salokcinnodrog

Thats the thing. Most rigs were designed to do a specific job on a specific water. The Hutchinson Sliding Hair Rig, the Withy Pool Rig and The D-Rig are all examples. A simple hair rig WILL work on most waters, but once the Carp start getting wary the majority of the time the easy way to start catching again is to lengthen the Hair and/or Hooklength. The Withy Pool Rig if I remember rightly was designed for Fish that were not willing to take High Pop-ups that were needed to counter the Crayfish in Withy Pool, i.e the pop-up was being ejected too easily, so a long curved extension was added to make it difficult to eject. Who is to say that the Savay Rig would not have worked? Incidentally I believe it was Zenon Bojko who designed the Helicopter Rig, not for fishing in Silt, but for its Tangle free Long Distance Casting Properties. (Beekay's "Carp" by Rob Maylin). It was discovered that by having a top bead set further up the line that a good silt set-up could be created, and was published by Tim Paisley in Big Carp, over 10years ago.

Strangley enough the "simple" rigs that work well are the same rigs that I was fishing effectively with over 10years ago. My PB came on a double 18mm bottom bait on a long hair, line aligned braid hooklength of 20cms, those same rigs are still working for me today. The only thing that I have changed is the hook itself, as I found that with a Drennan Super Specialist the point got taken off too easily on gravel. When I caught my PB I actually lowered the End Tackle into the water so I could see that it had gone down safely. The hooks I use now are the Carp-R-Us Nailers, Centurions and Owners, these hooks on the same rigs have produced plenty of Big Fish for me up to 26lbs, and some of them from pressured waters; Yew Tree, Taverham Mills amongst others. The one thing that has changed is I have gone from a Semi-Fixed Lead to a Running Lead, for 2 reasons: 1) Everyone and his dog seems to fish a Semi-Fixed lead or Helicopter rig. 2) I feel I get better and more instant Indication with a Running Lead. Yet I know the best for Indication would be a Paternoster rig, but you actually have to be sat on the rods to hit a take, as many of my fish come at night I can't be awake for 24hours, although someone will say that I seem never to sleep:p I think until someone comes up with something new on this subject ,and there is a lot of it, I'm going over stuff that has been said before.

Joshmac, you need to qualify that statement. Maybe you don't tie your knots carefully enough, you may need to find the brand of Fluorocarbon that suits you. You may even be using the wrong knot for fluorocarbon lines. If you use the wrong knot it will fracture and break at the knot, or even if you don't tighten your knots carefully enough. I have had no problems with it, always use either the loop knot on Kryston packaging or a Uni knot and lubricate and tighten my knots very carefully and slowly.

Glad you got it! Its the knot I use myself, but couldn't describe it myself any better than Coops did. I knew I had seen it on Kryston packaging, but had thrown it away or I would have scanned it for you.

Something that doesn't show up in water! Maybe try a fluorocarbon. I've got some Carp-R-Us Clearwater for Zig Rigs and floater fishing. :D

From the Description Coops gives it is pictured in Kryston packaging I think.

Fish with what you have confidence in. I don't often use fluorocarbon for hooklinks as I am Confident in Braids and Coated Braids. Have a look at the Carp Fishing is simple thread, there is a picture of one of my rigs on there.

Helicopter Rigs are one of the least understood things about Carp Fishing Tackle. First, Make sure you use a Safe system that if the Carp breaks the line it can eject the lead from the rig. What distance you likely to be fishing at? Within reason the further out you are fishing will depend on the Lead size you need to use, but don't overload your rods. I tie the lead straight onto the Tail end of the Shockleader that I use, and cover the join with a Solar Bead or Tulip Bead. The little bead protects the Knot. Then a Ordinary rubber Bead so the the swivel can turn. Then another rubber bead to hold the swivel in place. The shockleader goes through the middle of tubing, which protects the line. I normally have the tubing about 5cm longer than the rig so that even with Braid I don't get a tangle. Notice in the pic I have used rubber beads. This is so under pressure in event of a breakage the Carp can eject the Lead and the Rig will slide off the tubing I have actually cracked off even with a 40lb shockleader, but because the Carp can eject the rig there is no Danger to the Carp. I would not recommend putting Lead wire or Putty to hold the Tubing down as this can prevent the Rig sliding off and make it a Death Rig. Incidentally use a better lead than I have, this was just for explanation purposes. Finally is there really a need for a Helicopter rig? A standard Pendulum Lead set up works far better in weedy waters, and casts nearly as far and if fished properly is Tangle Free.

I must admit I have never used crimped rigs for Carp Fishing, yet do for Pike fishing and Sea fishing. In my case it comes down to confidence and my preferring Braids for Carp Fishing. I could comfortably tie Mono/Amnesia rigs down to about 5centimetres until last year on my occasional need to use them. A few broken fingers later after an accident and I may see a need to change:rolleyes: , or more likely to keep on using Braid;)

Diamond Eye tube threader, easy, job done. Had mine for years, only problem is with some of the very thin softtubing that I like to use. Another way is to make sure that you cut the line at an angle so it goes through the tube and then keep the tubing pointing straight down by hanging a lead from the bottom end. I normally have a paper clip with one end I have filed to a point and push it through the very end of the tubing. Hang a lead on it and the tubing stays straight as you thread it. :D

My thoughts exactly. I just fish with what I'm comfortable with, which is mostly Super Mantis and my standard hooking arrangement.

I know of a few Match type anglers who have been using Braided Hooklinks for quite a few years. Originally heard of them using Kryston Multistrand and splitting it down into the BS they needed. I know now that you have some very fine braids from ESP/Drennan that are about.

Well we've tried telling them! :D MAKE YOUR OWN! lol:p

Me neither, I check every single knot of my own, and if I'm slightly worried about it, cut and retie! The number of times I've caught fish just by lengthening a hair or rig length is amazing!

Still prefer to tie my own! What happens if you need to change/extend the length of a hair or rig?

15lb Amnesia works as well if you cut a point on the end!

I'm not sure about the need for stones in there, but a combination of bait in a PVA bag is always a good idea. I've been using Bread Crumb and Maize or sweetcorn in bags for years. The Dried milk will clog up into lumps as it gets wet though, and won't dissolve into the water straight away. It can provide extra attraction around the hookbait though and has been around for years as a boilie powdered dip.

I use my thumb nail to strip coated braid. If I want to stripe it I use a Waterproof Marker Pen. :D

Wouldn't be my choice, but I don't use Fox hooks or Korda Lead Clips. It depends what confidence you have in the gear you are using. If you are happy using it then it will work for you. My personal choice is a Carp-R-Us Nailer, Centurion or Owner FLB knotless knotted with Shrink tube to Mantis Gold, tied at swivel end with Uni knot. Solar Running Lead Clip, 15lbMainline and 2.75 TC rods.

I'm still using braids and Coated Braids. Supersilk in 14lb, very thin, although white when new takes on the colour of the bottom, Merlin 15lb, Excellent for my Pop-up rigs when I need to use them, Mantis and Mantis Gold in 15lb. To specifically match the colour of the lakebed I'm Fishing at the moment. Current target fish in the Reservoir are up to mid forties or more. When Ritchie Macdonald landed Basil from Yateley he was actually using 6lb line from memory. Not that I'd recommend it, but if you play a fish carefully it will handle it. The way I look at it is a particular Breaking strain will actually take up to 4times its own strength in weight. Not particularly scientific I know, but it works for me. I think it comes down to something I read somewhere.

Kryston make the best PVA as far as I'm concerned. Thats in bags or String

I never use ready tied rigs. I don't have confidence in them. Also if I need to change rig or hair length then its impossible. My rigs I tie up as I need them, although I do have a Rig Bin or 3 full of rigs that I have tied, but all are set so that I can shorten rig length or change hair length if required. When I worked in a Tackle shop I used to tie up and sell individual rigs for people and then recommend that they try to tie them as tidily as that when they did it themselves. You should only need to buy 1 rig and then change it to suit the situation you are fishing in.

Strange that, I was using stringers and had to go the other way, to using PVA bags. I wasn't comfortable with a stringer and a pop-up as I felt that the Pop-up and hook were being dragged into leaves on the bottom. I found that with a PVA bag the pop-up would rest more rather sitting in the bottom rubbish.

I use a simple Knotless knot with the hair being formed into a loop that tightens down to the Bait. I then tie the bait on. Normally a longshank hook. I prefer to use braid for Pop-up presentation as it camouflages itself in with the bottom. Just remember that if a pop-up looks blatant to you then the Carp may be more comfortable feeding on a bottom bait. If you are fishing over a bed of bait then a pop-up can actually cost you more Carp than it hooks.

lol Remember End Tackle £20 max, or you'll spend more than you intend:D