Carp Rig

Hi there!!!

Have been carp fishing for quite some time now and fished the same water quite regularly. It's a firm gravel bottom which doesn't require a fancy rig just the usual inline Korda bolt set up.
However my friend and I have joined a syndicate this year in Kent and don't really know what to expect so i wanted to get some info on the best types of rigs to use.

I've heard that most of the anglers use pop up's at the syndicate although the bottom is again firm?? I've looked at a few pop up rigs, i.e. Helicopter with a stiff hook link and none of them have really given me the confidence that a bottom rig does.

Can someone point me in the right direction of a good pop up rig for a hard bottom??

Thanks v much in advance

Dave

Here's my advice for what its worth. I do not do a lot of Carp fishing. I am sure some of the Carp boys on here will give you a lot better advice.

If the bottom is hard and everybody else is using pop-ups i would stick with a bottom bait. This can be very effective as they are wary of the pop-ups.

As for a pop-up rig start with the same in-line rig but place some putty or a split shot at the distance you want the pop-up to sit.
If you only want it just of bottom try attaching a split-shot to the bend of the hook with some fine braid. This also helps turning the hook with delicate bites.

Hope this helps. I am sure some of the Carp boys on here will give you a lot more advice.

Sound advice I too would use a bottom bait although it is possible the lake has been hammered on bottoms that could be the reason for the pop up frenzy.

Try one on each rod or a critically balanced set up.

The suggested rig sounds simple and fool proof i also use this quite a bit. Although i believe the shot should be placed just behind the barb on the outside. The shot will turn the hook quickly and also help to critically balance the pop up.

Dont overlook the combilink I like to use the Korda Hybrid and just strip back the flourocarbon coating as far as you want the pop up to sit. The flourocarbon sinks to give a good presentation without looping up watch for tangles on the cast though.

Hope ive been of some assistance. Good luck.

Benny agree on the shot positioning i should have been a little more acurate with the discription.

"although it is possible the lake has been hammered on bottoms"....that would mean the fish wouldnt eat your freebies either.....

i'm not a great fan of pop-ups over hard bums, but if i do i keep them low, like the eye of the hook on the bottom. looking from above a stiff rigged pop-up probably doesnt look much different to a normal rig.

personally, dont like using in-lines over gravel, too much risk of damaging the hooklink/swivel as it hits the bottom, but if you've had no problems, carry on with what your confident with