Lewis Read Rigs 16-07-2019 14:40:00

The Extended Slip-D Rig

It's a brute of a rig!

There’s little doubt that rig evolution often involves drawing from aspects of their design that work, and the incorporation of new components. This process sees something that’s incrementally more effective than previous versions of the same, or similar set-up, and that’s exactly how the Extended Slip-D came about. The original Slip-D - as popularised by our friend, Martin Clarke - has always been an amazingly effective presentation. It’s particularly devastating when used in conjunction with balanced bottom- and double-bait arrangements. The bait attachment offers enhanced hooking mechanics as the ‘D’ is soft and collapses backwards when a fish tries to blow out/eject the hookbait. That little additional separation makes all the difference in terms of maintaining the optimum angle for the hook point to take hold, and making it more difficult for the fish to eject the rig in the first place.

I was sitting under my bivvy tinkering with various hooks and hooklink material, looking to incorporate the new Covert Tungsten XL-Kickers in the set-up. Whilst doing so, I thought very carefully about the rigs I’d seen friends use to great effect this year on Wellington Country Park and mused as to how I could bring together several of their key attributes.

The first of these was the facility to swap the hook easily, with a Multi Rig-style hook attachment. I definitely didn’t want the hook loose on the looped section, as it concerns me that that it might move slightly in terms of the position it’s initially set at and therefore alter the size of the D. This would negate any fine tuning and potentially undermine the finished rig’s performance.

Success using the Extended Slip-D Rig

A ‘man-sized’ and strong hook was another prerequisite and as a fan of the Incizor, I was drawn to that pattern - I knew it would work with a Multi Rig-style hook arrangement as it’s the go-to hook for this set-up for several of the Gardner team on a number of waters.

The extra length and texture of the XL-Kicker made it ideal to hold the looped D in position and to counter the buoyancy of the balanced wafter-style hookbaits I’ve been using periodically. As the assortment of components went together, I was really happy with the mechanics and balance of the rig. Using either a size 20 Hook Swivel or a Flexi Hook Swivel just helped control the orientation of the hook and hookbait as it settled and also allowed the hookbait to turn freely.

Talking of wafters, and indeed Snowman hookbaits, I’ve always preferred them to settle and sit nicely over the hook when the rig comes to rest on the lakebed. As it turned out, this was a detail that was enhanced with a tad more buoyancy, thanks to the addition of a piece of Enterprise Tackle’s pop-up fake corn. As the fish sucks up the hookbait, the weight of hook and kicker see the hook drop below the hookbait - the XL-Kicker also increases the turning mechanics of the hook. Also, the in-turned eye helps keep the angle of draw straight to the point in the initial phase of the hook’s penetration.

The combination of all these factors keep the hook point in perfect orientation to take hold securely and in areas of the carp’s mouth that result in a reduction in the the number of hook-pulls. It’s already proving to be an extraordinarily effective big fish rig, given the robust nature and scale of hook, hookbait and XL-Kicker. The hook-holds have been out of this world and I can change the hooks quickly and easily. Why not give it a whirl… it’s an absolutely bonzer arrangement!

Here's how you tie the Extended Slip-D

1. Take a length of 25lb Ultra Skin and strip six-inches of coating.

2. Tie a Figure-of-Eight Loop Knot of around 14mm in length.

3. It must be big enough so a size 4 Covert Dark Incizor can be looped on.

4. Thread the loop through the eye of the hook so it emerges at the back.

5.Pass the end of the loop through a Covert Hook Swivel like so.

6. Now pass the loop over the hook, just like you do with the Multi Rig.

7. Take a Covert Tungsten XL-Kicker and thread it down the hooklink.

8. Thread it over the eye of the hook so it sits as shown - nice and straight.

9.It’s important that the kicker sits inline with the point of the hook.

10.Next thread a Covert Tungsten Sinker down the hooklink.

11. Tie a Figure-of-Eight Loop Knot in the end of the hooklink.

12. Finally, tie on your chosen hookbait and it’s good to go! Job done.

Mounting your hookbait

In this case, Lewis has chosen to use a bottom bait tipped with a piece of fake corn, so the hookbait sits up and helps to hide the hook. Here’s how he ties them on…