Chod rig - Why use it when there's no chod?

[hnv]

I see so many people either using this rig or asking how to tie it or where to get a ready-tied version. What I have not seen is people asking in what angling situation to use this rig and what are it's advantages over other types of rig.

In my day it was called the helicopter rig, silt rig or bomb-on-the-end-of-the-line set up.

The rig does have some anti-tangle properties and can help to give the angler confidence that his rig is working correctly when fishing at extreme range, but it was designed purely for fishing over soft bottoms like deep silt or bottoms littered with detritus (chod) such as dying weed, leaf litter and twigs etc. (usually with a buoyant bait).

I have seen anglers using this set-up over hard gravel in the past with no idea why they have chosen to fish like this apart from they'd seen it on telly or in a magazine.

Unless you are fishing over "chod" the presentation usually given by this rig can be appalling when fishing over clean, hard bottoms. Unless you want your mainline and hookbait to be suspended off the bottom in the most unnatural manor I would avoid using this rig except for the situation it was designed for.

[garysj01]

Fashionable rig at the moment me thinks, im sure there are cases when i will catch in clear area's when everyone else is fishing hard on the bottom, who know's

[hnv]

I agree, you are right... there will be times when this rig catches from a hard bottomed area. But perhaps we should all ask ourselves "is this the right rig for the situation I am facing" before we chuck it out.

Rigs are just tools that help us catch fish. I always like to use the right tool for the job in hand.

Saying that, I am probably guilty of using my "favourite" coated braid combi link in some situations where a different presentation would be more advantageous...

[matt859]

As you already said it has anti tangle properties, it works over nearly all types of bottom and can be cast out when an angler is not sure of the lake bed or whats in front of him or her. It gives confidence and it works.

 

I travel to a lot of venues for 36 and 48 hr sessions and once I have set up my unhooking mat and landing net a bright pop up goes out on a chod rig while I use my other rod to have a quick look around with a lead and float. Its all about optomising the maximum time available. Depending on what I find I will alter my rigs and baiting stratergy to suit.

[hnv]

Ah, the key word there is "nearly" all types of bottom. Drop a chod into the margins over a hard patch and have a look at it... horrendous?

What advantage does this give over using a standard pop-up type rig when fishing over clean bottoms?

I'm not saying the rig is no good - far from it. I just wish people would use the correct rig for the situation. Even when fishing over very deep, stinking silt I prefer a withypool type set-up as at least then the only thing popped-up is the hookbait!

[emmcee]

id be confident using it on any kind of bottom. not that i do. but if i get on showing fish then that is the first rig i will put out. 0.5-1oz leads,little disturbance and i know im fishing no matter what the bottom.

[beanz]

sometimes a bait just off the bottom is what they want...its a debate for another thread on what depth a pop up becomes a zig but it works!

 

i think the chods "better hook ratio" is because it increases your hook size, shank length and gape. and with the stiffness should never be able to flip out backwards as often like is possible with limp links leaving the eye and lesser but still poss with a kicker or aligner.

 

the thing i dont like is having the lead snag while playing the fish in situations where other lead set ups other then the heli wouldnt of snagged. happened twice using chods, both close in. lost one in reed roots in margin and got the other after the lead sat in a fork of underwater branch..to short from rig to lead and you risk harm or hook pull as lead bounces around the lips. im not decided on the best distance yet......so as a side question...whats a good length from lead to bottom bead??

[emmcee]

My bottom bead is 12inchs from the lead and i find it to be spot on. Also the new gardener c shaped clips will sort the lead getting stuck. They come in 2 ir 3 sizes depending on how heavy your lead is. They are plastic so if the lead gets jammed they break and leave the lead so you can carry on playing the fish

[kevtaylor]

My bottom bead is 12inchs from the lead and i find it to be spot on. Also the new gardener c shaped clips will sort the lead getting stuck. They come in 2 ir 3 sizes depending on how heavy your lead is. They are plastic so if the lead gets jammed they break and leave the lead so you can carry on playing the fish

 

Or simply tied on a weak link at the bottom end, also stops the lead getting too close to the fish during battle.

[emmcee]

My bottom bead is 12inchs from the lead and i find it to be spot on. Also the new gardener c shaped clips will sort the lead getting stuck. They come in 2 ir 3 sizes depending on how heavy your lead is. They are plastic so if the lead gets jammed they break and leave the lead so you can carry on playing the fish

 

Or simply tied on a weak link at the bottom end, also stops the lead getting too close to the fish during battle.

yes mate will do the job as well

[liamclose]

Chods are so over used its incredible far to blatent imo for lots of situations. The best thing about chods is amount of people who are useing it leaving simple hair rigs well alone. Suits me. Lot of of people say its good for most bottoms. There lots of situations when a bottom bait straight out The bag will outfish pop up on any rig hands down. Personally I like my hook bait to blend in with The free bees as much as possible majority of The time paticually if The fish are pressured. Chods can make The carps life very easy in lot of lakes. Chod has its time and place but don't need to use them as much as many people do. Slightest bit of silt or weed they run to The chod. :roll

[sgart]

Basicly it wont tangle. You can throw it far. Wont give you line bites. I use it on both very weedy waters and on gravel. Also many of the times I throw it in when I am not aware of the bottom situation at all.

 

Not many popup rigs that I know of is equally as simple to use in "most" situations.

 

The hardest drawback for a chod as I can see it is that the lead wont drop off (at least not on normal chod rigs)

 

My largest fish ever caught was on a chod, so of course it helps to boost my confidence in this particular rig.

[LACarper]

ok i really dont understand rig mechanics atall, what is the difference between a chod rig set up and a regular pop up set up. how would one outfish the other??