vessel to target rays, flatfish, and bass over clean ground.

Are the Cox & Rawle Uptide Extra hooks suitable for sharks?

Yes. Cox & Rawle hooks are legendary for their strength. The Uptide Extra pattern features a forged, heavy-wire construction and a chemically sharpened point that will easily handle the crushing jaws and powerful runs of specimen smoothhounds, rays, and large cod without bending or opening up under heavy drag.