willi4692

I fish in the thickest of weed and what works for me is the simple lead clip. Make sure the lead clip is wet before you push the rubber on and also push the rubber on very slightly. The rubber is simply just to stop the lead coming off on the cast. You will find the lead will come off on the take and the fish will rise to the surface 9 times out of 10. If the lead doesn't eject still you can cut the clip back as well. Cheers Will

I believe that mainline straight through only helps to keep your rig less visible to the fish. As long as you fish slack and your lines are tight to the bottom mainline is very hard to see and you may find that a leader is easier to see! May I ask why you are using a leader?

A rig i have had a lot of success on is using the IQ soft tied with a palomar knot to the hook. I then tie a supple braided hair straight to the furthest bend as it starts to turn towards the point. Attach a hook stopper to stop the hair from sliding off the hook (although the knot, usually a half blood, shouldn't slide too much on the hook). Add shrink tube over the eye of the hook and shrink at an aggressive angle. This adds a bit more solidity to the knot holding the hook and aids flipping. This rig is very hard to see and flips very quickly and i have had countless success on it. It is also suitable for all lake beds as IQ soft isn't as stiff as other flurocarbons and settles over the contours of the lake bed. I can take some photos if people want to make their own decisions on the rig. Cheers Will

I only bought some yesterday but thats not to say they havn't stopped making it. I wouldn't have thought they would stop making it as coated braid is the most used hooklink material around and they would be losing a massive market if they let it go. The hybrid stiff has been reduced in the amount that is produced as many found it awkward and too much hassle to use (steaming it to keep it straight and to strip it etc). Check the korda site it may be in their news feed. Cheers Will

Well said Nick!

I don't worry about this sort of thing. Its another one of these points that companys like Korda have brought up, these things were never considered years ago and it didn't seem to effect peoples catch rates, why will it matter now? As long as your rig blends into the lake bed you are fishing over then i don't see the hooklink not being straight as an issue. More important issues should be considered with rigs rather than if it is sitting straight, like tangles, length, lead set-up etc. Cheers Will

Helicopter rig, if this is what your referring to, can be used on all lake beds with all sorts of hookbaits. The chod rig is best used with a pop up. As has already been said you want to use a hooklink about 8-12 inches over a silty bottom. A short hooklink can result in the lead sinking into the silt and dragging the hooklink with it, either giving you a bad presentation or masking your hookpoint all together. Also may i ad try to use a supple hooklink material over silt, either normal braid, Korda supernatural gets my vote, or straight mono. Cheers Will

Very rarely use flurocarbon straight through. 10lb Korda IQ is a good hooklink material, good for combi rigs and straight through. ESP stiff rig also has good uses other than chod rigs, a standard knotless knot rig with a difference is a very good presentation for hard bottoms. Instead of your standard knot to a swivel or quick link etc, you make a loop, in which, gives a very stiff rig some flexability. I have had carp up to just over 30lb on this rig and it has never failed when i have used it. Will

10lb pro clear gets my vote for zig rigs. Flurocarbon is too stiff and can sit at odd angles.

on a d rig is there any need for putty or split shot? I am asking because i just watched on the total carp website John Bones tying his d rig and he usually mentions where he puts shots or putty but this time he doesnt. Also is using a d rig on a chod rig good i saw something like it by nick helleur just trying to clarify.