How to Tie a Slip D Rig

A slip D rig is a D rig with one change: the D is formed from the soft, stripped braid of the hooklink, so the ring or bait screw slides freely along the back of the shank. On a standard D rig the hooklink is fixed on the shank. On a slip D, the attachment moves.

It takes pop-ups, wafters or bottom baits, and it is a quick-change design. After a fish, the hook is usually the only part you need to swap.

Below are the eight steps, then the wafter and low pop-up set-ups. For the wider picture, start with our guide to carp rigs.

Step 1: Gather the Kit and Cut Your Hooklink

Every brand’s guide gives a different cut length for this rig, and the reason is simple: the D, the knot and the end loop all use up line. The kit:

• Coated braid hooklink (DNA Baits uses a semi-stiff 15lb braid; most coated braids work)
• A wide gape hook sized to your hookbait (DNA Baits uses a size 6)
• A micro ring swivel or a bait screw
• Shrink tube, or a long line-aligner kicker
• An anti-tangle sleeve
• Tungsten putty or a split shot
• Bait floss and a baiting needle
• Scissors, and a kettle for steam

Published cut lengths include 10in (Korda), 12in (Angling Direct) and 40cm (CC Moore). If you are new to it, cut 10 to 12in and aim for a finished rig of 6 to 7in, as DNA Baits does.

By now your kit should be laid out and your hooklink cut.

Step 2: Strip the Coating and Double It Over

The soft braid under the coating is the whole rig. Strip roughly 4in of coating from one end of the hooklink. Korda, Angling Direct and DNA Baits use 4in; CC Moore uses 10cm.

That supple section forms the D, and it is what lets the ring move along the shank once the rig is finished.

Peel the coating off a little at a time so you do not fray the inner braid. A frayed D can snag the ring and stop it sliding.

Double the stripped section back on itself to form a loop. You should now have a doubled, supple loop at the end of the hooklink.

Step 3: Thread the Loop Through the Eye and Add the Ring

The easiest mistake on this rig is closing the D with nothing on it.

1. Pass the doubled loop through the hook eye from front to back.
2. Slide a micro ring swivel or a bait screw onto the loop.

A ring swivel takes a hookbait tied on with bait floss, which is how Angling Direct sets it up. A bait screw goes straight into the hookbait, as in the Korda and DNA Baits versions. Use the screw for quick bait changes and the ring if you prefer floss.

You should now have the loop through the eye with the ring or screw sitting on it.

Step 4: Pass the Loop Over the Hook and Set the Ring Opposite the Barb

Where the ring sits decides how the bait sits, so set it now, before anything is locked.

1. Take the loop over the hook point and round the bend.
2. Let it lie along the back of the shank.
3. Position the ring or bait screw so it sits opposite the barb.

Keep the stripped braid flat along the shank with no twists. A twisted D drags on the ring, and a slip D rig only works if the ring moves cleanly.

Nothing is tied yet. You should now have braid lying along the shank and the ring sitting opposite the barb.

Step 5: Lock the D With a Knotless Knot

One knot does two jobs here. It fixes the hooklink to the hook, and it forms the D that gives the rig its name.

1. Whip the hooklink down the shank in a knotless knot, trapping both legs of the stripped loop under the turns. CC Moore uses 7 turns.
2. Pass the tag end back through the eye so the hooklink comes out on the inside of the shank.
3. Pull it tight and trim the tag.

Now test it. Slide the ring from one end of the D to the other. It should travel freely without catching. If it sticks, the braid is twisted or frayed, so re-tie it.

You should now have the D formed, the ring sliding and the tag trimmed.

Step 6: Fit a Kicker and Steam It to Shape

Steam does two jobs on this rig: it sets the hook angle and it straightens the hooklink.

Slide a short piece of shrink tube over the hook eye to act as a kicker. Korda uses 10mm. The alternative is a long line-aligner kicker, which DNA Baits uses for its wafter version.

Hold the tube in the steam from a boiling kettle and set it at an angle. According to Korda, steaming the kicker at an angle makes the hook flip aggressively, and the same steam straightens the coated braid so the rig lies flat. Keep your fingers clear, because steam burns quickly.

The kicker also sets how the bait sits (see Step 8): fit a long line-aligner kicker for a wafter, or a standard shrink tube kicker for a low pop-up.

You should now have the kicker on and angled, and the hooklink straight.

Step 7: Add an Anti-Tangle Sleeve and Tie the Loop

A rig that tangles on the cast catches nothing, so finish the swivel end properly.

1. Thread an anti-tangle sleeve onto the hooklink.
2. Tie a figure-of-eight loop at the end opposite the hook.
3. Attach the loop to your lead clip or swivel.

DNA Baits recommends a lead clip, so the lead can be dropped if a hooked fish runs into weed. Check the finished length against your Step 1 target before you move on.

You now have a complete rig, ready for bait.

Step 8: Attach the Hookbait and Balance It as a Wafter or Low Pop-Up

The same slip D rig gives two different presentations, and a little weight and a kicker swap are all that separate them.

Screw the bait onto the bait screw, or tie it to the ring swivel with bait floss.

Then balance it. Korda moulds tungsten putty where the coating ends, counter-balancing a pop-up so it fishes as a wafter or a low pop-up. DNA Baits uses kickers and shot instead: a long line-aligner kicker plus one No.1 shot gives a balanced wafter, and swapping to a standard kicker gives a low-lying pop-up that sits slightly higher.

Presentation	Kicker	Weight	Suits
Wafter	Long line-aligner	One No.1 shot, or putty where the coating ends	Clean spots
Low pop-up	Standard shrink tube	Shot or putty to balance the bait	Dirtier areas

Test the balance in the margin or a bucket of water before you cast, and add or remove putty a little at a time. Angling Direct notes the rig also works with bottom baits, with the addition of putty.

Start with the wafter over a clean spot. Switch to the low pop-up when the bottom is softer or covered in debris.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a slip D and a Ronnie rig?

Both are used to present carp pop-ups, but they are built differently. The slip D's defining feature is the soft braid D on the back of the shank, which lets the ring or bait screw slide freely, as described in Step 5. The Ronnie, also sold as Korda's Spinner Rig, mounts the hook on a spinner swivel so it is free to turn. For the full build, see our Ronnie rig guide.

Can you use a slip D rig in weed?

It is best kept for clean bottoms. DNA Baits' Alan Harrison favours it over hard clay, firm silt and clean gravel, avoids heavy weedbeds, and uses a lead clip so the lead can be dropped in weed. If your swim is weedy, compare it with the chod rig before you choose.

Why does my slip D rig tangle or lose its hookbait on the cast?

DNA Baits found that early versions occasionally tangled and sometimes lost the hookbait on the cast before the rig was refined. Work through the basics: steam the braid straight, fit the anti-tangle sleeve, make sure the bait screw is fully home or the floss is tight, and check the stripped D is not frayed. Re-tie a frayed D.

Can you fish a slip D rig in a PVA bag?

Yes. CC Moore says the slip D can be tied short and supple for use inside solid PVA bags, and that it works with most coated braids. Because only the hook needs changing after a fish, it is quick to reset between bags. The multi rig is another quick-change option, and our guide to PVA bag fishing covers the bags themselves.

Sources

• Korda: How to tie the slip D rig
• Angling Direct: How to tie a slip D rig
• DNA Baits: Slip D carp rig
• CC Moore: How to tie the slip D carp rig
• Korda: Spinner Rig