The Multi Rig

It’s been over 20 years since Mike Kavanagh first wrote about the Multi Rig. Mike spoke about its adaptability and the way that you could adjust the exit point of the Hair from the hook shank with little effort and with no need to change the rig altogether. However, it wasn’t until around 2007, when Jon Mac started catching a large number of huge carp on it that everyone sat up and took notice. Since then, it’s become one of the most popular rigs, with many big names singing its praises. What also makes the Multi so unique is its ability to be tied and presented in so many ways, from how you mount the counter-balance to the two ways RidgeMonkey field-tester John Lam uses it: one with a pop-up and the other with a wafter…

The Q&A

With such a wide range of very effective pop-up presentations at your disposal, why do you opt to use the Multi Rig over any other pop-up rig?
“I just love the versatility of the Multi Rig. Yes, everyone sees it just as a pop-up rig but I’ve been using it with wafter hookbaits with some great success. And to be fair, it’s one of the easiest rigs to knock up quickly when needed.”

What is it about the mechanics of the rig that you like?
“When balanced and presented properly, I feel it offers great and versatile hooking technicality depending on how it’s used. It can be easily adjusted and tweaked to suit your own style of fishing depending on the situation.”

Do you find it hooks the fish in a particular part of the mouth or can it be quite random?
“The majority of the time it’s snackbang in the bottom lip but occasionally I will get a hook hold in the scissors. However, this all depends on the materials that I am using to tie the rig and what hookbait I’m using… I will often use this rig with a balanced bait, which means the hook lies flat on the lakebed, technically turning it into a sort of Slip-D Rig.”

Can you talk us through the components you use and why?
“I tie it with two different types of material, the first being the RM-Tec Soft Coated Hooklink which I use in situations where it’s not too snaggy. The easy-to-strip material allows me to expose the inner braid to create the hinge where I add my counter-balance.

“Recently, I’ve been using the RM-Tec Leadfree Hooklink. With it being so supple, it’s perfect if you want to place your rig in a small PVA bag, and also if the area I am fishing is uneven with rocks, bricks (especially so on the canals) etc. With this material, the rig just follows the contours of the bottom brilliantly.

“When it comes to hooks, I use an out-turned eye version, ranging from a size 8 to a 4, and once again that all depends on where and what I am fishing for, but a 6 is the norm. For mounting the hookbait I either attach it via a small Hook Ring Swivel or a bait screw, this allows the hookbait to still move freely and naturally when attached.”

Are there any little tweaks you make when tying the rig - little things that you think will make a difference?
“I like to attach a Hook Bead onto the loop before attaching my small Hook Ring Swivel. This stops the loop slipping through the eye of the hook when presenting your bait, giving me extra confidence that my bait is sitting pretty.”

When it comes to mounting the counter-balance there’s multiple ways of doing it - attached to the actual hooklink, hanging off the small tag end from the loop knot… Which way do you prefer?
“I am not that fussy when it comes to attaching my counter-balance as long as the hookbait is presented in the right way. The majority of the time I try and get it to be as close to the tag end as possible.”

Finally, what about lead arrangement… do you have a preference?
“I prefer to use a lead clip, but I’ll switch to an in-line lead system if I decide to present the rig in a solid bag using the Leadfree Hooklink version.”

How to tie it

1. Start off by creating a two-inch Figure-Of-Eight Loop Knot in the end of your hooklink material.

2. Squeeze the end of the knot and push it through the back of your chosen hook. Next thread on a Hook Bead and either a Hook Ring Swivel or bait screw.

3. Grasp the end of the loop and take over the point of the hook, before pulling on the end of the hooklink to reduce the size of the ‘D’

4. Attach your hookbait and add your counter-balance (putty or a split shot on a coated hooklink) to the knot you created.

5. Whilst John likes to have a long D, the Multi can be fished in all manner of different ways, including pulling the ‘D’ up tight to the hook’s eye and using it like the old-school Swimmer Rig. John also likes to use the Multi Rig with a wafter hookbait inside a solid PVA bag. He again ties this with the Leadfree material.