Specialist Specimen Rigs

All of the below rigs have been used by me in my angling when targeting pressured fish be it from rivers, ponds, canals or lakes. Each rig has a detailed guide making selection easier when choosing a rig for a specific water or species. Details of all tackle required to make the rig is also listed.

Most of the rigs below are simple in design but are extremely effective when put in the correct situation. I believe that simple rigs are the way forward and too many anglers can over complicate things creating rigs that are not only crude but actually don't work as they wish. There are rigs for all occasions associated with fishing. Whether your fishing pressured waters, commercials, still water, running water, for barbel, pike or bream there is a rig that suits your fishing. The below rigs should cover most situations you will encounter in your fishing and cover all species. All rigs have variations and that comes down to personal preference and experimentation.

Please feel free to browse the menu to your right for other information on species, products, baits and watercraft. I eventually hope to produce a full general guide to fishing and cover as much as I possibly can. I would like to hear from you and hope you can take something away from theses pages and apply it to your fishing.

Please email me @ choppedworm@googlemail.com for further information.

Click on the below links to direct you to your desired rig

Ledger Rigs
The Chod Rig - Carp
The Hinged Stiff Rig - Carp
The Mag Aliner - Tench, Carp, Bream, Roach
Standard Hair Rig - Most species
Free Running Rig - Eel, Perch

Float Rigs
Trotting rig - Barbel, Chub, Dace, Grayling
Margin Rig - Tench, Carp

Feeder Rigs
Method Bolt Rig - Most species
Cage Feeder Rig - Most species

Miscellaneous
Carp Surface Rig
Freeline Chub Rig
Zig rig

The Chod Rig

The chod rig is a great when fishing into silt (chod) or even weedy areas where presentation on the bottom may be compromised. There are many variations of the chod rig that have been developed from the original whithy pool rig. The chod rig is one of today's most prolific carp rigs and can be devastating for the initial hooking of a fish especially when used with an extra sharp hook. Please see my version of the rig below that has caught me numerous carp.

Species - Mainly a carp rig but can also be tailored to suit bream and tench fishing.
Terminal tackle - 20lb ESP stiff link, size 6/8 Drenham Boilie Continental hook, ESP micro O rings, size 8 swivel.
Notes - Curve the stiff link aggressively ensuring the hook is pointing downwards. Always use a buoyant pop up with cork ball pop ups being the best.

The Hinged Stiff Rig

The hinged stiff rig incorporates the above chod rig but is looped onto a stiff boom. The rig can be used in both silty and clear areas of the lake bed and is a faviourite of Terry Hearn.

Species - Mainly a carp rig but can also be tailored to suit bream and tench fishing.
Terminal tackle - 20lb ESP stiff link, size 6/8 Drenham Boilie Continental hook, ESP micro O rings, size 8 swivel.
Notes - Curve the stiff link aggressively ensuring the hook is pointing downwards. Always use a buoyant pop up with cork ball pop ups being the best.

 Standard Hair Rig

The standard hair rig has been used for many years and is a simple but effective way to fish for a number of species. The hair rig can be tied using a variety of braids and hooks to enhance the hooking capability. I would suggest that you experiment with different combinations of hook link but keep in mind what bait you will be using as this can change the mechanics of the rig. I like to use Kryston silk worm for a supply rig and Kryston snakes skin for a more ridged rig. Below are a few of my favourite standard hair rigs that I use when fishing fro Barbel, Bream, Carp and Tench.



Species - Most coarse fish
Terminal tackle -
Notes -