carpology.net 025February 2013carpology.net024 February 2013

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When you mould your putty you need to ensure that it doesn’t cover the whole of the swivel to ensure you still get a maximum amount of movement from the rig. The best way to mould it is to wrap it around the top eye of the swivel with the bottom of the putty resting against the top of the swivel’s barrel. This then leaves the whole barrel and the bottom eye and ring to give a maximum amount of movement.

If you are fi shing a Chod Rig with a Loop Knot to the swivel, then mould the putty around the

knot, this means that the loop and swivel is left totally open and unhindered for

a maximum amount of movement.

S I M O N ’ S T W E A K E D C H O D

The Chod Rig is a set-up I used a bit a few years ago but I have to be honest, not to very good e� ect at the time. I was losing a lot of fi sh; more than I was landing, and when I look back now, it becomes obvious as to why. There were a few minor and a couple of major errors in what I was doing, things like the size of lead; the way my hooklink would slide right down to the lead; opting for a size 8 hook with a straight eye; positioning my beads too close together; and using a pop-up that would probably not be popped up in 5 or 6hrs time. Put all of these together in one situation and in my experience there’s more chance a fi sh will be lost than landed, so a few changes were needed.

I opted for a 1.5oz lead and above that a fi ve-inch length of 5mm silicone tubing (colour optional depending on time of year and weed growth) so the hooklink can’t get closer than three-inches to the lead once compressed. Above that is the bottom bead and my hooklink and then

my top bead was to be fi shed 18-inches above that and at least 18-inches from the end of the leadcore. I would fi sh a size 6 Chodda hook which had been sharpened and a buoyant enough hookbait was key. Couple all this with the right situation and the rig can be devastating. However, one thing to remember is always allow your top bead to pass over and o� the leadcore freely to release the rig in any event of a break-o� ; safety to the fi sh is number one.

The Chod Rig, when used in the right situation, can get you bites that you possibly wouldn’t get if fi shing bottom bait rigs. There have been a couple of situations this year where I have been fi shing very weedy areas and I started o� fi shing light bottom baits. The lakebed I was fi shing over was weed of about 2ft with small clearings and bigger weedbeds surrounding the area; just trying to even get a ‘drop’ on the lead was tricky and even then, if I did, I didn’t know how the rig would be sitting. It was from then on that I changed both rods over to Chods and started catching straightaway. Just knowing my bait is presented perfectly without necessarily getting a ‘drop’ gave me confi dence and enabled me to have minimal casts.

So for times like this, the Chods are invaluable but they are not for every situation – if I was fi shing a clear bottom for instance, but for when the area is weedy and you’re struggling to get a ‘drop’, they’re perfect.

H O W T O . . .M O U L D Y O U R P U T T Y P E R F E C T L Y

SIMON HOFGARTNER REVEALS HOW SOME MINOR AND A COUPLE OF MAJOR ERRORS COST HIM FISH WITH THE CHOD RIG

CHOD TWEAKING

H O W H E G O E S A B O U T C O N S T R U C T I N G I T

Simon uses Riga-Mortis in 25lb. The sti� ness is essential as it holds its

shape once curved. The sti� er the better, as even fi shing the 20lb version sometimes loses its shape on the cast.

Before starting to tie my Chod Rig, I would always straighten the fl uorocarbon

by looping both ends and pulling straight, this helps with the curving and the fi nal presentation of the rig.

Now the knot I choose for attaching my hook is a Domho� Knot which is very

neat, very strong and sits perfectly. To tie this, form a fold in the fl uorocarbon about one-third to two-thirds respectively.

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Then lay the folded part along side the hook shank like so with the loop pointing

towards the eye. Next you want to pinch the eye and both parts of fl uorocarbon as shown here and then move onto Step 5.

Pass the longer length of fl uorocarbon around the hook and both parts of

fl uorocarbon fi ve times and then pass the end back through the loop you have created above the eye.

Wet the knot and pull down slowly to bed. Once pulled tight, pass the end through

the eye. Using this knot, you will only need to go through the eye twice in total, not three like with a Knotless Knot.

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What I like to do before creating my ‘D’ on this hooking section, is to grab the

hook and pinch the tail and pull it the opposite way to which it normally twists – just like I have done here.

Next thread on a rig ring and pass the tail back through the eye, trimming o� about

10mm from the eye and blob down with a lighter. Be careful of any wind as the lighter can melt the hooklink material.

The knot I use to attach the swivel is a Two-Turn Blood Knot, which is plenty

strong enough when using 25lb fl uorocarbon. On tightening, the ‘D’ will twist a bit and end up true to the back of the hook.

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The ACE Multi-Tool may look like a bit of a gimmick, but it actually comes in

really handy when tying and pulling up all knots on all types of rigs, especially Chods Rig like I am here.

At this stage you would normally have to steam the rig to create the perfect

curve, but where I straightened it earlier, a gentle tease down the hooklink a few times, is enough to curve it perfectly.

With the rig almost complete, take the ACE Multi Tool and create the perfect

shape for your ‘D’, as well as checking everything is sitting true with the curve of the hook; that is essential.

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Simon’s rig components

Nailed on the reformed Chod set-up