Elliott Gray on the Big Hook Rig

This was something I started playing around with in extremely shallow water. I wanted to use a pop-up but anything too tall would be obvious. The fish in question were shy feeders and even in depths of around 18-inches they could feed without really disturbing the water’s surface. There were small bits of weed and leaf about so a Chod was ideal, but in its smaller form. Due to the way they were feeding I thought a Chod would be a more effective hooker than a Hinge Rig, bringing the weight of the lead into play faster. By tying a tiny little Chod and using a size 4 Choddy hook, attached to a Thinking Anglers Double Ring Swivel, I could create the perfect thing.

The swivel and light weight of the line holding it down make for an easy transition from what is a short rig when in position, to a taller and more likely hooker as the carp suck at the bait<

By over-weighting the swivel slightly so that it laid flat and anchored the bait, I could use the length of the swivel to my advantage, it would create a hinge, extending if a fish mouthed the bait. Fishing the rig straight onto fluorocarbon main line rather than leadcore would also help it lift, whilst being near on invisible too, important in the close quarters of shallow water. It worked from the off and since then I have used it in shallow, clearer water and over gravel too, to good effect – not your usual Chod territory. The mechanics of the rig are actually quite similar to that of the 360ş Rig, with the Mouthtrap creating an extension of the hook. It certainly does its job where short pop-ups, quick impact and rig concealment are concerned anyway.