BOTTOM BAIT RIG

This is the rig I've used for all my fishing since June, as the syndicate water I am currently targeting is primarily known as a night water (through late spring and summer anyway) with most of the feeding activity taking place in the silt or clay areas.

As the fish are feeding on the lake bed that’s where I target them with a bottom bait presentation. The water is also gin clear and shallow, (4-6 foot in general) therefore I choose rig components in colours to match the different mediums (silt, clay, gravel or weed) that I am targeting.

The picture shows the rig I would use to present a bait in a silty area. I use a silt coloured rig tube with tungsten putty added every 1 to 2 inches, (to keep it all pinned down to the lake bed) dark coloured tail rubbers and lead clips, silt coloured hooklength material again with tungsten putty every 1-2 inches. I use matt green shrink tube to elongate the hook shank and turn the hook over, and Korda wide gap hooks (Size 8 for 16mm baits.)

I prefer longer hairs than most as I’ve found that I get much better hook holds which require forceps to remove!! Lead choice is always ATOMIC in either the bottle bomb or distance bomb shape with the dung or gravel coating, again this helps to hide the rig, and in weights of 4 or 5oz to make it hard for the fish to shake the hook. (lighter leads don’t always pull the hook point in past the point of no return) I find that bottle bombs are the best for up to 60-70 yards, and distance bombs for 70 yards plus, or when a wind is hampering the cast.

I always add a stringer to this presentation to add attraction and help stop tangles, and always pva tape the hook up once the stringer has been attached. – This stops the hair tangling on the cast and ensures the hookpoint is not fouled up with debris or weed.

The addition of the flying back lead is optional - I use them if no weed or snags are present for them to foul up on, as again, I think they just keep everything pinned down as much as possible around the rig and may help trick an extra carp or two in the process. I always check my hook points before and after every cast and always tie on new rigs after a capture or when the point of the hook doesn’t feel quite right.

Should I decide to target a weedy or gravelly/clay area the rig components would simply be changed over to a gravelly or weedy colour. Once I have found a rig that I’m happy with I will tie up loads of spare rigs with no swivels on so I can alter the length if required. I then spend all my precious fishing time concentrating on water craft and finding the fish.

POP-UP RIG:

I very rarely use anything other than bottom baits, but if I do find the need for a pop-up rig then I use the Hinged Stiff Rig championed by Terry Hearn and Co. I usually find this rig to be productive during spring when the fish are waking from their winter slumber and are browsing looking for food.

A bright/smelly pop-up presented with this rig on the right day, and cast to the right spot can certainly pay dividends, the fish I have tricked using this rig have all been very well hooked. – Again, I would concentrate on matching the colour of the rig components to the nature of the area of lake bed you are targeting.

The hooklength shown has been tied up with stiff bristle filament which I have coloured with a water proof marker pen to darken the mono. The hook is an ESP Stiff Rigger in Size 6 for 18mm pop ups.

The bait is attached via a standard hair attached to an oval rig ring which runs on a short loop (created by the tag end of the hooklength being passed back through the eye of the hook and blobbed with a lighter.) The height of the pop up can then be set by tying it to a Korda Big Eye Swivel, (as in the photo) or by tying it via a loop.

I tie the boom section with a loop connected to a swivel at one end, and a loop at the other end with a big eye swivel threaded on. This is so I can then tie on the hook section whilst fishing, and therefore assess how high I want the rig off the bottom for each situation and not be stuck with pre tied rigs that may be unsuitable.

Tight Lines!

Ken Beech