Gardner Rig Handbook

CONTENTS 4. Introduction 5. To Catch a Carp 6. Impeccable Presentation 7. Hook Choice 8-9. Hook Patterns 10-11. Hook Links 12-13. Lead Arrangements 14-15. Odds’n’Sods 16-17. The Bagging Rig 18-19. The Mighty Mag-aligner 20-21. Bottom Bait Rigs 22-23. Advanced Bottom Bait Rigs 24-25. Pop-up Rigs 26-27. Advanced Pop-up Rigs 28-29. Hinged Stiff and Chod Rigs 30-31. Zig Rigs 32-33. Off the top 34. Fish Welfare and Rig Safety INTRODUCTION 4 Sometimes all we need to catch point into the fish’s mouth, causing a carp is a keen eye, our rod and the instinctive ‘flight’ reaction to reel, a good line and a baited kick in. This is the bolt rig, and it hook. Carp‘Close fishing up and can personal’ be exciting, has beenthought used provokingsuccessfully used fishing and in sometimes the edge isdown both right for baffling!many years now to catch huge exciting and hugely rewarding. numbers of big carp from all around Every day is different. Some days thethe fish world. will feed with wild abandon, Whetheraggressively you rootingare lowering out all athe hook bait that we lay on their table, with the baitinevitable onto an outcome unseen beingfish ‘truffling’ fresh pictures in Built in our around photo collection,the basic a principlewet net aand silty an cloudaching of arm. coloured On other water, days or theyof can bolt approach rigs, there the aresame now baits a widewith layingthe utmost a bait caution, onto a marginalbriefly sneaking gravel ontovariety the feedingof terminal spots arrangementsfor a mouthful shelfof food spot before amongst vacating active the fish area. in the Because that ofoffer this usvariation, carper’s as the anglers ability we to clearcontinuously water of strive gravel to pit develop, , the rush hone of and fineevolve tune the the tactics way and that baits the inhooklink order adrenalinthat should as a you carp watch make the a mistakefish pick and inhaleand lead our hook-bait,react; how the opportunitythe leader upis transformed you hook bait into or that the linefish twitch visiting is the bank.settles and in many cases the fantastic. These opportunities are overall effectiveness of the hook oftenThrow rare in variables to present such themselves, as the infinitely bait presentationwide variety ofand waters how it wereacts visit, andsuch if asthe meres, fisheries gravel that pits,you visitcanals lack and whenrivers a- eachfish swallowswith their the own bait. unique banktopographies; side cover the oreffect are of extremely different substrates on rig presentation; the size, busyvolume then and thespread fish of willbaits visit being the fed; Ofthe course, huge range it is bestof terminal to tailor tackle the edgesequipment less that frequently. is available One to thing all anglers; is wholeand finally rig to the the behaviour approach of youthe arecarp forthemselves, certain though; then ‘carp they fishing will sneak tackle andusing techniques’ and the can lake become bed youa hugely are intocomplex the andmargins sometimes when dauntingthe bank subject. fishing on, we will look into the side disturbance is reduced (such specific benefits of the different asThere the ismiddle no substitute of the night). for gettingMake outlead and arrangements experimenting in withgreater different detail notechniques bones of for it -yourself, watching and the if carpyou are laterlucky in even this booklet.getting the opportunity feedto watch in your carp lake feed is andthe fastestlearning way how best to tackle each different situation. toThe learn greater how successto catch andthem. confidence you gain, the more the sport fuels the desire to continue learning in an effort to unlock the secrets of successful carp Whenfishing. the disturbance pushes fish further out then the natural progressionThis rig booklet is the aims addition to offer of anglers a of all experience an insight into castingthe key weightareas ofplaced this bigonto puzzle the line - rigs and terminal tackle. to reach the fish, and as our rigs haveWithin evolved these thispages weight the hasGardner taken team will lead you through the basic onpresentations much greater we successfully significance. use for specific scenarios, and offer ideas for Whenadvanced it is tweaks combined and improvementswith an ultra that you can easily incorporate into your sharpown rigs. hook Many it becomes of these suggestions an anchor will improve the rigs critical performance, pointand will to undoubtedly which the help hooklink you to enjoywill greater success during your time spent tighten,on the bank and side.ultimately pull the hook TO CATCH A CARP... Sometimes all we need to catch weight has taken on much greater a carp is a keen eye, our rod and significance. When it is combined reel, a good line and a baited hook. with an ultra sharp hook it becomes ‘Close up and personal’ fishing an anchor point to which the hooklink in the edge is both exciting and will tighten, and ultimately pull the hugely rewarding. hook point into the fish’s mouth, causing the instinctive ‘flight’ reaction Whether you are lowering a hook bait to kick in. This is the bolt rig, and it onto an unseen fish ‘truffling’ in a silty has been used successfully for many cloud of coloured water, or laying a years now to catch huge numbers of bait onto a marginal gravel shelf spot big carp from all around the world. amongst active fish in the clear water a of gravel pit , the rush of adrenalin Built around the basic principle of bolt as you watch the fish pick up you rigs, there are now a wide variety of hook bait or the line twitch is fantastic. terminal arrangements that offer us These opportunities are often rare carpers the ability to fine tune the to present themselves, and if the way that the hooklink and lead react; fisheries that you visit lack bank side how the leader settles and in many cover or are extremely busy then the cases, the overall effectiveness of fish will visit the edges less frequently. the hook bait presentation and how it One thing is for certain though; they reacts when a fish swallows the bait. will sneak into the margins when the bank side disturbance is reduced Of course, it is best to tailor the (such as the middle of the night). whole rig to the approach you are Make no bones of it - watching the using and the lake bed you are carp feed in your lake is the fastest fishing on, we will look into way to learn how to catch them. the specific benefits of the different lead arrangements When the disturbance pushes in greater detail later in this fish further out then the natural booklet. progression is the addition of a casting weight placed onto the line to reach the fish, and as our rigs have evolved this 5 IMPECCABLE PRESENTATION Put in the simplest possible terms ‘presentation’ describes the way in BUCKING THE TREND which the hook bait and hooklink settle on the lake bed, and then the way in General principles in hook to bait size which the rig reacts when a carp engulfs aside, there are rig tweaks that allow you the hook bait with those thick rubbery to throw the rule book out of the window! lips. ‘Big hook’ rigs are devastatingly effective A good presentation will be untangled when combined with a pop up hook bait and allow the hook bait and hooklink to (see rigs section), as the weight of the settle in a manner that ensures that the hook is totally nullified by the buoyancy rig is inconspicuous to feeding fish. It will of the hookbait. This combination offers also allow the hook bait to move towards phenomenal hooking potential, and is a real the fishes mouth sufficiently so the hook big fish special! finishes in a position that the hooking mechanics can come into play. If this all Try combining a small pop up bait with a works not only will the carp be snared but large hook so that it sinks very slowly. This the hook hold will be strong and the majority is a really effective method when fished of fish hooked will end up in the bottom of over a particle feed approach, and offers your landing net. the subtlety of a bottom bait presentation, with the hooking potential of ‘the mighty A poor presentation will be obvious to the hook’. fish and will be easier for them to avoid, or will simply be ineffective. There are a lot A smaller hook can be incorporated, where of things that could go wrong (particularly the features in the lake allow, by increasing in weedy waters) and these problems can the length of the hair. If the fish have been be anything from the hooklink tangling heavily pressured (fished for by a lot of or failing to settle flush to the lake bed, anglers over a long period of time) then the rig being engulfed by silt or weed, or reducing the size of the hook is the first and simply the hook snaring on bottom debris, easiest way to make your hook bait appear restricting the hook baits movements and more natural. masking the all important hook point from doing its job. With a little help and experience it is easy to construct terminal tackle and rigs that will allow you to fish effectively whatever the nature of the waters you are visiting. Whether you are fishing on a polished gravel spot, in deep silt, over chod or amongst ballooning clouds of silk weed there is always a rig that will suit your situation best, and we hope that this rig booklet will offer you a useful guide to mastering the wide range of terminal tackle arrangements needed to improve your presentation.

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