splitter

Great post mate, I was recently thinking it would be good to get some examples of the rigs people actually use on here. I'll try to get a couple of mine on here when I get the chance. I agree the chod is a great rig in the right situation, over light weed or silt. I caught my first 20 on one. I do think it's a set up the carp will get used to avoiding if they see it day in day out.

Hi mate, these are inline leads. They should have a plastic sleeve through the middle and you simply thread your mainline through and then tie on a swivel. Tie your hooklink onto the other end of the swivel, which should pull snugly into the plastic sleeve through the lead.

Have a look at this one mate: A simple running rig is what I would go for.

I would go for the method feeder. You will find loads of info if you search for it on here or google. It works!

I'm not the only one then Welder. Funnily enough I used some meaty groundbait from bait tech in my last mix. Had an interesting smell and left a good cloud in the water. Didn't do me any good but my mate had a nice twenty using the same mix. I've been using boilie tipped with fake corn as hookbait recently, to avoid the roach. I've settled on a very short rig length as well. I've watched a big carp feeding on my feeder last month. It didn't move far, just stuck it's tail up, head down and circled round the feeder a couple of times to get different angles on it. I think it must have got away with it a couple of times and I had a slightly longer rig on than usual. I'm sticking with about 3" now. I'm thinking that a drop-off inline system would work with a method feeder. Having lost my last fish on the method to an unseen snag it would help to drop the feeder and get the fish up in the water quickly. The weed is getting bad now as well and I don't like playing fish with the feeder hanging so close to their heads. I worry they could use the weight to shake the hook out. I've not been getting many runs recently so I don't mind losing a feeder for every carp hooked.

They're not just a runs water tactic either. I had my 29lb PB this season on a method feeder. It had been out for 5 hours plus. I love the fact you can load it up with liquids. I rarely have to add any water to my mix, the juice from tins of sweetcorn and hemp is usually enough to bind it all together.

"To Catch a Carp" by Tim Paisley (and friends) is my favourite technical carp fishing book. Loads of info on rigs, baits, baiting strategy and a chapter with capture stories as well. Excellent read!

wow, didn't expect that. I'm not saying he is a great fisherman, or that I think you need a £2000 split cane rod to catch carp. I know he is critical of hair rigs and bite alarms but he is entitled to his views. I haven't heard him slagging off fixed spool reels or boilies though. In fact he uses both in A Passion for Angling doesn't he? I just think the guy tells a great fishing story. I believe he descibes 'Casting at the Sun' as semi-autobiographical. No claims that it's all true!

This book changed my life! In 1993 when I was 12 years old I did a search at the local library for 'carp fishing', this came up top of the list so I ordered it in. I have never been so captivated by a book before or since. I kept it for about 6 months past the return date but it was well worth the late fees. It is essentially an autobiography of Chris Yates' fishing life. From the village pond as a child right up to the capture of the 51lb British record fish known as "The Bishop" from Redmire Pool. The magic and mystery of carp fishing is brilliantly portrayed in this book. Although there is the odd mention of cane rods and old centrepins you don't have to be a vintage tackle enthusiast to enjoy this. Chris' simple methods seem to allow him to concentrate on studying the fish, perfecting watercraft and blending into the landscape. Highly recommended.

thats because your using a critically balanced bait, nothing to do with how you tie the hair. Absolutely, It is using a critically balanced bait that does this, not using a KD rig.

I still don't get that you have to use this rig with a balanced bait. Is the implication that a balanced bait will somehow sit higher in the carps mouth when sucked in (therefore making the eye 'lighter'). I just don't believe it myself, I think a bottom bait and a critically balanced bait both actually sink and get sucked into the middle of the carps mouth. I think there is a lot of rubbish talked about this rig and people seem to swallow it, kurv hook, line and sinker.

Some good advice there, just to add that a helicopter rig is great for a bottom bait in silt if you can't find the harder spots. Just set the beads up the line so that the lead can penerate into the silt, leaving the hooklink lying nicely on top. Best of luck mate!

Don't want to confuse you further after reading so many posts but...... If I was going to go for a rig to use anywhere it would definately be the simple running rig described in this thread and linked to a few times. Inline leads give good hooking potential but I only use them on hard bottoms like clean gravel or sand. In light weed or silt an inline is more likely to drag the end of the hooklink into the silt, potentially leaving the rest of your hooklink sticking up off the bottom. If you use the running rig you are more likely to get good presentation as a pear lead will bury into the silt bottom first, hopefully leaving your hooklink flat along the bottom so the carp won't see it.