Blow back rig
This is my use anywhere rig.....usually the 1st rig I use on a session. It has got me many fish on the bank. The only thing that I might change with it is the bait, hair length or rig length, depending on what presentation I am looking for from the rig or bottom surface I am fishing over.
These are the simple parts and tools I use for the rig:
Korda Soft N-Trap.
ESP Raptor Long Shank size 6 hook.
Korda Rig Rings and Shrink Tube.
CC Moore 14mm shelf life boilie ("Live System" pictured) or boilie of your choice of coarse.
Fake corn (example uses glow in the dark) or AvidCarp Corn Stop or Fake Maze or Rig Foam (decide what works best for you).
Braid Stripper, Rig Puller, Baiting Needle, Braid Scissors and a bait stop (bait stop not required if using Corn Stop).
Recently I have been favouring the Avid Carp Corn stops for this rig, but I hear news of Korda releasing flavoured plastic corn which I can't wait to get my hands on!
1. Cut a good length of the N-Trap, don't be tight, make sure you have plenty to work with and enough to make the length of rig you require in your situation.
2. Using the stripper, remove approx 3 inches of the coating at one end and then tie a simple over hand loop which will form your hair.
3. With the baiting needle thread your bait and plastic corn onto the hair and fit a bait stop. It is important to apply your bait at this stage to get the required hair length (other wise you may have a hair too short or too long).
4. Tie a rig ring approx three quarters of an inch above the top of the bait with a simple over hand knot, under pressure this should still move for fine tuning its position later.
5. Thread the point of the hook through the rig ring (coated end of the N-Trap facing/pointing to the hook eye), and thread the coated section of the N-Trap through the eye of the hook.
6. Adjust the hair length to as required and also adjust the rig ring position so it doesn't quite reach the apex in the bend of the hook (other wise it will work its way all the way around the hook and come off).
7. Now complete the hair rig with a knotless knot.....If I get the stripping part just right then the coated material of the N-Trap normally starts on the first or second turn, I prefer this to the whole of the knotless knot being in the bare material (once you have made this rig a few times the strip length becomes second nature to do so).
8. Cut a piece of shrink tube to create a kicker and steam it in position. I like to cover my knot to smooth the edges, but its your preference here. I also like the kicker to be around quarter of an inch from the eye as I feel this creates a good turn of the hook, again this is just my preference, often changing small things like this can result in more bites so isn't a fixed length to make the rig work. Even with out the shrink tube and just the coated hook length exiting the eye will give a good hook turn.
9. Fix the rig to your lead system at the required length. I tie a figure 8 loop to my rigs for attachment to my lead system via a quick link with silicon tubing to cover the link, but you can also tie directly or to a suitable ring if you prefer.
Korda Soft N-Trap.
ESP Raptor Long Shank size 6 hook.
Korda Rig Rings and Shrink Tube.
CC Moore 14mm shelf life boilie ("Live System" pictured) or boilie of your choice of coarse.
Fake corn (example uses glow in the dark) or AvidCarp Corn Stop or Fake Maze or Rig Foam (decide what works best for you).
Braid Stripper, Rig Puller, Baiting Needle, Braid Scissors and a bait stop (bait stop not required if using Corn Stop).
Recently I have been favouring the Avid Carp Corn stops for this rig, but I hear news of Korda releasing flavoured plastic corn which I can't wait to get my hands on!
1. Cut a good length of the N-Trap, don't be tight, make sure you have plenty to work with and enough to make the length of rig you require in your situation.
2. Using the stripper, remove approx 3 inches of the coating at one end and then tie a simple over hand loop which will form your hair.
3. With the baiting needle thread your bait and plastic corn onto the hair and fit a bait stop. It is important to apply your bait at this stage to get the required hair length (other wise you may have a hair too short or too long).
4. Tie a rig ring approx three quarters of an inch above the top of the bait with a simple over hand knot, under pressure this should still move for fine tuning its position later.
5. Thread the point of the hook through the rig ring (coated end of the N-Trap facing/pointing to the hook eye), and thread the coated section of the N-Trap through the eye of the hook.
6. Adjust the hair length to as required and also adjust the rig ring position so it doesn't quite reach the apex in the bend of the hook (other wise it will work its way all the way around the hook and come off).
7. Now complete the hair rig with a knotless knot.....If I get the stripping part just right then the coated material of the N-Trap normally starts on the first or second turn, I prefer this to the whole of the knotless knot being in the bare material (once you have made this rig a few times the strip length becomes second nature to do so).
8. Cut a piece of shrink tube to create a kicker and steam it in position. I like to cover my knot to smooth the edges, but its your preference here. I also like the kicker to be around quarter of an inch from the eye as I feel this creates a good turn of the hook, again this is just my preference, often changing small things like this can result in more bites so isn't a fixed length to make the rig work. Even with out the shrink tube and just the coated hook length exiting the eye will give a good hook turn.
9. Fix the rig to your lead system at the required length. I tie a figure 8 loop to my rigs for attachment to my lead system via a quick link with silicon tubing to cover the link, but you can also tie directly or to a suitable ring if you prefer.
Presentation
The hair length I choose for this rig seems long at first. However, the bait should cock its self upright if you are using floating corn or similar. This shortens the hair in its underwater presentation by the distance of the hair to the baits edge (so half a boilie). This photo shows an example of how the rig will look once in the water if it was purely straight, as you can see the hair appears shorter. I believe if you have the hair to short on this rig it could stop or at least hinder the hook point catching hold. I also believe that a slightly longer hair on this rig gives just a little better result on bites, maybe with the movement of the rig ring and the slightly long hair it just gives the point that fraction longer to find some flesh.
To help with bait presentation I will thread a small PVA bag down the hook length and onto the hook. This also protects the hook point from damage when reaching the bottom of the lake once cast (and a little more attraction of course).
In addition to this rig I will often remove a very small section of the N-Trap coating not to far from the hook, this will also create flexibility in the rig (a bend point) and help the hook catch hold.
To help with bait presentation I will thread a small PVA bag down the hook length and onto the hook. This also protects the hook point from damage when reaching the bottom of the lake once cast (and a little more attraction of course).
In addition to this rig I will often remove a very small section of the N-Trap coating not to far from the hook, this will also create flexibility in the rig (a bend point) and help the hook catch hold.
Alternative Presentations
This photo shows a different bait presentation with the same rig. I use this when I know fish are on my bait but I feel I am "getting done" by the fish. This has worked for me on several occasions, give it a try when you are really struggling to get a take.
I believe the fish find this hard to eject because the water flow around it when they try to blow it out. Along with the blow back ring then I reckon it stumps them giving the hook time to take a good hold.
Another reason this presentation works is because the boilie seal is broken. This creates more flavour and attraction to be released by the two halves giving the carp a clear target of smell to home into.
I believe the fish find this hard to eject because the water flow around it when they try to blow it out. Along with the blow back ring then I reckon it stumps them giving the hook time to take a good hold.
Another reason this presentation works is because the boilie seal is broken. This creates more flavour and attraction to be released by the two halves giving the carp a clear target of smell to home into.
You must remember with this "half 'n' half" presentation that it could be sat upright in the water as shown in this photo. So as before, I would try to ensure the hair length allows for this in an attempt not to mask the hook or hinder it in any way and maximise the effectiveness of the trap.
