How To Tie The KD Rig and When To Use It
Most bottom bait rigs utilise the principle of the hook turning and flipping to catch hold in a carp’s mouth and the palm test is our measure of how well a carefully tied presentation achieves this. There are, however, a few rigs that work in a totally different way. The KD rig, whilst perhaps not ever one of the most fashionable or trending rigs, is quietly favoured by some of the best carp anglers in the UK and France.
Whether you fishing a French carp lake or a UK one, the KD rig is always a rig to have in your armoury. It is a very simple and quick rig to tie. Read of our step by step guide of how to set it up.
How to tie the KD rig in 6 easy steps
Step 1: Using a coated braid strip back the coating and tie an overhand loop knot as if you were tying a knotless knot rig.
Step 2: Using a baiting needle thread your hookbait onto the loop. The KD rig mechanics are designed to work with pop-ups and balanced baits.
Step 3: Thread the braid through the back of the hook with your hookbait roughly inline with the top of the hook. This is the same steps you would follow when tying a knotless knot rig.
Step 4: Pinching the hair against the shank of the hook, whip the other end of the braid 2 turns around the shank of the hook. The pull the hair to the side and whip a further 5 turns, most importantly without trapping the hair underneath.
Step 5: Thread the end of the braid from the front of the hook to the back, wet the knot and pull it tight.
Step 6: Sqeeze on a split shot directly beneath the hookbait. The shot should be anchored to the lake bed. The size of the shot used will depend on the buoyancy of the hookbait. Attached the rig to your mainline using a loop to loop know and you are ready to go!
How does the KD rig work then?
Everything about the tying of this one goes against the grain really. Try the palm test and it won’t pass. Instead of exiting opposite the barb, as with most rigs, the hair leaves the hook right up by the eye. This creates a pivot point and means that, rather than turning, the comparatively heavy bend swings down. The hook point is already sitting in the prone position, ready to grab hold of the bottom lip before the rig is even tightened.
That’s different.
It is indeed. The effect can be enhanced too simply by introducing an element of buoyancy into the hook bait. The lightness of the hook bait generates greater disparity between it and the hook, which hangs below at the slightest enquiry. The delicately balanced bait is also likely to travel further back into a carp’s mouth. This is a particular advantage with the KD as the rig provides better separation than most giving the hook has an additional chance of taking hold. Ideally the hook bait should sink of its own accord – just. The hook is meant to lie flat on the deck and testing it to ensure it isn’t partially lifted by the bait’s buoyancy is essential.
The most common hookbait to use is a pop-up held down with a split shot on the hair. There are a lot of options for creating effective hook baits to use with the KD. You can drill a hole in a bottom bait and plug with rig foam, cut a boilie and a pop-up in half, mounting a piece of each on the hair or use a snowman to make the bait lighter. One of the easiest ways though is to use a wafter. It makes for the perfect tempter and can be finely tuned with a tiny split shot, tungsten bead or a piece of lead core inner on the hair. This can go either at its base or part way along the hair or you could just leave the bait to sit off the bottom just above the hook. Drilled out tigers, plastic corn or maize will all provide an alternative when mass baiting with particles.
What is the best hook length material?
Some flexibility above the hook is required in order for it to have the freedom of movement to tilt and drop. Therefore the material needs to be some form of braid. Most will go for a coated braid although there are some that swear by a soft uncoated one for this rig. We’d recommend taking advantage of the anti tangle properties of a coated one for casting any sort of range but the uncoated version will come into play in the edge or for using with a PVA stringer, solid or mesh bags.
Is there a particular hook style that’s needed?
It is more the principle that is important and the KD rig will function with a number of types of short shank hooks. That said a curved shank pattern is favoured by most and is our choice.
We’re hoping it’s going to be a simple knotless knot.
Well, it is a knotless knot but with a slight twist. Start your knot as normal however, after two or three turns move the hair out of the way and continue for another five turns below it. This helps kick the hair out, enhancing the rig’s mechanics. Exiting from near the eye, the hair is longer than usual which provides superior separation. There is room for experimentation but, as a rough guide, it should
