Understanding Carp Rigs – Part III (updated)

Understanding Carp Rigs – Part III

This is where it should all come together… no matter what rig you choose it must work correctly to make sure the hook ends up securely positioned in the fishes lip.

Rig Mechanics

In a recent carp forum exchange someone stated “EVERY RIG is nothing more than a PERSONAL opinion..” Well there are certainly plenty of opinions on carp rigs and all too often they are based on a total lack of understanding as to how or why they work or when and where they should be used. Even here in the near virgin waters of North America the carp are simply not as naïve as some would believe… If you take the time to watch any of the excellent underwater videos (especially those made by CAG member Jerome Moisand) you’ll see that  carp can suck up and eject a rig with remarkable ease.  In most cases this is simply a function of the way carp feed.  Over method, pack or small multiple baits like particles carp typically ‘graze’ the area by repeatedly sucking in a mixture of bait particles together with bottom materials (sand, gravel etc) and after a few ‘chewing’ type motions spit out any unwanted items. This I consider a more random feeding process where the hook bait is picked up along with other free samples. Conversely when feeding on single baits like boilies spread over a wide area the carp will be searching around and selectively picking up each bait in a more methodical manner.  Understanding and tailoring  your bait and rig to match these different feeding behaviors is critical to ensure you maximize your chances of a hook-up.  Talk to any of the anglers who consistently catch bigger fish and I’m sure they will tell you that paying attention to rig selection and mechanics is vital to maximizing your chances.

Here is just one example of Jerome Moisand’s excellent underwater video work.  If you watch carefully you’ll see some fish pick up the bait at random while ‘grazing’ the bottom and then others that clearly ‘zero in’ on it. Irrespective of the choice of rig in this video I can tell you that I’ve seen carp eject plenty of other well tied and set up rigs just as easily as you see in this video!

The Golden Rule!

Always check your hook points...

Always, Always, Always check your hook point!

It may not always be immediately apparent, especially if like me you need to wear glasses to see anything closer than about 3 feet away! The right hand hook in the photo has the tip bent over only slightly – but enough that it would probably not fully take hold in a carps lip. The one on the left has been sharpened with a diamond file and drew blood like a hypodermic needle! It is also worth noting that once the coating has been removed from the point during sharpening then the metal is exposed and the hook can rust. A thin coat of nail varnish or vaseline will help protect it.

So remember unless you’re hook point is super sharp then the  odds are already stacked against you!

Check Your Bottom…

Almost any properly tied rig will work on a nice clean sandy or gravel bottom with hungry fish competing for the bait. But even then you might be surprised at just how often the bait is picked up, mouthed and ejected with out you even knowing or just registering a few beeps on your alarm or bumps on the rod tip. If you then throw in some debris on the bottom, a few rocks or zebra mussels together with a good helping of weed or silt then you’ll more than likely be lowering your odds of a hook up unless you choose the right rig together with the right bait presentation.

Hard, Clear Bottoms

On sand or gravel bottoms where there is little or no debris then fishing a bottom or critically balanced bait on a simple hair rig, KD or Frank Warwick ‘go to’ will do the trick. If distance is not an issue then I would tend to go with an in-line lead especially in rivers.  Flatter leads will hold the bottom more effectively in fast flowing water rather than ‘roll around’. A flat or square sided lead can also be used to hold a bait in position on the side of a gravel bar or other sloped feature. Pinning down the hook link and using a leadcore or ready made safety leader can help limit false bites from the fish bumping into the line or being spooked. If the water is shallow and clear then using a fluorocarbon hook link will help camoflage the rig. However make sure you use an out turned chod style hook with fluoro to create the best hooking mechanics.

Soft Weed or Silt.

Fishing silt and weed demands a whole article on its own  but if the weed or silt is just covering the bottom then a pop-up or critically balanced bait on a longer 12-24″ combi hook link should do the trick.  However silt or weed deeper than a few inches begins to present a few more problems. In deeper silt a helicopter rig allows the baited hook link to slide up the leader without it being pulled down by the lead. The depth can be adjusted with a rubber stop bead but make sure it can be pulled over the leader mainline connection so a fish is not tethered to the lead if the mainline breaks. When fishing silt you should always check its depth and also how it smells. If your bait comes back smelling of rotten eggs (sulphur odor) then it is unlikely to hold any food items (bloodworm etc) that will attract carp. An easy way to check the depth of silt is to tie some white cotton or wool thread between the lead and leader / main line connection. The wool will be stained by the color of the silt to indicate the depth of the silt and therefore determine how long a hook length is needed or the set-up for a helicopter rig.

Rocks.

On one water I fish the bottom is strewn with 4-6″ sized rocks creating cracks and crevices where the bait can all but disappear. There is no doubt that carp can quite easily move rocks in their quest to get a crayfish or other bait but I’ve found a critically balanced snowman set-up on a 360 rig has proven to be an ideal choice. Not only are the two baits less likely to ‘fall’ between the cracks as it were but the 360 rig will spin around to ensure the hook point is ideally positioned when picked up by the carp. When fished on a heavier than usual hook link material (25-30lb instead of 15lb) and a TFG Safety leader it seems less prone to get stuck in between the gaps in the rocks to reduce the risk of getting snagged or broken off.

Debris (Leaves, Sticks etc).

A nice buoyant pop-up on a Chod, Multi-Rig or 360 rig would be my favorite rig choices. As the water temps drop late in the season I would tend to opt more for the chod set-up. It seems that the ‘springy’ hook link material makes it very difficult for the fish to eject as they move around more slowly. It is also vitally important to protect the hook point from being fouled by any debris. This can be critical in the Fall when leaves etc are floating over your swim. The impact of the rig hitting the water can easily snag a twig or leaf stem on the hook point. A PVA foam nugget around the hook or carefully protected in a PVA bag or stick etc will ensure it is ready for action!

 

Ready tied & baited rigs allowed the capture of three big fish in just 30 mins

 

Hook Size

The choice of appropriate hook size is usually determined by the size of the bait you are using and how big a carp you are likely to catch.  I rarely use anything less than a size 8 hook for carp unless I’m float fishing for fish that are unlikely to go over a few pounds. In my opinion a hook can only penetrate as deep as its gape (the distance between the point and  the shank opposite). The result being that a bigger hook will penetrate deeper and therefore be less likely to get pulled out by an aggressive, hard pulling fish like most of the wild fish here in North America. The following table is only a guideline showing the most typical hook size I would choose highlighted in bold type.  You can substitute the boilie diameter shown in mm for the size or number of particle baits. For example three kernels of maize would approximate a 16 mm boilie while a couple of pieces of sweetcorn a 10-12 mm size.  If I was expecting smaller fish then the smaller hook might be preferable, especially if I was missing bites. However I would not hesitate to use a bigger hook if I was fishing near snags, expecting bigger (25 lb + ) carp or fishing a double bait set-up such as a snowman.

Boilie Diameter         Hook Size

10-12 mm Size          10 – 8 – 6

14-16 mm Size            8 – 6 – 4

18-20 mm Size           6 – 4 – 2

20 mm +                      4 – 2 – 1

 

Hair Length

Adjusting the hair length can be one of the most critical determinations for achieving solid hook-ups. If the hair is too short then the bait can interfere with the hook ‘turning over’ correctly or if too long the hook might not be taken in far enough to catch properly. In either case the result is likely to be a dropped run or a hook pull shortly after.

Several anglers, including leading experts like Shaun Harrison, prefer to use a #8 or #6 hook and then adjust their hair length to match the bait size. They will match the gap from the hook bend to the bait to be the same size as the bait. So for example with an 18mm boilie they will use a 36mm hair and for a 20mm boilie a 40mm hair and so on. This will ensure that when the bait is ejected it will ‘swing’ clear of the hook and not impede the hook catching correctly in the bottom lip.

Clearly ‘hair length’ does not apply to rigs where the bait is tied to a swivel or rig ring on a ‘D’, Blow Back or similar set-up. However it is important to recognize how it should function so that the movement is not impeded or shortened in some way.

 

Hook Link Length?

“What is the ideal hook length?” is a question often seen posted on various carp forums. The easiest answer is either short or long depending on how you are fishing.

If you are fishing over a bed of particles, pellets or method then the carp will invariably be heads ‘down’ and moving relatively slowly. In most instances the hook bait is picked up at random along with the surrounding chum or ground bait so a shorter 3 – 5” hook length will help ensure that they get hooked even with the minimum of movement.  This shorter ‘leash’ will also keep the hook in place as it tightens against the weight of the lead and especially when they ‘tilt’ themselves back up to a horizontal position to spit out waste items or in an effort to rid themselves of the hook. In cold water conditions when the carp are moving more slowly a shorter, stiffer material hook link can make all the difference, especially if you are prepared to watch your rods and ready to hit even the most tentative of takes.

In contrast with baits, such as boilies, that are spread out over a larger area the carp are generally moving around more quickly as they go from one bait to another.  In this case longer hook lengths of 8 – 12” seem to work better allowing the carp to move a little further before picking up the weight of the lead. Longer hook lengths can work well with brightly colored or high contrast baits popped-up over a bed of ground bait where the bigger carp will sometimes hang around the edge of the baited area and then move in with a ‘smash & grab’ style take.

Finally don’t be afraid to go really long, even up to 2 -3  feet,  if you are fishing soft silt or weed – that way the bait will sit on top of the weed instead of being pulled down into it. But if you think fish are picking up the bait and managing to eject it with out getting hooked then shortening the hook length is usually a good start.

Hook Pulls & Dropped Takes?

Keeping a note of where your fish are hooked can help solve problems more readily

There can be nothing more frustrating than knowing there are fish feeding in your swim but only getting aborted takes.  If this is the case I would first check the hook point and if all is well then take a close look at how the bait sits in the water or when it gets picked up. If you lift the rig up by the bait does the hook sit angled like a ‘claw’? If not adjust the position of the hair coming off the hook to create that aggressive 45 degree angle. Next pull the rig across your palm.., does the hook turn and catch in your skin? If everything seems to be working up until this point then and only then is it time to play with the hair or hook link length.  There is no point in only making small changes so instead of lengthening a 5″ hook link to 6″  or so I would try doubling it first  and if that does not work try changing the hair length.  Hopefully by now you’ll start getting some results but if not and you are fishing two or three rods then try fishing a different rig or baits (a critically balanced bait can often produce startling results when a regular bottom bait is continually rejected) in the same area. If you take a methodical approach to any changes and make notes of the outcomes you will not only resolve the issue more quickly but gain valuable knowledge for the future.

If you are dropping fish through hook pulls or find they are being hooked too deeply in the mouth then, assuming its not through over aggressive playing of fish, changing the hook size, adjusting the hair length or hook length may help solve the problem. A few years ago while going through more than my fair share of hook pulls I created the Rig Evaluation System (see photo) which allowed me to quickly record where in the mouth or lip the carp had been hooked.  On several of the fish landed I noted that they had been hooked further back in the mouth and often had a small tear suggesting the hook was at risk of pulling free. In this instance a change from a #6 to a #4 hook improved the outcome considerably.  In most cases bigger baits require larger hooks and I use anything from #8 for small particles up to a #2 for 20mm boilies.   I’m not generally a fan of long hairs since there is a greater risk of them tangling around the hook although some PVA string or a PVA nugget can be used to keep things tied in place. PVA nuggets are also useful to ensure the hook point does not pick up a leaf or other debris as it drops and settles on the bottom and can also help to minimize the risk of rig tangles. The brightly colored ones also serve as a temporary marker for baiting up when they float to the surface. It also helps to ‘feather’ (using your finger to slow the line coming off the spool) your cast just before your rig hits the water. This not only helps straighten out the rig and hook length but also forces the lead against the loop of the safety clip to prevent it being dislodged on impact with the water.

The ‘Bolt’ Rig…

In the days before the hair-rig even the slightest resistance from the line or lead (usually only 1/2 – 1 oz) could result in the carp ejecting the baited hook. Since that time most carp anglers have combined the hair presentation with a semi-fixed (using a lead clip or silicone sleeve connector) lead of at least 3 oz to create a ‘Bolt’ effect.   This set up causes the carp to ‘panic’ or ‘bolt’ as soon as they feel the hook and as they drag the weight of the lead it also helps set the hook. Invariably the angler is nowadays woken from his day dreams by a screaming run with the fish well hooked before he even picks up the rod.  There is no doubt that the bolt rig has helped put a lot of carp on the bank and made carp fishing a more relaxing pastime. However there are some limitations and safety issues to consider.

First safety… there is nothing worse than a carp breaking the line and being condemned to death by having to trail a rig with a lead weight still attached. A carp rig must be set up with a lead clip or other device when fishing a bolt rig to allow the lead to be released in the event of a break off. I personally do not subscribe to having to ‘drop’ the lead automatically each time you hook a fish. Firstly it simply is not practical or economical here in North America as the numbers of fish caught would soon bankrupt most of us! Secondly the only time I feel it is necessary to drop leads is when fishing near snags or over weeds so that the fish comes up to the surface to fight instead of staying down deeper.  So if you are not using a ‘lead clip’ then you need to be certain that however you set up your bolt rig that the lead can come free or slide off the leader if the main line breaks.

A lead in the 2.75 – 3 oz range seems to be the most popular choice and their is evidence that the heavier the lead the more difficult it is for the carp to shake a hook free. However there is often no need to use more than 1 – 2 oz unless you need to cast more than 40 yds or hold bottom in a river. A lighter lead not only creates less disturbance but will also allow the carp to be battled higher up in the water column so avoiding snags and weed.

While many anglers  wait for a screaming run to develop I’m quite convinced they are missing fish (B-I-G ones at that) as a result! Instead of running many of these bigger fish will actually try and rid themselves of the rig first. There are many who will assert that this only applies to the educated, rig wary fish in Europe but I know for a fact that it happens on this side of the pond as well. The fish over here are certainly not ‘educated’ by any means but it happens and way more than most anglers believe. Instead of waiting for a screamer it sometimes pays to ‘strike’ those small 1-2″ lifts of the bobbin or rod tip knocks and trust me you might be surprised by the size of fish you end up hooking!

Tying Rigs

A lot of the tying instructions and videos posted on the internet assume that you will be tying each rig up, with a fresh bait, on the bank. They show the bait being mounted first and then the hair length determined before tying the hook link material on to the hook. While there is no doubt that this will provide the ‘perfect’ result it does not seem practical for the numbers of fish likely to be caught here in North America. I simply cannot imagine tying up a freshly baited rig for each and every fish I catch! There have been plenty of occasions when after a quick check of the rig and hook point I’ve cast the same bait back out and landed several more fish before the rig or bait needs to be replaced.

For most practical purposes tying up several rigs ahead of a fishing trip is not only good planning but saves time while fishing. Almost all my rigs have loops to allow them to be connected  quickly and easily to a swivel or kwik-clip mounted on the end of a safety leader. This means that I can have a rig baited (including a PVA bag or stick) and ready so that when I land a fish I can simply swap the rig out and re-cast with in just a matter of minutes. This ability for a fast turnaround has helped me bank  two or three big fish in quick succession before they have had a chance to move on. If you are fishing a Multi-Rig you can even tie baits onto the ‘blow back’ ring in advance then simply swap them out by “unlooping” the hook.

A neat 'jig' that can be adjusted for hair and link length makes tying rigs easy.

When tying rigs it is vitally important to tighten any knots carefully. Make sure that the knot looks neat and the coils evenly distributed before pulling them tight between the line and the tag end. Once the hook and loop or swivel are tied in place then I like to use a rig tightening tool to ensure everything is pulled firmly into place. It’s better to have a rig fail at this stage than see a potential PB lost at the net! A word of warning… I would always use a tool of some sort to hold the hook when tightening rigs. Most of the accidents involving ‘hooked’ fingers happen right about this time!

 

Fox Chod bin makes it easy to 'steam' a curve into rigs

Tying ‘chod’ rigs used to be a pain but with the modern hook link materials and storage bins they are much easier to create and keep their ‘curve’ in place ready for use. However it’s worth noting that the original chod rigs used a straight rather than a curved piece of mono and still caught plenty of fish. The modern ‘bristle’ materials also seems to be an improvement on the regular fluorocarbon monofilament once used.  Always make sure the swivel you use can turn freely as this is a critical component of the Chod’s success!

I’ve seen all sort of hooks used to tie Chod rigs but in reality an ‘out turned’ eye ensures the best presentation. A regular hook with the eye turned in towards the hook point when tied to stiff monofilament closes the gap available to effectively hook the fish in my opinion. When tying chod’s I find a shorter hook link of 1 – 3 inches to be the most effective. If I want to extend that then I would use a ‘stiff link’ set-up rather than lengthen the chod itself.

 

Bottom Baits

A 'stiff' hair created with some shrink tube helps prevent tangles

I usually know in advance which rigs and baits I will be using on any particular water or swim. However it also pays to have them tied with different length hairs to suit different size baits or number of particles that might be threaded in place. When tying bottom baits on rig rings mounted to blow back, Multi-Rig or KD set ups I really rate the use of ‘stiff’ hairs. Not only do these avoid any unnecessary tangles but they seem to ‘pivot’ out of the way when the carp tries to eject the rig. You can either stiffen up regular braid using super glue or pass a piece of stiff tube or shrink tube over the hair as shown. The other alternative is to use a piece of shrink tube to hold the hair along the length of the hook shank (see the photo of Frank Warwick’s rig in Part II). If you wind in and find the sleeve has been pushed back towards the hook eye it will also indicate if you’ve been ‘done’ by a fish.

Critically Balanced Baits

A Hair Gauge helps make consistent rigs

Also called ‘Neutrally Buoyant” or “Wafter” baits they often prove more successful than regular bottom baits since they move freely and are easily sucked up with other baits or particles etc. The key to their success is fishing them on slightly longer hairs and softer or more flexible hook links which can also be part of a combi rig if desired so they move about enticingly. Adding pieces of foam, cork or buoyant plastic imitations to a hair alongside  particles such as maize or tiger nuts can be deadly especially when fished along side a pile of method containing free samples of the same bait. While adding shot or putty to pop-ups can work I really like to take a regular bottom bait boilie and drill it out then puch in a piece of rig foam or cork. Careful trimming of the bait or the foam will bring them to the perfect ‘balance’ point. Try it fished ‘Muzza’ style on a KD rig.

Pop-Ups

When mounting pop-up boilies on Choddy, 360 and Multi Rigs I want the bait tied ‘tight’ to the rig ring’ and the hook. This avoids any chance of the hair tangling around the hook and since the bait will ‘blow back’ along the hook or the ‘D’ it won’t interfere or prevent the hook from taking hold in the fishes lip. In these cases the baits are either threaded onto dental floss or the floss tied around the outside of the pop-up (to prevent it soaking up water through a hole created by the baiting needle) and then tied in place to the rig ring.

Popped Up Perfectly with the hook point at a 45 degree angle.

Deciding how high to pop the bait off the bottom is an important consideration and how much weight to use as a counter balance another.  In most cases 1-2″ is usually enough to make the bait ‘stand’ out. However if the bottom is covered in light silt or weed then you might want to increase the distance between the hook and the counter weight. On one occasion a buddy cast out his pop-up rig and then remembered he’d forgotten to add any weight to the hook link. Before he could wind in he had a screaming run and landed a cracking 32lb common.  The pop-up was still attached and when we tested the rig in the margin it was floating almost  two feet off the bottom… Think Zigs! As for the amount of counter weight it should certainly be enough to anchor the bait but can be trimmed to create an almost neutral buoyancy bait. Split shot in various sizes work fine but I find tungsten putty allows more critical set ups and if rolled firmly between thumb and forefinger around the hook link material usually stays on better.

Shot-on-Hook

pb-products-downforce-shot-on-the-hook-beadsOne of the more interesting modifications to rigs is adding weight to help improve hook-ups. We’ve already talked about adding weight to counteract the buoyancy of a pop-up but adding tungsten putty or split shot on the hook length can help keep the hook point pointing down and into the carps lip. Even with bottom baits.

After many years the shot-on-the-hook rig developed by Frank Warwick is making a comeback. It was originally developed to overcome some rig shy fish while fishing critically balanced & pop-up baits on Birch. Frank used a split shot tied in place on a piece of braid just behind the hook barb. The idea being that the hook point would always be pointed downwards so that it would easily catch on the carps bottom lip. Now specially designed tungsten rubber beads like the ones from PB Products make it very easy to create this rig and to devastating effect!

 

Finally the angle that the hook sits when popped-up is probably the most critical aspect and should always be tested before casting out. The hook should sit so the point is aimed downwards at a 45 degree angle. This creates a ‘claw’ effect that positions the point perfectly to catch the bottom lip!

Tying baits on with Floss

FlossSequenceNumber

 

1. Make a loop with a single over hand. 2. Make a second smaller loop and pass one of the tag ends through it and the large loop in a second over hand. Pull the tag ends to tighten the small loop. You now created a slip knot! 3. Place the boilie inside the big loop and pull the tag ends tight. Most Pop-Ups are slightly softer than regular boilies and I like to tighten the loop so it just ‘dents’ but does not cut into the surface. 4. Tie the bait to the rig ring on your hook rig with a couple of over hand knots and tighten. Trim the ends to leave 1/4 inch or so. 5. Carefully flame the tag ends so they melt into a ‘blob so the knot won’t come loose’. I like to tie up a few baits ready for use and soak them a few minutes in water. The baits will swell up and the tighten the loop making them nice & secure. Job done!

Testing Rigs

The 'palm' test...

I’m not sure how effective a test dragging the baited rig across the palm of your hand might be in reality but it should at least give you some idea of how your rig will work in practice. If the rig is set up properly then it should ‘flip’ and turn so that the point catches in the fleshy part of your palm as you pull the hook link over the edge of your hand. It is also vitally important to see how your rig ‘sits’ on the bottom.  If the water is clear and not too deep you can simply drop your rig in at the waters edge and see how it lies on the bottom or pops ‘up’. If not then a bucket or bait bowl of water will usually suffice. Take a look at how the bait is presented and how the rig lays on the bottom. A few minutes spent making a few adjustments is time well spent for the hours sat behind the rods waiting in anticipation.

Going the Distance and Preventing Tangles…

Fishing at range presents a number of issues not least of which is ensuring that your baited rig ends up sitting on the bottom with the correct presentation. The longer the hook link length then the more risk there is of the whole thing getting tangled during the cast.

There is nothing worse than winding in a rig and finding the hair wrapped around the hook or even around the lead… especially if you’ve been getting a few beeps and bumps and wondering why they’ve not developed into full blown run. The same can happen if a leaf or the debris gets caught on the hook point (often a problem if leaves etc are floating on the surface or in the water column as the rig sinks to the bottom).

Here are a few tips and tricks that can help

TripleBoiliePVAmesh1. Always ‘feather’ the cast just before the rig hits the water. This will help straighten out the hook link material away from the lead and prevent the lead be ‘knocked’ out of a safety clip. It will also minimize the risk of the lead hitting and damaging the hook point.

2. Wrap a PVA nugget around the hook and hook point or use bait samples in a PVA mesh wrapped around the hook (make sure the hook point is still exposed ).

3. If you use a PVA stick the hook can be lightly pushed through the mesh and back out again. I avoid ‘burying’ the hook in the stick because I don’t want the point to get stuck in one of the pieces of bait!

4. Stiff hook link material and / or rig tubing will help ‘kick’ the hook out and away from the lead.

5. I now remove the swivel from most of my leads and use a kwik link attachment covered with a piece of silicone tube. This not only makes changing or removing the lead quick and easy but also reduces the chance of the hook link getting caught. And before you ask I have not noticed any issues with line twist as a result of removing the swivel!

Helicopter Rigs were designed to maximize long distance casts without tangles. The term ‘helicopter’ came from the idea that the hook link could spin around the leader without becoming caught up. Almost any ‘rig’ can be used but ideally it should use a stiff hook link material so that it creates a ‘boom’ to keep the hook away from fouling the leader.  It is critical to ensure the rig and any bead. can slide off the leadcore or heli-leader in the event of a break off otherwise the carp could be condemned to suffer a lingering death while dragging a heavy lead around. One aspect of heli-rigs that is often overlooked is placing some tubing or one of the ready made buffer tubes between the lead and the rig swivel ring.  This will not only stop the hook point hitting the lead but also provide a cushion when playing a fish.

Make sure the hook point does not get covered by a piece of your stick mix!

I’m not a fan of ‘slack’ line fishing and unless I’m fishing over weed much prefer to keep at least some tension in the main line. That way I’m in direct contact with the fish and there is no chance of it kiting off and into a snag before I can doing anything about it. However there is no reason you can’t use a back lead or that the hook link and leader should not be either pinned down or at least following the bottom contours. The reasons are, in my mind anyway, relatively simple. When carp are feeding over the hook rig I don’t want it spooking them or being ‘blown’ around all over the place and potentially tangling. Even with bottoms baits I like to add some tungsten putty in a couple of places along the hook link. If you imagine the principals of securing a boat to an anchor where a length of chain helps the anchor stay in place then using leadcore or one of the ready made tungsten coated leaders you will ensure everything stays in place. It will also help minimize the risk of a carp bumping into the line and being spooked or giving false bite indications.

Only One Choice?

Just a couple of ways to fish the Multi-Rig

So if I only had the choice of one rig… it would have to be the one shown above. It has not only accounted for an incredible number of big fish but has resulted in very, very few hook pulls or dropped fish.  In the photo the Multi Rig is tied with a #6 hook with a 16mm pop-up boilie tied to a 6″ combi-rig link. If I was using a bigger or double hook baits then I’d certainly opt for a #4 or even #2 hook. Of course the beauty of the Multi Rig is the ability to fish it with a variety of baits and set-ups. With a bottom bait a stiff hair can be tied to the rig ring and fished blow back style or pulled tight to the hook eye like a KD rig. It is also easy to swap out a hook or change baits pre-tied on rig rings by simply passing the loop back over the hook point.

The loop connection on the hook link rather than a swivel makes it easy to thread on a PVA stick if required & I invariably have at least 4 rigs ready baited ready (for two rod set ups) to swap out when I land fish or need to recast.  The silicone sleeve cover that goes over the kwik link will likely be replaced with one of the tapered sleeves now made for the purpose and helps ‘kick’ the hook link out and away from the lead. Speaking of the lead… I cut off the swivels from most of my leads and use a running rig clip covered with silicone sleeve. This helps minimize tangles and the lead can be easily removed for storing the rods at the end of a session. I’m a big fan of the ready made safety and helicopter leaders and for 90% of my fishing use the 36″ fast sinking (tungsten coated) models. They really pin everything down on the bottom and keep the mainline away from feeding fish.

ET12-Snag-Safe-Lead-ClipInstead of a bolt set up I now prefer a sliding lead of 3.75 oz (on a 3.25 test curve rod) with a Korda Run Rig Rubber or Enterprise Running Lead Snag Safe Clip. This set-up gives me a lot more feedback at the bobbin and the confidence to hit even the smallest line movement. When fished on a relatively tight line (rather than a ‘slack’ line) any run is ‘on’ the bait runner almost immediately (once the fish feels the bait runner drag it creates an immediate ‘bolt’ effect) which not only helps prevent the fish going too far but also drives the hook home.  Over the past few years it has resulted in well over a hundred thirties and while most dutifully tore off  line there have been enough, especially in the colder months, that gave only slightest movement at the bobbin to convince me of the effectiveness of this set-up.

 

 

So there you have it. This is just a summary of the rigs that I’ve used successfully here in North America. It is by no means an extensive list and you will find many more rigs on the internet and in carp magazines with all manner of complexity and claims. As I’ve already said before, the more simple the rig is to tie then the less chance there is of making a mistake. But no matter which rig you end up using it is always important to tie them correctly and to think about how it applies to the bottom you are fishing and the bait presentation you need.

And of course once you have got them hooked that’s the hard part done right?

Tight Lines!

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