Ask Bailiff

What rig for shallow weedy water in spring?

Bailiff's answer, from the Carp Army rig library and what members have caught on.

Bailiff says: Chod rig

In shallow weedy spring water you often cannot see the bottom, and a chod presents a pop-up cleanly over the top of the weed wherever it lands. It runs free on the leader so silt or fronds under it won't spoil the presentation.

Tweaks

  • Use a critically balanced pop-up so it sits just proud of the weed
  • Keep the chod section very short and stiff
  • Match lead weight to the depth so it plants gently, around 2-3oz

Chod rig

A very short stiff pop-up rig that runs free on the leader above the lead, so it presents over anything.

Mainline3 to 4oz leadChod filamentPuttyChod hookBuoyant pop-upLake bed

Parts

Chod hook, size 5 to 6
Chod filament, 20 to 25lb
Rig ring, 2.5mm
Size 11 ring swivel
Chod beads
Leadcore or naked chod leader
3 to 4oz lead
Buoyant pop-up, 14mm

How to tie it

  1. Tie the chod section: knotless knot with a D and rig ring, then a stiff-rig loop to a ring swivel. Curve it gently by steaming.
  2. Slide the top bead, the chod section and the bottom bead onto the leader above the lead.
  3. Set the beads to fish the rig free-running or fixed depending on the bottom.
  4. Mount the pop-up on the ring with bait floss.

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