Line? Hooks? How about rigs?

As the title of this thread suggests, we have dealt with line, hooks, but what about rigs?

Within carp angling we come across many different situations, and no two lakes are the same, therefore requiring a great deal of thought with regards to rigs, etc.

As well as the question of lead set up (fixed, semi, or running), sometimes it may be more beneficial to us to use a very basic set up, ie, perhaps 8" of braid to a size 6 hook & standard hair.

But at times, the situation calls for a more elaborate rig, and so I'm looking for peoples thoughts on what rigs they prefer and when? Bearing in mind different fishing situations and where one is fishing - silt, gravel, dense weed, fine silk weed, clay, etc, etc?

Or perhaps you prefer a rig/set-up that you consider covers all eventualities?

It'd be good to read your thoughts on this?

cue hooklength article graham!

thats a massive subject malc - i've done a quicky for graham that talks about MY preferences of hooklength material over bottom types....but rigs? so many variables...popped up? bottom? balanced? weedy/silt/clay? "clever" (i know, i know!) fish or bagging water? distance casting with singles or pva bags at short range? all will(SHOULD!) have a bearing on rig design.
i was gobsmacked at the amount of hook patterns that rik carries with him, but when you think about it, it makes sense to have a hook to cope with any situation. so if you need, say 10 different hooks, how can 1 rig cope?

I know mate, but I have spoken to people who claim to have one hooklength that they stick with!

It is a massive subject, but just wanted a collective from as many as possible?

Too much to ask perhaps, but I have my own thoughts, but like a bit of feedback from others? ;o)

Just had a quick look into my tackle box Maicolm and have the following in a variety of breaking strains:

6 types of braid
6 types of coated braid
3 types of flourocarbon
3 types of mono
2 types of low diameter mono
amnesia in black and clear
stiff link
leadcore (for hooklengths)
Quicksilver

and that doesn't include some seperate hair materials!

I wont be listing all the different hooklengths I have then Dave.

Different rigs for different bottom types?
What about different material depending on your hook bait and baiting situation?

Clean gravel patch using popped up tiger, fished over half a dozen freebies or popped up tiger fished over 4 pints of hemp?
Different hooklength?
What about if we're using critically balanced tigers?
Or straight bottom baits?

What about if we change it to a boilie pop-up, do we change the hooklength?

So many different situations, are you happy to compromise with your rig and just use the same one or would you be more confident using a specific rig for a specific purpose?

i've got 12 different materials...

the only problem with having loads of options is that you can get stuck in that "not catching, must be the rig" frame of mind...but then better to have that material when you want it.

Ok, I'll try and progress it further!

Rik, you mention a popped-up bait over a clear gravel patch. Why? Why pop up in that situation? Why not use a bottom bait on gravel? Is it just your personal preference, or is there a more specific reason?

Does everyone always use a so-called 'silt rig' in silt? Or are there situations where you would break from the 'norm'?

Only coz I said pop up first, then balanced, then bottom.
I could have said it the other way around.

I probably have about 20 different rig styles in my rig bins, not including variations in strength and hook size.

This means I can pick the rig I want dependant on the bottom, the bait, the baiting and the size of fish, proximity of snags etc.

I'll not be listing every rig with every situation here, else people will start to fall asleep.

i hardly ever have pre-tied rigs ( apart from short d rig hooklinks for hinge/combi rigs) as i tie them when i'm in the swim, and i know what the bottom is like. that way i dont just bung a "nearly right" rig on. i used to tie loads up, but always ended up modifying them anyway!

<a href=http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article.asp?UAN=2841&v=1&sp=>'Hooklengths for Carp'</a>

My honest opinion (wont go down well!)is that most rigs are born out of either boredom or the search for the (IMO unatainable) "wonder"rig.A lot of effort is also put into rig design in an effort to bank a few fish when in reality the effort would be probabley be better put into basic watercraft!
Realisticly a rig has only to do 3 things-

1.Carry the baited hook to the desired area without tangling.
2.Present the baited hook to the fish in an acceptable manner.
3.Ensure that the hook can be set after a pick up.

Obviously all the above must be done in a safe manner.
I have used the same basic set ups that I have got confidence will fulfill the above criteria for many years.Dont seem to have suffered for it.Yup I would rather be studying the water than sat surrounded by end tackle and super glue in a bivvy.

"2.Present the baited hook to the fish in an acceptable manner."

thats why you have lots of rigs. no one rig will give acceptable presentation in every situation. dont get different rigs confused with "secret rigs" (whatever they are) could just be a different material, or different length.

A rig, above all else, needs to be efficient. For it to be efficient, it must accomplish certain criteria:

It should present the bait how you would expect it to
It should hook the carp how and where you want it to
It must remain tangle free
It must be able to land the fish.


lifted from my rig article from August '01.

Those same priciples still apply.

Not a lot of difference from what I think then Rik.Things like hook size,hair or hooklength length are more fine tuning than rig design though surely.I can understand that Rik feels that he needs so many different types of hook etc to work the way he wants them to when used with different set ups but simpley struggle to see the need for so many different set ups.

fluorocarbon daytime, braid night time.
that'll do for me thanks.

Jasus H Christ.....What a question Malcolm and under pressure mate, don't change it from what it is and that?s simply mind provoking and superb. Rigs, well where do you start?

Firstly, although I agree with some of the sentiments of Budgie, you?ve also got to look at the pleasure fishing gives some of us anglers even when we can?t get to the waterside and that pleasure may come from designing and building technical and effective rigs. A classic example of this is the amount of hours/days Big Rik and me spend on moving the rig revolution onwards in our joint and mad brain-dumping sessions. I wouldn?t know where to start with regard to answering this thread but its certainly spurred me towards writing an article on what rig for what situation for what bottom for what circumstance etc. Rik, lets get our pencils out big boy!

In short though, my most all round rig would comprise of the following materials: snakebite gold, barbed Size 5 inward turned eye, shrink tube, araldite, hoop and shrink tube.

I?d peel back the snakebite two inches. Tie a knotless knot and cut back the hair to the knott so there is no tail/hair revealed just the knot onto the shank of the hook. I?d slip a small hoop over the point of the hook and then slowly build up a stopper with the araldite so the hoop cannot slide back down the hook. I?d place a band on the hoop and make ready for a bait (bottom/pop-up/critically balanced). I?d then cut the shrink tube and make a line aligner with a difference in that the tubing would be far extended and bent back towards the tip of the hook. There you have it a rig that can be used for each of the following:

Stiff Rig
Stiff Rig Combi
Pop-up
Bottom
D Sliding Rig
Line Aligner
Withey Pool Rig
Bent Hook Rig

No doubt I could go on and on?? There you go Malcolm, my all in one rig!

P.S. - Sad as this is, i've got over 40 different hooklength materials in my kit. (sorry)

Just to take this subject one step further, tench and bream are known as shy biting fish, but how many times have you caught one of these whilst fishing for carp using a 15mm or 18mm boille on a size 6 hook lashed to a piece of string (braid).

too often! (although I love both species)

I'm always amazed when they fall for it Stu, If I was setting out to catch these species this would be the last set up I would have used.

but 15lb string (braid) is thinner and more supple than 6 or 8lb mono (which is more akin to tench and bream), thus to a shy(?) biting fish, it gives a more natural presentation.