Key Features of Fluorocarbon Rigs ( Fluoro )
- Good abrasion resistance
- Has the same light refraction as water - this means the rigs turn practically invisible in water
- Sinks well
- Some degree of stiffness to enable to hook to flip and to avoid tangles
- Has less stretch than Monofilament or Nylon lines
One of the carp rigs I would consider to be a vital component in your rig box is a few Fluorocarbon rigs. These rigs are very effective bottom bait and wafter rigs however to get the best of them, we need to understand what fluorocarbon is and what makes it so effective.
Fluorocarbon is a specialist material made of a single strand of fluoropolymer and like monofilament, it is extruded in one long single fibre. Fluorocarbon can come in various properties from being ultra stiff like boom material or quite supple like Korda IQ2, the type you want to use will depend on the rig you would like. The more supple versions are very well suited to D rigs and German rigs whilst the stiff options will be better used for boom, Chod rigs or Stiff hinge rigs. All true fluorocarbon has the same unique property of light refraction, this is practically zero which is the same as water. This will make the fluorocarbon go invisible to fish in the water and make it very hard for humans to see. This is one of the things that makes fluorocarbon so effective in clear water or when fish become particularly "riggy". It is worth noting that some fluorocarbon lines will be fluorocarbon coated - this is not the same and does not have the same light refraction properties.
You will see fluorocarbon mainlines being sold along with the specialist hook length materials, the mainline tends to be more supple and have some degree of stretch to it, the hook length tends to stiff and has nearly zero stretch. The hook length variation will often be heavier and sink better when compared to the mainline. If you want to enhance the sinking properties you can always add a tungsten sinker to you rig, this will pin everything to the bottom. The downside to fluorocarbon is it does have some degree of memory and to get your rig to lay perfectly flat you can either use 2 rig pullers and pull it straight or hold it tight over some steam to steam it straight. With the very stiff boom options steam is the best option to straighten it.
The use of fluorocarbon generally falls in to 3 categories:
Mainline such as the excellent Gardner Tiger line shown below:
For making D Rigs and German Rigs (shown below with a example of hook link Fluorocarbon)
Boom material for spinner rigs (ronnie rigs) Or combi rigs
However, it can also be used in more specialist rigs such as
Adam Penning Style Pop up rigs (the fluorocarbon is the hook end instead of the boom section)
Adam Penning Style bottom bait rigs (as above)
You can use a high memory fluorocarbon to make Chod rigs and Stiff hinge rigs where you can use a combination of 2 fluorocarbon lines to make the boom and the hook section)
with all fluorocarbon, it can go brittle over time its worth checking your rigs every now and then to ensure they are strong enough. When fishing over silt or mud the fluorocarbon can also get coated in the mud or silt so using a soft cloth you can simply wipe the fluorocarbon clean again