Gaz Fareham explains why the Soft Boom Hinge aka 'The Cobra' is his go to rig - sharing his vast knowledge on the most effective set up to catch bites.
Gaz talks through his favourite pop-up
presentation, the Cobra!
Gaz talks through his favourite
pop-up presentation, the Cobra!
I don’t need to tell anyone the effectiveness or history of the hinged stiff rig; it has undoubtedly been a game changer for the entire modern carp scene and revolutionised pop-up fishing. The mechanics are just as effective as ever, and despite all the alternative presentations, new components and versions that slide, twist and spin, I still believe it is unbeatable for 16mm pop-ups and boilie fishing.
It has proved itself time and time again, with carp after carp. The fact that it’s still one of the first choices for a great many the leading anglers means that it comes with an unparalleled testimonial. We called it the Cobra, as ‘soft boom hinge’ is just a bit of a mouthful, but it does sit poised like one. It is always my first choice for boilie fishing, either fished over a bit of a spread in the summer with a matching pop-up, or for single hookbait fishing in the winter and spring with a bright one.
STEP-BY-STEP ON HOW TO MAKE
GAZ'S THE COBRA RIG
it has undoubtedly been a game changer
for the entire modern carp scene
it has undoubtedly been a
game changer for the entire
modern carp scene
It is perfect for fishing over detritus on the bottom.
I would never use it over any mass baits, like pellet or hemp, as the rig works best with a reasonable height stiff pop-up section to allow the big curve to flip, making it very difficult for the carp to deal with. Taller pop-ups are rarely as effective over mass baits, so it is far better fished over pure boilie, where the carp are picking up single food items one by one, lifting and righting themselves to chew between each morsel.
It is perfect for fishing over detritus on the bottom.
I would never use it over any mass baits, like pellet or hemp, as the rig works best with a reasonable height stiff pop-up section to allow the big curve to flip, making it very difficult for the carp to deal with. Taller pop-ups are rarely as effective over mass baits, so it is far better fished over pure boilie, where the carp are picking up single food items one by one, lifting and righting themselves to chew between each morsel.
Use it with a helicopter leader and it can be fished almost anywhere.
I prefer to use it a decent length too, normally 8 inches plus. I have found it to be remarkably reliable in terms of a hooked-landed fish ratio – in fact as close to 100% as I think it’s possible to achieve. I’m happy to fish it over most types of lakebed, as long as it isn’t too weedy. The rig is perfect for fishing over silt, sand, gravel and light weed and because I almost always use it on a helicopter set up, I can adjust the top bead to perfectly suit the specific situation.
Use it with a helicopter leader and it can be fished almost anywhere.
I prefer to use it a decent length too, normally 8 inches plus. I have found it to be remarkably reliable in terms of a hooked-landed fish ratio – in fact as close to 100% as I think it’s possible to achieve. I’m happy to fish it over most types of lakebed, as long as it isn’t too weedy. The rig is perfect for fishing over silt, sand, gravel and light weed and because I almost always use it on a helicopter set up, I can adjust the top bead to perfectly suit the specific situation.
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