Rig articles

[Big Rik]

I'm just putting together the basis of some rig articles, individually and together with Stu D.

What do you want to see?
Is it what rigs we use and why?
The rig with terminal set up?
Rigs for certain baits?
Something different?

etc
etc

Tell us and then we can tailor the articles to suit

 

[Baz]

I would appreciate what rigs for sensitivity you use and why.
The difference between useing a light or heavy weight. i.e. is there a fulcrum point to enable a fish to pull line through whithout moveing the lead.

 

[Matt Brown]

I don't know if you have the gear to do this, but I would like to see a downloadable video to show the testing of rigs - ie. dragging the rig away from your hand to make sure the hook flips properly.

I've read about this so many times but if I'm doing it right my rigs are cack!

It would be nice if you can explain each element of the rigs you feature. We'll never learn anything if people just tell us which rig to use when, without telling us why.

(ps. a specific river Carp rig would be good to see - especially if it catches Barbel!)

 

[Stuart Dennis]

Matt, this can be covered of course, but what tests are you doing and how are you measuring your tests?

 

[stu]

I would really appreciate a KISS.

 

[sash]

Rik/Stu,

I think one major failing of most magazine article writers is that they don't put across their thinking on why they do something and you just know that there is no original thought behind the process at all. Ideally whatever you write should cause enough personal thinking without spoonfeeding if that makes sense.

I personally would like to see something on the types of hooks and why they should be used in different situations i.e. straight point, curved point or wide gape, narrow gape

 

[Ian Michaelwaite]

I'd be another one who would like to know the why/when to use a specific rig, and, yes, please include all the terminal gear, leads, links and all.

Maybe start with a basic hair rig, swivel and sliding lead and build up from there? That would make a good comprehensive rig list for numpties (i.e. me) up to advanced for those can then customise the designs and add to the document as time goes by.

And if you get time, can you pop down to my local lake and catch fish for me too ;-)

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

Rik/Stu,

I would agree with Sash. Rather than maybe giving specific rig designs, give more of the background to why your rig should be a certain style to suit that situation.

Although there will be many people who will just want to copy and use your rigs, there will be others who would like to incorporate your ideas into their rigs to meet their requirements. I hope that makes sense?!

Another aspect which people (including myself) would find useful is the different rigs that you use in diffrent baiting situations. eg fishing over 5kg of partiblend compared to 10 x 20mm freebies compared to PVA bag.

 

[Big Rik]

I think a lot of you need to re-read some of my previous rig articles where I constantly suggest that a specific rig is dependant on bait/bottom/fish size etc etc etc

but it's definitely something that I'll bring into the future articles.

 

[Matt Brown]

Stuart,

I'd been doing the palm test by holding the baited hook in my palm and slowly moving my hand away from the stationary lead. I've always thought that the hook is supposed to flip over so that the point would catch my hand rather than just falling away.

I assumed the idea was to simulate the hook catching the Carp's bottom lip.

One or two issues back in Carpworld someone had written about the effectiveness of various rigs. By doing this test he found that some rigs in common use would only catch the hand 2 out of 10 times. Of course his rig worked everytime.

I can't remember who the writer was as I've given the mag away, but it was proabably part of the rigworld section.

In all the years I've been fishing a reading about fishing I've read about this test umpteen times, but I don't know if I'm doing it right or even if it's on any relevance at all!

 

[Frothey]

the palm test only really applies if the fish are backing off with the bait in their mouth though doesnt it?

 

[Stuart Dennis]

Yup, we'll cover that Matt, but the test you're talking about is performed the opposite way round. Lay the hook and rig over your palm so it hangs down between your thumb and your forefinger (up to 7-8 inches). Slowly pull the rig back up and across your hand and when contact is made with the beginning of your palm and the eye or the line aligner or whatever, watch for the turn. A good ring will turn inwards and hoof the flesh 9/10 times at least.

Theres a couple more tests that would probably better shown than explained, but that one is the one I think you mean?

 

[stu]

Rik / Stu - let me expand on my KISS.

There are going to be people who have all levels of abilities and preferences, and therefore considering your audience, and the points you want to put across, is crucial.

For the first time for over a year I bought a copy of CF, which I have always considered the best of the "general" monthlies. However I stopped buying it for a number of reasons, and one was that some of the articles just became too complex for me and in fact seemed to be more aligned at proving how clever they were in coming up with the next variation etc etc.

Don?t get me wrong, for the dedicated, regular carper, these are fine, however for the more occasional carper (me) I think it confuses more than it helps. This is because I feel my "think time" is better spent on getting to grips with location, feed etc rather than trying to think through the complexities of these rigs and how they work. One day I no doubt will, but not yet.

So, what I would find really useful is a table. Down the side (rows) has various "conditions" e.g. deep silt, shallow silt, gravel, weedy etc. Then along the top other key factors e.g. bait used, feeding type (ie PVA, method, spod particles), fish density, how pressurised. These are my examples, you may have others that you think are more pertinent. Then, fill in the boxes in terms of what rigs you think are best.

What I do not want (personally) is technical detail or complexity, that can come later.

As an analogy, if I was taking up cricket I would not get a bowling machine set at 90 mph or go and face Shaob Aktar !! It?s a progression.

So, as Oscar said, if you want to include my type of audience, a reference point like this table I suggested would be really, really useful. Hope this helps.

See you Tuesday with my standard knotless hair rig !

 

[stu]

...sorry, I am sure people know, but just in case, KISS is Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[Big Rik]

yes Stu,
I'd been thinking along those lines, but hadn't thought of a table.

I think that may be too 'clinical', but I get what you mean.

There are 10 variations of swim make up, 5 variations of feed style, couple with time of year and carp size/density, that gives a fair few options.
We'll try and incorporate something similar.


More info please people, it's what will make the articles useful to you.

 

[sash]

But don't you want to know why Rik and Stu are suggesting that though Stu? Why for example they'd use a helicopter rig over deep silt, why that rig would work in that situation, why others wouldn't? Otherwise where's the difference to the mags?

I think the best place to start would be location. Not the usual stuff, more in depth. So so many articles advocate fishing the windward bank yet how many tell us why and go into detail about thermoclines and food items etc. How often do we see articles talking about natural food sources and targetting those areas in relation to pre-baiting for example. Why do people fish bars? Why do carp get caught on zigs in midwinter? Why does silt often produce over gravel? They are all questions for which the answer can be found but I've never seen a decent article or series of them explaining watercraft. If the average beginner can master that then 90% of the work is done.

 

[sash]

But you asked about rigs so I shall not digress. My point re hooks - magazine articles often say use "X hook for a pop-up". Why? "Because it turns better" is the usual answer. There is no thought or discussion as to why a particular shape/type of hook would be better for a given rig/baiting situation to others and I cannot ever remember seeing an article that clearly defined this.

 

[GrahamM]

I know what you're getting at Sash (and Stu), and it comes down to the kid who keeps asking why because whoever is teaching him is assuming he already knows something he really doesn't.

But Stuart and Rik are deep thinkers about this rig business and I'm sure they'll cover every aspect of both how and why - and when.

I'm looking forward to reading them and joining in the discussions that will no doubt follow on the forum.

 

[Big Rik]

taken on board Sash.

Also the previous non-rig comments, will definitely be included in a future series.

 

[stu]

Sash - at the moment I am not really sure I want to. I take your and Grahams point, but to use another example, if every time a trooper asked his RSM "why" then they'd get shot to bits !! Perhaps a bit of a severe in analogy but.......

I don't have an issue with a brief description of why use them (final column Rik?) and I agree totally with you re other aspects being as (or more) important than just rigs used.

My point is entirely in line with you really. At this moment I just want to be told that, given these set of circumstances then X rig is best suited, so I can concentrate on the other aspects. Once I have built a good level of knowledge then I may decide to get into the detail a bit more, because improving hooking chances and presentation will no doubt further improve catch rates.

If Stu D and Rik are going to cover a wide audience, then personally I would start with the basics and gradually move into detail. Or provide an "Exec Summary" followed by the detail.