How to tie the turbo German rig

After the enormous success of the Ronnie Rig, and the improvement in rig mechanics and reaction simply by putting a Covert XT Kwik Lok Flexi Ring Swivel onto the eye of the Mugga hook, it wasn’t much of a leap forward to apply the same tweak onto the already successful German Rig. This resulted in uninhibited rotational movement so the point is able to drop and take hold in the bottom lip or scissors as soon as the balanced hookbait is sampled.

Sometimes, relatively small changes really can make a big difference to the overall effectiveness of a rig – and this is one such occasion.

The type and length of hooklink you use with the German Rig is largely dictated by the nature of the lakebed and the lead arrangement that you’re using. We recommend Trick-Link/Invisi-link monofilament materials or Stiff Ultra Skin if you are using a helicopter lead arrangement. However, if you’re using lead clips we recommend using something supple like Ultra Skin hooklink material, lengthening the hooklink to account for fishing in soft sediment.

It’s simply the case of tying the hooklink of choice onto a 12 Target Kwik Lok Swivel or XT Kwik Lok (mounted on the hook eye) with a Grinner or Palomar Knot. We prefer these quick-change swivels without a flexi ring as the hooklink lays out in a far more controlled manner - as the hinge sometimes causes the hook to lay back on the hooklink when you’re using a balanced bottom bait.
Ultimately, the combination allows the hook to turn and twist unhindered, reacting whichever way the fish approaches the hookbait thanks to the swivels at the either end of the rig. By adding a balanced hookbait to the rig, you ensure that the hookbait/hook is presented more consistently and is harder for the fish to deal with.

Everything about the way the rig reacts aggressively, and then promotes positive hook holds through awesome mechanics is right – and that puts more fish on the bank when used correctly.

1. Take one of Gardner’s new size 4 Rigga CVR’s.

2. Cut approximately a 12mm length of Large Covert Shrink Tube.

3. Thread onto the hook as shown.

4. Take a size 12 Target Kwik Lok Swivel and thread the crook through the eye of the hook.

5. Thread the shrink tubing over the Kwik Lok Swivel.

6. Using a lighter, gently heat the shrink tube.

7. The rig should look like this.

8. Push a Covert Hook Stop onto the hook point.

9. Position it round the hook shank so it sits opposite the barb.

10. Tie on a balanced hookbait (in this case half a pop-up and half a bottom bait) and blob the excess with a lighter.

11. The finished rig.