CASTERS RAFTS AND D-RIG KICKERS
It's a winning combination: a great hookbait and a deadly hooker!
![Image](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blog/3635/raft-rig-242-13-image-main.jpg)
At the backend of 2019, Terry Hearn revealed to the world the very refined rig he was using to present his ‘Caster Clusters’ on: a small cluster of fake casters which were superglued together and mounted on a small piece of black foam. It was very neat and very light. The rig featured here takes that original concept, but has the added benefit of featuring a trimmed-down wafter hookbait and a ‘caster raft’, which is much easier to construct than Tel’s ‘Clusters’. And by using a D-Rig Kicker, it allows the hook and hookbait to separate even more, helping to find a great hook hold. Here’s what you need and how to tie it…
First: How to make a Caster Raft. It really couldn’t be any simpler (or quicker)
![1. Thread three fake casters onto a baiting needle—try and select a range of colours.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11052/raft-242-01-large.jpg)
![2. Take a length of Chod material—ESP’s Bristle Filament or Korda’s Mouthtrap are great.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11052/raft-242-02-large.jpg)
![3. Double the Chod material over and then thread the casters onto the material like so.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11052/raft-242-03-large.jpg)
![4. To ensure they don’t come off, blob both ends of the Chod material with a lighter.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11052/raft-242-04-large.jpg)
Secondly: Now, how to tie the rig part of the set-up...
![1. Secure your hook to a length of Mouthtrap using the Knotless Knot method.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-01-large.jpg)
![2. Take a D-Rig Kicker, wet the end and thread on a Hookbait Swivel like so.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-02-large.jpg)
![3. To stop it from reducing the overall hook gape, trim the tapered end slightly.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-03-large.jpg)
![4. Pass the hook point through the Kicker and the Mouthtrap through the eye.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-04-large.jpg)
![5. Take your hooklink material of choice—we’re using Semi Stiff Tungsten Loaded.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-05-large.jpg)
![6. Straighten a length and then strip back around three-inches of the outer coating.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-06-large.jpg)
![7. Using an Albright Knot, make 10 wraps down the Mouthtrap and 4 back up.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-07-large.jpg)
![8. Trim the tag ends and either cover with a piece of silicone or some putty](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-08-large.jpg)
![9. Take your hookbait of choice (we’re using a 16mm Krill Wafter) and cut it in half.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-09-large.jpg)
![10. Thread this onto a piece of bait floss, followed by your Caster Raft and then blob.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-10-large.jpg)
![11. Trim the hookbait down so it’s equal on all sides and is nicely balanced.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-11-large.jpg)
![12. And here’s the finished presentation: refined and very balanced.](https://www.carpology.net/uploads/cms/blogsection/11055/raft-rig-242-12-large.jpg)