The Long-Running Chod Rig
Each month we’re delving deep into some of these most influential ideas, to kick things off, we have Jed Kent and his Long-Running Chod Rig arrangement.
Bloodworm produce, the Dynamite Stick, Belachen, fluoro pop-ups—they’ve all had their 15 minutes of glory (some for longer than others). The thing is, we’re a fickle old lot, and as soon as something else comes along that sounds better and looks shinier (or duller, as the case may be), we soon forget what was working perfectly well and move on to this next ‘game-changing’ product, rig or trick. Each month we’re delving deep into some of these most influential ideas, inventions and events, and get the people who were right there, right at the heart of the movement, to tell us what it was really like. To kick things off, we have Jed Kent and his Long-Running Chod Rig arrangement.
When and why did you start using it?
“At the time, Jim Shelley was hauling carp on the ‘Long-Running Chod’, so you couldn’t help but take notice of his results. I used to live close to Jim, and I’m lucky enough to be a friend of his, so after many a carpy chat, I just had to give it a go. I could see it would be a great rig to try on the weedy venue I fished at that time.”
Could you summarise the idea/thinking behind the ‘Long-Running Chod Rig’ then?
“Jim wanted the lead as far away from the hooklink as possible to stop cute carp from shaking the hook out. Another bonus of that was it also enabled it to be fished effectively over most lakebeds and weed. The extra length of leadcore also made it heavier, so adding weight to a pricked fish.”
Why do you think it’s so effective?
“Having used and caught many carp on this set-up over a long period of time, I am convinced it’s the weight of the leadcore that’s hooking the carp, not the lead. Try it yourself: set up a nine-foot leadcore leader; position your hookbait somewhere from the middle to 18-inches from the top. Now pick up your rig with the hook point on your finger and see how heavy it is. The result should be one nailed finger and with a sharp hook, even shaking it about, it should stay pricked.”
Has any rig you’ve used before or since had the impact on results that the Chod Rig used in this manner had?
“In my own fishing, my bottom-bait Multi Rig has done me proud, but if I do need a Chod Rig, then I use it very similar to Uncle Jim’s original concept. It certainly had a major impact on his results.”
Looking at just the Chod Rig itself now—not how it’s fished—have you ever played around with the curve? Do you prefer a long, sweeping curve like Terry Hearn or do you favour a more aggressively curved Chod like Jim Shelley ties it?
“I’ve caught fish on the Chod with as little as a 5mm Chod link to as high as 100mm, but my preferred length is around 2-inches, with a mix between Jim’s aggressive curve to Terry’s sweeping one. Also, I double up the Chod link now, making it Multi Rig style to change my hooks fast and easy.”
Fishing the Chod in this manner—did you always fish it with leadcore or could it be fished ‘Naked’?
“I got ‘done’ a lot on the Naked Chod, so I would always fish it with leadcore if allowed, as the extra weight pulls that hook home better, in my opinion.”
Do you use the Long-Running Chod much these days? If not, why not?
“I’ve used it on and off over the years, but nowadays I only use it where is see fit—i.e. presenting over various types and heights of weed.”
