Best Ready-Tied Carp Rigs

Korda's Ready Made Multi Rig comes pre-tied to save time and replicates Danny Fairbrass's own presentation. It carries a Krank Choddy hook, barbed or barbless, in sizes 4, 6 and 8.

The hooklink is Kamo coated braid, with a banded camouflage pattern made to blend across different lake beds. The Krank Choddy has a wide gape and sweeping shank to help the hook take hold and stay in, and the rig lets you change the hook quickly without retying.

It is most often used with pop-ups but can also take a bottom bait, so it suits anglers who switch between the two. Next to the Korda Chod Rig, which uses a stiff link for silt and weed, the Multi Rig covers pop-ups and bottom baits on one coated braid rig.

To be fair, it's coated braid rather than a stiff link, so it isn't the rig for pop-ups over deep weed. For anglers who want one pop-up rig that also handles bottom baits, though, I think it's a sensible, time-saving rig to carry.

Ready tied with the same knots and techniques Danny Fairbrass uses on his own rigs, the Korda Chod Rig comes short or long. Each pack holds three on Korda Choddy hooks, barbed or barbless, in sizes 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Dan's special whipping knot keeps the knot sitting neatly on the hook shank, so every chod from the packet is tied the same way. The Mouth Trap stiff-rig material can be worked back into shape if it is knocked during a fight.

The long version is made for deep weed and silt, where a chod's stiff link sits over the debris. Next to the Korda Ready Made Multi Rig, it is the more specialised choice for weedy ground. Against the Gardner Chod Rigs, it goes down to a size 10, while the Gardner adds a size 5.

To be fair, the stiff link can be knocked out of shape in a fight and needs working back. For pop-ups over deep weed and silt, though, I think the long version is a dependable, consistently tied rig.

Gardner's Chod Rigs Triple Pack holds three ready-tied chods, each with a Covert Dark Chod hook, 15lb Tripwire stiff hooklink and size 12 Covert Flexi Ring Swivel. They come barbed or barbless in sizes 4, 5, 6 and 8.

The hook's long tapered point, wide gape, non-reversed bend and 15° out-turned eye work with the stiff hooklink. The swivel allows bait movement and rotation, and a loop attaches quickly to helicopter rigs, lead clips and other set-ups.

It places a pop-up cleanly over silt, weed, gravel or debris, so the bait isn't buried and the rig doesn't mask the presentation. Next to the Korda Chod Rig, it adds a size 5. Compared with the Korda Ready Tied Stiff Hinge Rig, it keeps to a straight chod rather than a hinged arrangement.

To be fair, there's no size 10 for anyone after a smaller chod hook. For pop-ups over silt, weed or gravel, though, I think it's a well-thought-out chod that's hard to fault.

Hinged stiff rigs are a more complex arrangement to tie, and Korda's Ready Tied Stiff Hinge Rig saves you building one. This big-fish hinge rig is tied to Danny Fairbrass's exacting standards with fine components, in sizes 4, 6 and 8, barbed or barbless.

Its curved hook section is shaped to spin into prime hooking position when a fish mouths the bait. The IQ boom kicks the hookbait away from the lead on the cast, for a clear presentation.

It suits pop-up anglers who want a hinged stiff rig without tying one. Next to the Gardner Chod Rigs, it swaps a straight chod for an IQ boom and curved hook section. Against the Korda Ready Tied Spinner Rig, it is the more involved arrangement, while the Spinner Rig lets you change the hook.

To be fair, it is a pop-up rig, so it won't help when you want to fish a bottom bait or wafter. For anyone after a big-fish hinge without the tying, though, I think it's a real time-saver.

Built on a 5.5-inch Boom hook link, Korda's Ready Tied Spinner Rig is a finished spinner rig, so there's nothing to tie. It takes a Krank, Kurv Shank or Spinner Hook, the Spinner Hook in size 5 and the others in size 4 or 6, barbless or micro-barbed.

On the Spinner Hook version, a 55-degree eye follows the kicker's direction so the hook sits correctly with a buoyant hookbait, and the long, curved shank opens the gape on the Spinner Swivel. A crimped loop suits quick-change systems, and changing the hook lets you reuse the rig.

It suits pop-up anglers who like to reuse a rig and swap hooks, more so than the Korda Ready Tied Stiff Hinge Rig. Against the Nash Ronnie Claw Rig, it offers three hook patterns, while the Nash goes down to a size 8.

To be fair, there's no size 8 here, unlike the Nash Ronnie Claw Rig. For pop-up anglers who want a spinner they can reuse, though, I think it's a smart, flexible set-up.

Wide gape and an angled bend define the Claw hook at the heart of the Nash Ronnie Claw Rig, a ready-tied pop-up rig. It comes barbed or barbless in sizes 4, 6 and 8, tied on 25lb, 20lb and 15lb respectively.

The Skinlink Dark Silt Semi Stiff hooklink with a Diffusion Camo Kicker gives a semi-stiff hook section and camouflaged finish. An 8mm plastic swivel bait screw holds the hookbait, with a Diffusion Camo Strong Hold Hook Bead and long anti-tangle sleeve to finish.

It suits pop-up anglers who want a semi-stiff, camouflaged rig. Next to the Korda Ready Tied Spinner Rig, it adds a size 8 and a fully barbed option. Against the Trakker Blowback Rig, made for bottom baits or balanced presentations, it is the pop-up choice.

To be fair, there is just one hook pattern, so you can't switch shapes as on the Korda Ready Tied Spinner Rig. For pop-ups on a semi-stiff, camouflaged rig, though, I think it's a neatly finished choice.

A razor-sharp Clinga BP hook and a small rig ring positioned on the shank give the Trakker Blowback Rig its blowback effect. It is tied on a 25lb Semi Stiff Coated Hooklink and supplied in packs of two.

The hooklink combines a coated section with exposed braid, so the hookbait moves freely while the rig stays controlled. A Hook Rigger keeps the point at an aggressive angle, a small Anti-Tangle Sleeve reduces tangles on the cast, and multi-sized bait stops suit different hookbait sizes. The looped end suits quick-change systems.

It is made for bottom baits or balanced presentations on the lake bed. Next to the Nash Ronnie Claw Rig, it is the switch from pop-ups to the bottom. Against the Nash Tube Blow Back Rig, it relies on a rig ring and Hook Rigger rather than a Blow Back Tube.

To be fair, it comes two to a pack, where several rigs here come in threes. For bottom baits and balanced hookbaits, though, I think it's a dependable classic blowback.

Skinlink Dark Silt Semi Stiff and a Pinpoint Twister hook make up the Nash Tube Blow Back Rig. Sizes 2 and 4 are tied with 25lb, size 6 with 20lb and size 8 with 15lb, with barbed and barbless hooks in sizes 4, 6 and 8.

A critically positioned Diffusion Camo Blow Back Tube turns the hook aggressively and resists ejection. The rig sinks quickly, with a Diffusion Camo Kicker at the hook end, a Diffusion Camo Anti Tangle Sleeve and a Bait Spru included.

As a blowback, it suits bottom baits where you want the hook to turn hard. Next to the Trakker Blowback Rig, it uses a tube rather than a rig ring. Against the Korda Basix Hair Rigs, it is the more involved anti-eject set-up, while the Basix keeps to a coated hair rig.

To be fair, it has more parts than a plain hair rig, with a tube, kicker and sleeve all in play. For bottom baits where an aggressive hook turn matters, though, I think it's a well-equipped blowback.

Just add a bottom bait or wafter, as Korda Basix Hair Rigs Wide Gape come ready tied on camo green BASIX Coated Hooklink. Size 8 comes on an 18lb hooklink for 12mm hookbaits, and size 4 on a 25lb hooklink for 18mm hookbaits.

A section is stripped back by the Wide Gape hook to allow movement and increase hooking potential. Silicone holds the supple hair on the shank and helps prevent tangles, and Hair Stops plus different sized Extenda Stops alter the hair length. The loop and sleeve suit a BASIX Lead Clip set-up.

It is one of the cheaper ready-tied rigs here, and suits bottom baits and wafters on a lead clip. Next to the Nash Tube Blow Back Rig, it is a plainer hair rig. Against the Gardner Mugga Rigs, it takes bottom baits as well as wafters and comes in two sizes.

To be fair, there are just two sizes, 4 and 8, with nothing in between. For bottom baits and wafters on a budget, though, I think it's a sensible, no-fuss rig.

Three ready-made rigs come in Gardner's 3pk Mugga Rigs pack, each tied with a Covert Mugga hook and 15lb Sly Skin. They come barbed or barbless in size 4, with a choice of Green, Brown or Silt Sly Skin.

The stiffer hooklink is the key detail, kicking out balanced hookbaits to help keep the rig presented consistently. The three Sly Skin colours give you a choice of shade for the hooklink, and every rig in the pack is ready to fish once you add your hookbait.

It suits anglers fishing wafters and other balanced hookbaits. Next to the Korda Basix Hair Rigs, it brings a stiffer hooklink and three colour choices, though only in size 4. Against the Korda Solidz PVA Bag Rig, which is short and supple for solid bags, it is the stiffer option for balanced baits.

To be fair, size 4 is the only hook size, so it won't suit anyone who wants a smaller hook. For wafters and balanced hookbaits, though, I think it's a focused, well-matched rig.

Solid PVA bag fishing is the job of the Korda Solidz PVA Bag Rig, a short, supple hair rig made specifically for it. Barbed and barbless versions are made in sizes 4, 6 and 8.

Supernatural braid keeps the rig supple, and the Wide Gape hook is made for instant, secure hook-holds. Each rig is tied ready for bagging, with three ready-made rigs in a pack, so they can go straight into a solid bag.

It suits anglers who fish solid PVA bags, where a short, supple rig is what the method calls for. Next to the Gardner Mugga Rigs, it swaps a stiffer link for supple braid. Against the Nash Fluoro D Rig, which is made for hard bottoms and baited areas, it is the bag specialist.

To be fair, it is made specifically for solid bags, so it has a narrower role than a general hair rig. For solid PVA bag fishing, though, I think it's a neat, ready-to-go option.

For hard bottoms and baited areas, Nash ties the Fluoro D Rig with Fluorolink, a Fang X hook and an 8mm bait screw. Size 2 uses 25lb material, sizes 4 and 6 use 20lb and size 8 uses 15lb, with barbed or barbless hooks in sizes 4, 6 and 8.

As on any D-rig, the D loop lets the bait slide. Here the loop is enlarged, which gives the rig concealment and anti-eject properties while allowing it to reset after use. A long Diffusion Camo anti-tangle sleeve is included.

It suits anglers fishing hard ground or baited spots with a fluorocarbon D-rig. Next to the Korda Solidz PVA Bag Rig, it moves from bags to hard ground. Against the Fox Fluoro D-Rig, it covers sizes 2 to 8, while the Fox comes in 4 or 6.

To be fair, it is aimed at hard bottoms and baited areas, so a chod suits deep silt or weed better. For hard ground and baited spots, though, I think it's a well-rounded D-rig.

Fox's Fluoro D-Rig gives you three ready-tied Illusion D-Rigs, each on 30cm of 19lb Illusion Soft Fluorocarbon with a loop for attaching it to a swivel. They come in size 4 and size 6, three rigs to a recyclable wallet.

A Wide Gape Beaked Point Carp hook forms the business end of each rig, and an Anti Tangle Sleeve completes the set-up. Every rig shares the same 30cm length and 19lb strength, and with the loop already tied, each one goes straight onto a swivel.

It suits anglers who want a straightforward fluorocarbon D-rig in size 4 or 6. Next to the Nash Fluoro D Rig, which is aimed at hard bottoms and baited areas, the Fox is a simpler package built on a single soft fluorocarbon.

To be fair, it only comes in sizes 4 and 6, while the Nash Fluoro D Rig also covers sizes 2 and 8. For a ready-tied fluorocarbon D-rig in a size 4 or 6, though, I think it's a tidy, no-nonsense option.