Carp Catchers Blog

The advantages of this rig is that it provides all the anti eject properties of a normal fluorocarbon rig but the bait has a lot more movement to help with the flipping and hooking process. The soft hair material also allows the weight of the hook to come into play when the fish picks up the bait.

For this demonstration I used Korda IQ Fluorocarbon, a Korda Wide Gape Hook, a Korda Ring Swivel and ESP Hair Braid.

Step 1.

Remove about 4-5 inches of Hair Braid from the spool dispenser and tie a small overhand loop in one end.

Step 2.

Thread the tag end through the back of the eye of the Korda Wide Gape and hold the hair at the required length.

Step 3.

Moving away from the join in the eye whip round the hook shank 5 times and pass the tag end through the back of the eye again.

Step 4.

Now trim the hair braid in front of the eye, then repeat steps 2-3 with the Korda IQ Fluorocarbon but whip up the shank 7 times and twice on the way back down before passing the tag end through the back of the eye and tighten down gently. Then trim the fluorocarbon above the knot leaving just a little fluorocarbon pertruding.

Please note for the purpose of this knot demonstration the Knotless knot with the fluorocarbon was done without the hair braid already on the hook, when tying this rig you will be tying the fluorcarbon over the hair braid Knotless knot.

Step 5.

Using a palomar knot tie the fluorcarbon to the ring on the swivel setting the rig at your desired length making sure to moisten the knot and tighten down gently before trimming the tag end.

Double over the fluorocarbon at the end of the hooklength.

Now tie an over hand knot round the swivel with the doubled over section of fluorocarbon.

Then pass the swivel through the loop created with the fluorocarbon.

Moisten the knot and tighten down gently. Then trim the tag end.

The finished rig should look like this.

All the knots used in this demonstration can be found by using the search bar in the top right hand corner of the blog. The knot used for the hair braid and fluorocarbon at the hook end was a Knotless knot.

If you have been using fluorocarbon rigs but have been getting funny hookholds then this rig could be one solution to the problem.

Give it a go.

Tight Lines

Dave

The Seaguar knot was specifically designed for attaching fluorocarbon to monofilament. Fluorocarbon has become very popular in recent years with carp anglers due to its sinking and invisibility properties when submerged in water. However fluorocarbon has a very poor tolerance for incorrectly used and poorly tied knots. The Seaguar knot forms a reliable connection between fluorocarbon and monofilament, is easy to tie and the finished knot is neat and does not compromise the strength of either material.

Below are two ideal products for tying fluorocarbon leaders with.

Korda IQ Fluorocarbon

Step 1.

Hold the monofilament and fluorocarbon leader together.

Step 2.

Form a large loop in the leader and mainline.

Step 3.

Twist both loops anticlockwise three times.

Step 4.

Pass the tag end and the entire leader through the loop.

Step 5.

Moisten and pull all four ends to tighten. Trim the tag ends and your done.

Give it a go.

Tight Lines

Dave

This Spool knot is very simple to tie and is used to attach your mainline to your spools before you refill your reels.

Step 1

 Pass a loop of line around your spool.

Step 2

Now pass the free tag end over and around the line, creating a loop.

Step 3

Then wrap the tag end 3 times around the line, closing the loop.

Step 4

Now pass the tag through the loop created above the twist of line.

The picture below illustrates what the knot should now look like.

Step 5

Moisten the knot and gently tighten down.

Step 6

Now keeping the line moist slid the knot tightly up against the spool. You are now ready to reattach your spool and start loading your new line on.

Tight Lines

Dave

The Korda Interceptor is a new distance surface controller. The design of the controller allows you to change the weight of the controller without having to break down your setup. The controller has a self orientating high viz sight, is very aerodynamic for long range casting with minimal tangles and is made with a low visibility surface colour plastic.

To setup one up you will need a Korda Interceptor and a Korda size 11 ring swivel.

Step 1.

Thread your mainline through the rigid tube.

Step 2.

Slide the soft insert onto your mainline and push the rigid tube inside it.

Step 3.

Now tie on the size 11 ring swivel using a Palomar knot. Double over the end of your mainline and pass it through the eye of the swivel.

Step 4.

Tie and overhand knot around the swivel with the doubled over section of your mainline.

Step 5.

Then pass the swivel through the loop created in the doubled over mainline once the overhand knot has been formed.

Step 6.

Moisten the knot and tighten it down slowly, before trimming the tag end.

Step 7.

Gently pull the swivel into the soft insert.

Step 8.

Locate the slot on the side of the interceptor body and place your mainline in the slot.

Step 9.

Slide the interceptor down the rigid tube until is sits firmly on the soft insert.

The Interceptor is now ready for you to attach your hooklink and cast out.

Give it a go. To purchase any of the items shown please click on the above links.

Dave

Triggalink is a revolutionary hooklink braid. It is woven with PVA which once in water it melts drawing in the braid and becomes an elasticated, self hooking rig. Carp do not know how to deal with Triggalink due to the elasticity which makes it hard for them to use the weight of the lead to throw the hook. The elasticity in the braid doesn’t allow them to make contact with the lead without the hook penetrating and taking hold. Triggalink is proven to enhance hook holds, especially when fishing barbless hooks and in weed.

To tie this rig I used Nash Triggalink, Nash The Missing Link, a Nash Safety Bolt Bead Ring Swivel and a Nash Fang Gaper Hook.

Step 1.

Strip 8 inches of Missing Link and tie a small hair loop in one end.

Step 2.

Now thread your choosen bait onto the hair with a baiting needle and secure it in place with a bait stop. 

Step 3.

Pass the other end of the missing link through the back of the eye and set a gap of about 6mm between the top of the hook and the bait.

Step 4.

Whip the missing link up the shank of the hook 5-6 times…..

….Before passing the tag end through the back of the eye again.

Step 5.

Now cut 12 inches of Triggalink off the spool and hold it along side the tag end of the missing link with your hook and bait attached to.

Step 6.

While continuing to hold the two along side each other create a loop with the triggalink.

Step 7.

Take the shorter end of the Triggalink and pass it round the Missing link and through the loop created 4 times.

Step 8.

Now create a loop with the Missing link along side the Triggalink.

Step 9.

Pass the tag end of the Missing link around the Triggalink and through the loop 4 times.

Step 10.

Now moisten both knots and tighten them down gently before butting them up together. Then trim the tag ends and blob them with a lighter.

Step 11.

Pass the tag end of the Triggalink through the ring on the ring swivel.

Step 12.

Create a loop with the tag end alongside the length of Triggalink tied to the Missing link.

Step 13.

Pass the tag end around the Trigga link and through the loop 5 times.

Step 14.

Moisten the knot and tighten gently, then trim the tag end.

The rig is now complete.

The length of the Triggalink when the rig is complete measures approximately 6 1/2 inches.

Once wet the PVA in the Triggalink melts and contracts the braid. Shortening it to approximately 5 1/2 inches.

This is worth baring in mind when tying a rig with Triggalink as it will always end up shorter once wet. This rig is known as a Combi-Link Rig and can be used with either bottom or pop up hookbaits. If you wish to use a pop up, mould some tungsten putty, such as Kryston Heavy Metal Plus , around the knot in the two hooklinks.

Tight Lines

Dave

The Shot On The Hair Rig is basically a bottom bait rig with a small shot added to the hair to allow a pop-up hookbait to be used. This completely alters how the rig to reacts to how it would with a bottom bait. The hookbait is allowed to move more naturally due to it’s bouyancy and the length of the hair. The shot on the hair allows you to either critically balance or overweight the pop up hookbait.  The nature of supple braid allows the hookbait to be picked up with minimal resistance and the pattern of the hook means the point hangs low below the hookbait helping it to grab hold. The simplicity of The Shot On The Hair Rig makes it easy to tie and it minimises the bulky components such as shrink tubing used on some rigs.

For the purpose of this demonstration I used the Korda Supernatural Hooklink, a Korda Kurv Shank Hook and a No.4 split shot. The shot size is determined by the size and bouyancy of your choosen pop-up, the bigger and more bouyant the pop-up the larger the shot. I found a No.4 shot to work perfectly with a 14mm Richworth Pineapple Hawaiian Pop Ups  although it varies between different makes and types of pop-ups.

Step 1.

Cut 14″ of Korda Supernatural from the spool and tie a small overhand loop knot in one end.

Step 2.

Thread on your choosen pop-up and secure in place with a bait stop.

Step 3.

For this version of the rig pinch the shot onto the hooklink below the pop-up. This will give you a slow sinking hookbait which is almost critically balanced. We will show you an alternative version of this rig, which has  the shot positioned differently, soon.

Step 4.

Thread the Korda Kurv Shank Hook onto the hooklink passing the braid though the back of the eye to the front and position the bait about 6mm from the top of the hook.

Step 5.

Now whip the hooklink up the shank of the hook 6-7 times and then pass the hooklink through the back of the eye to the front to finish the knot.

Step 6.

Double over the other end of the hooklink.

Step 7.

Then form a loop with the doubled over section of the hooklink.

Step 8.

Now pass the end of the doubled over section around the bottom and through the back of the loop created in step 7.

This creates the figure of eight, if you get this eight shape then you have done it right.

If you struggle with tying the knot then try this method. Alternative Figure of Eight Loop Knot.

Step 9.

Now gently tighten down the knot and trim the tag end.

The rig is now complete and ready to be attached to your lead setup.

The rig is best fished of with a small Dynamite Stick or PVA Mesh Bag thread down the hooklink over the hook to avoid tangles.

Tight Lines

Dave

The Claw rig is a very effective bottom bait rig. With no shrink tube or rigs rings its also very simple to tie.

For the purpose of this demonstration I used the Korda Hybrid Stiff Coated Braid, a Korda Kurv Shank  Hook and a 3mm length of the Korda Silicone Tubing.

Step 1.

Remove roughly 4 inches of coating from the Korda Hybrid stiff hooklink and tie a small overhand loop in the stripped end.

Step 2.

Now thread a 3mm section of Silicone tubing onto the hooklink.

Step 3.

Then pass the hook point through the silicone tubing towards the loop tied in step 1. Make sure not the snag the hookpoint in the braid on the way through as this could damage the hooklink.

Step 4.

Thread the hooklink through the back of the eye and then thread your choosen hookbait onto the hair and secure it with a bait stop. Set the hair with about a 1cm gap between the hookbait and hook.

Step 5.

Now whip the hooklink up the shank of the hook 6 times before passing it through the back of the eye to create a knotless knot. 

Step 6.

Next thread two of the small Korda Sinkers onto the hooklink. It is easier the strip a small amount of coating off the end of hooklink as the coating makes it too thick to get the sinkers on.

Step 7.

Tie a figure of eight knot in the end of the hooklink.

Double over the end of the hooklink and create a loop like so….

Then pass the end of the doubled over loop through the loop just created….

And again….

Moisten the knot and pull it tight.

Step 8.

Position the Korda Sinkers evenly apart along the hooklink and gently steam it straight over a kettle.

The rig is now ready to be attached to your lead setup and cast out.

Due to the stiffness and nature of this rig it is best fished over firm/hard lakes beds.

Tight Lines

Dave

Running rigs are very over looked these days by the majority of carp anglers but if used correctly they can improve your catch rates in the right situation. They are advantageous in that they will give you indication as soon as the bait has moved rather than when the lead moves. Fished with slack lines the running rig setup will give you good indication before the line has even tightened. It also means that if your mainline breaks the lead will be released easily.

For this demonstration I used Korda Safe Zone Sinking Rig Tubing, Korda Safe Zone Run Rig Rubbers, Korda Size 8 Swivels, Korda Ring Clips, Korda Silicone Sleeves and a Korda Pear Lead.

Step 1.

Thread your mainline through your desired length of rig tubing.

Step 2.

Now thread your mainline through the ring on one of the Korda Ring Clips.

Step 3.

Then thread on the Korda Run Rig Rubber and push the rig tubing into the narrow end of the rubber.

Step 4.

With the tag end of you mainline tie a Palomar knot. Double over the tag end and pass it though the eye of a size 8 swivel.

Now tie an overhand knot with the doubled over section of your mainline.

Then pass the swivel through the loop created by doubling over the mainline.

Moisten the knot and tighten it down gently before trimming the tag end.

Step 5.

Pull the swivel inside the Run Rig Rubber.

Step 6.

Now push a silicone sleeve over the swivel of your choosen lead and hold it down so the top eye of the swivel is exposed.

Step 7.

Clip the lead onto the ring clip.

Step 8.

Now slide the silicone sleeve back up over the eye of the swivel and over the ring clip.

Notice how the eye of the swivel attached to the lead has been left exposed, this is to allow the setup to lie flat on the lake bed.

To change to lead all you have to do is slide the silicone sleeve back down and swap the leads.

All that is left to do is attach your rig by either using a Korda Kwik Link or tying it directly to the swivel.

Give it a go.

Dave

The Atomic Tackle Maggot Rig uses the inline lead setup fished helicopter style allowing a large PVA stocking of maggots to be tied to the swivel at the base of the lead. This enables the hook to be secured to the PVA stocking so once cast out the PVA bag will melt leaving your maggot hookbait lying in amongst the other maggots.

For the purpose of the demonstration I used a Gardner Readymade Mag Aligner Rig.

Step 1.

Pull out the large ring swivel from the base of the lead.

Step 2.

Now thread your mainline through the lead. ( If using leadcore or a leader, you will need to splice or loop the swivel on)

Step 3.

Tie your mainline to the swivel, I would suggest a palomar knot. To tie a palomar knot double over your mainline and pass it through the eye of your swivel.

Then tie an overhand knot with the doubled over mainline.

Now pass the swivel through the loop made by the overhand knot.

Then moisten the knot, slowly tighten it down and trim the tag end.

Step 4.

Once the knot is tied pull the swivel into the insert in the base of the lead.

Step 5.

Now you need to either tie your rig to the swivel above the lead. If the rig has a loop in the end pass the loop through the swivel before passing the hookend of the rig through the loop and tightening as I’ve done in this demonstration.

The finished rig should look like this.

The large ring at the base of the lead is for the PVA mesh bag to be tied to, then all you need to do is push the hook through the PVA mesh to secure it for casting.

Give it a go.

Dave

This Carp Catchers Blog is going to show how to tie the 5 Turn Twice Through The Eye Clinch Knot. The Clinch Knot is an improvement on the blood knot. It was devised by carp fishing pioneer Jim Gibbinson and is a real belt and braces knot. The 5 turn clinch knot is normally used to attach swivels but there is no reason it could not be used to attach hooks. Ok carp catchers lets get started.

Step 1

Thread your line through the swivel

Step 2

Thread it through again

Step 3

Pull the tag end through about 6” from the swivel and lay alongside the mainline or hooklink

Step 4

Whip the tag up over the mainline or hooklink back towards the swivel as per photo. Do this 5 times

Step 5

Tread the tag end through the loop created at the swivel end

Step 6

Thread the tag end through the loop created at the opposite end to the swivel

Step 7

Moisten and carefully bed down the knot. Cut off tag end

                                                                                      5 Turn Clinch Knot

Best fishes,

John