Carp Catchers Blog

Customer Gary Smith braved the elements over the Christmas holidays to bag this immaculate 20lb common carp. Gary used a kilo of  Nash Scopex Squid Plus  Boilies as free bait to tempt his common. His rig was tied with 25lb Sufix Camfusion  hooklink to a snowman hookbait. Garys’ catch shows that the carp will still feed on a bit of bait even in the coldest of weather.

Well done Gary.

Best fishes,

John

There have been a few instances in the media recently where The Multi Rig has been referred to as The Johnny Mac Rig . This is because Jon Macallister has used the rig to good effect, catching some of our most desirable carp. Though he uses it almost exclusively for his fishing, Jon makes no claim to the “invention” of the rig. That honour goes to Mike Kavanagh who also brought us The Stiff Rig . The beauty of the multi rig is that you can change your hook quickly without having to tie a new hooklink. The following step by step guide shows you how tie the Multi Rig.

These are the components that I used to tie the rig.

Step 1

To tie the Multi Rig it is best to use a coated braid in this instance I am using Sufix Camfusion

Step 2

Cut a length of the Camfusion and tie a figure of eight loop knot (see previous blog). The loop should be approximately 45mm long.

Step 2

Thread the loop through the Gardner Longshank Incizor hook

Step 3

Thread one of the small Korda  rig rings onto the hookshank. The rig ring on the shank of the hook is to prevent the hooklink catching and possibly parting in the join in the eye of the hook.

Step 4

Thread one of the Rigmarole 4mm Rig Rings  onto the loop

Step 5

Thread the hookpoint through the loop

Step 6

Tie a size 8 swivel to the other end of the hooklink with a figure of eight loop knot, moisten and bed down

Step 7

Position the D on the hookshank. A good starting place is midway between the hookpoint and the barb

Step 8

The finished rig

Step 9

Thread on a pop up of your choice, put some tungsten putty on the knot and you’re done.

There you have it The Multi Rig.

Best fishes,

John

The Figure Of Eight or Double Overhand Loop Knot is an extremely strong loop knot with many applications. Below is a step by step photographic sequence showing you how to tie it.

Step1

Choose your hooklink material and cut the desired length. I have chosen Sufix Camfusion 15lb for this demonstration.

Step 2

Double the hooklink over and form loop to the approximate size that you require for your rig.

Step 3

Form another loop in the doubled over hooklink material

Step 4

Thread the end of the first loop through the second loop

Step 5

Thread the end of the first loop through the second loop again

Step 6

Gentley tease the knot down, this is the figure of eight

Step 7

Moisten the knot with saliva and bed down then trim off the tag end. The finished Figure Of Eight Or Double Overhand Loop Knot.

Hope this is of use, any comments would be welcomed and appreciated.

Best fishes,

John

Which hooklink? good question, I’m going to run a little mini series featuring the most commonly used hooklink materials. I’ll also discuss the accepted wisdom as to their best use.

Coated Braids

Coated Braids as the name suggests are supple braid hooklinks covered with a thicker, stiffer material usually a plastic of some description. Some good examples are:-

    Sufix Camfusion             Atomic Jelly Wire             Super Mantis

These coated braids have a plastic coating. The coating can be stripped back to reveal the supple inner braid so that you have a stiff section running from the swivel towards the hook and a supple section near the hook. This is essentialy a combi link rig but easier to tie, which is the main reason coated braids were developed. Coated Braid Combi Rigs can be used with bottom baits or if you put some tungsten putty where the coated section ends, pop ups. Coated braids can also be used without stripping back any coating to produce a stiff rig with increased abraision resistance.

Cut your desired length of coated braid, decide how much coating you want strip and grip tightly with your thumbnail (if you have any).

Dig into the coating with your thumbnail and pull away till the coating is removed.

If you don’t have any nails get yourself a  Korda Strippa Tool  they strip away the coating quickly without damaging the braid, they’re brilliant.

korda Hybrid Stiff/Soft

Korda Hybrid Stiff  and  Korda Hybrid Soft  differ to the above because they have a fluorocarbon coating which is both stiffer and heavier than the plastic coatings. Because of their inherent stiffness the Korda Hybrids need to be steamed over a kettle to straighten them and to bed down knots though this is extra work it is worth it.

There are lots of different combinations that can be tied with these hooklink materials, imagination being the only limit.

Best fishes,

John

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