T H E S T I F FB OT T O M - B A I T R I GNigel Williams reveals a super simple and often neglected presentation that’s perfect for banking pressured carp.

Although stiff hooklink materials have been around for many years and lots of anglers probably have a spool or two in their tackle box, many probably haven’t realised the potential of the stuff. Don’t get me wrong, most anglers have probably knocked up the odd Chod rig or tied a Hinged-Stiff rig, but how many have tried a stiff bottom-bait presentation? I’d hazard a guess that the answer would probably be hardly any.

If I could, I’d use stiff rigs a lot more in my fishing but, unfortunately, due to the nature of the material, this simply isn’t possible. The perfect situation for a stiff rig is a firm, clear lake bed. I generally avoid using them when I’m fishing over silt, debris or leaves because, in most situations, the hooklink can kick up and sit at a funny angle, which can spook the fish.

Avid CHD and LSK hooks are Nigel’s first choice.

The Captive Stiff Rig Filament has brilliant anti-eject properties

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The main reason I choose to use stiff hooklinks is because the anti-eject properties simply cannot be rivaled and, in most cases, the presentations is probably completely different to what most anglers are using. On pressured venues, if most anglers are using conventional hooklinks, like coated and braided varieties, the fish may become accustomed to picking them up and ejecting them. As soon as you drop something a little bit different into the mix, like a stiff bottom-bait presentation, the results can be astounding.

Due to the nature of the material, as soon as a carp sucks in your hookbait, it will find it extremely difficult to eject it. Regardless of how much it tries to spit it out, it should stay in position, giving the hook enough time to take a firm hold in the carp’s mouth.

Stiff rigs are also brilliant because they have great anti-tangle properties. Whether you’re fishing single hookbaits or attaching small PVA bags, it’s virtually impossible for the rig to tangle around the lead. As long as you feather your line before your lead it hits the water, the hooklink will kick out from the lead, ensuring everything is sitting pretty on the bottom.

When it comes to rigs, regardless of the material I’m using, I always like to keep things simple. The number one rule for tying stiff rigs is to ensure that you’re using a hook that features a straight or an out-turned eye. Hooks with in-turned eyes can reduce the gape of the hook and have a detrimental affect on the hooking

potential of the rig. Although an out-turned eye is probably the most sensible option in theory, I like to use a longshank style hook that has a straight eye. If you look at the rig in detail, you will notice the hooklink kicks over ever so slightly and almost creates a section that’s like a shrink-tube kicker. This simple yet effective presentation is absolutely incredible and is one that I’ve caught lots of big carp with it.

Although stiff rig bottom baits aren’t in vogue at the minute, this doesn’t mean they are not very effective. If you’re fishing a lake that’s dominated by conventional hooklinks or you think you’re getting ‘done’ by pressured carp, give this rig a try. I’m certain it will convert more pick ups into runs and put you more carp on the bank.

This 30lb-plus mirror was nailed from a pressured water using the rig outlined in this article.

NigelWilliams

A N G L E R P R O F I L E : N i g e l W i l l i a m sA g e: 37 U K P B : 41 lb 10o z O c c u p a t i o n : Se l f Emp l o yed

0 1 . Tie a loop in the end of a length of Stiff Rig Filament.

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0 2 . Thread a boilie onto the hair loop.

0 3 . Fix the boilie in place using a Corn Stop.

0 4 . Thread a slither of silicone tubing onto the hooklink.

0 5 . Thread the hook point through the tubing like this.

0 6 . Pass the hooklink through the back of the eye on the hook.

0 7 . Fix the hook in place with a knotless knot.

0 8 . The finished rig should look like this. Perfect.

The stiffness of the hooklink almost creates a kicker.

A small blob of putty ensures the hooklink

sinks quickly.

Nigel is a huge fan of balanced

hookbaits.

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