The Multi Rig

The Multi Rig. Hidden under the radar for so long, then over the last few years it has become widely popular with carp anglers, both within the UK and overseas. But what makes this rig the go-to method for so many?

The mechanics of the Multi are very similar to a Chod, a Stiff Hinge or a 360 rig. It offers you the benefit of fishing a pop-up over bottom debris and presenting your bait in a manner that is accessible for the carp at all times. When tying up a Chod rig, however, it is very difficult to tie a rig that will sit just above the bottom, mainly because the filament used to construct the rig is stiffer and isn’t as supple as braid. Therefore, when the rig is being pulled taut at the tying stage, the Chod section usually ends up longer than you’d allowed for.

This is where the Multi rig stands out for me. When constructing the Multi, the length of the loop at the bottom section of the rig will decide how high your pop-up will present off the bottom. I have been very successful fishing this rig very low to the bottom, no longer than 10mm between the eye of the hook to the blob of putty. To achieve this separation, the loop is tied at 1 inch. In my opinion, the reason for the Multi being so effective is its low-lying properties. I believe that a bait situated so close to the bottom is not associated with danger, whereas a bait presented 2 or 3 inches off the bottom via a Chod rig is much more obvious.

Additionally, the Chod rig may have been fished a lot on your water, so the carp are automatically more suspicious of it. The Multi may be new or at least relatively new to them.

Then we look at the versatility of the Multi. For me, the options are wide open with this rig. The fact you can simply change the hook on your rig within a matter of seconds - rather than tying a complete new rig – offers so many benefits. Providing that your hook length material is still in good condition once you have landed a fish, then should your hook point happen to blunt for any reason, it is just a simple case of selecting a fresh hook from the packet and re-applying it to your rig.

Another benefit to using the Multi rig is the array of hook sizes and swivels arrangements you can apply to your set-up. The Kodex pre-tied Multi rigs come with a size 8 anti-glare swivel that fits all popular lead clips, as well as a quick-change size 11 Heli ring swivel, which allows you the option of fishing a helicopter set-up. Also included within the packs are two different hook sizes to suit your hook bait choices (either 3 & 5, or 5 & 7) and a section of bait floss for applying your bait.

Only recently I opted to fish all three rods on Multi rigs on my syndicate, with the size 5 Genomic MGP Chod hooks. In my opinion, this hook size is perfectly suited to be accompanied by a 14 to 16mm bait and my hook bait of choice this time was a Dynamite Baits 15mm Complex-T Food Bait pop-up - a perfectly suited combination. Now, here comes the clever part! If I’d have wanted to switch down to a 10mm pop-up, there would be no need to tie a new rig with a smaller hook - it would be the simple case of removing the size 5 hook and replacing with a size 7.

One thing to consider when changing hook and bait size, though, is the amount of putty you have applied to your rig and its weight. It is likely that the 15mm bait will require more putty than the 10mm bait. Use super-heavy putty and test your rig in the margin to ensure you have perfect presentation every time.

The balancing act! What I mean by this is that the amount of putty you use to counter balance your pop-up. Given my past findings using the Multi rig, the conditions you are dealt with will dictate how you balance your pop-up. When fishing large expanses of water that are open to weather elements such as wind, undertow becomes a somewhat of a problem. Undertow is basically the movement of the water under the surface, which is caused by the elements above the surface; and as a general rule, whichever direction the wind is blowing, the undertow will usually be moving in the opposite direction. This will have a detrimental effect on how your hook bait will act on the lakebed. In these circumstances, I prefer to apply considerable amounts of super-heavy putty to ensure my hook bait is in-situ, pinned to the lake bed securely and not moving around in the tow. On the opposite end of the scale, when fishing a water that is surrounded by trees and protected from wind, the undertow always seems somewhat less apparent and in this instance I would always choose to fish my bait critically balanced so it slowly descents onto the lake bed. I have caught using the bait critically balanced just as much as over-weighting the rig - the important thing is to adjust to suit the situation you’re dealt with.

When using the Multi rig, I prefer a Meltz PVA foam nugget to protect my hook point and ensure my rig is suspended above any bottom debris when the lead impacts the lakebed. When the PVA foam nugget rises to the surface, it also gives you a marker to either catapult or spomb bait to.

To conclude, If the Chod rig is commonly used on your water and you’re looking for the perfect alternative, look no further than the Multi rig for perfect presentation every time!

Regards,
Luke Vardy