Korda Size 8 Ring Swivel
When these first came onto the market they were extremely expensive and to be honest we all felt that a loop in the end of a stiff rig (which is what they were introduced for) created a more flexible pivot point anyway.
However, you the angler, demanded a Size 8 so we sourced one and at a far better price than the competition. More recently we have managed to persuade our Japanese supplier of standard swivels to supply the same swivel with a ring on the end at a very competitive price. They now come in the dull grey finish as well, another little edge bearing in mind we have seen from our underwater filming that carp are frightened by the 'glint' of a swivel or hook in clear shallow water when the sun is out.
Besides creating a pivot point for stiff rigs, the ring swivel serves as a massive advantage to most rigs - it allows the hook link to lay flat against the rig tube or leadcore during the cast. This dramatically reduces the risk of a tangle - it sounds far fetched but it's true.
Danny first learned about this in a qualifier for the British Champs. A competitor had a ring swivel on his controller set up which seemed strange, so I asked why to which he replied: “you don't get tangles with a ring swivel on, even with long, light hook links!”
I have used a loop, ring swivel and Kwik link ever since. It's true that you never stop learning. For a time, I started lassoing my hook links on using the ring swivel. Simply tie an overhand loop in the end of the hook link, pass it through the ring of the ring swivel and then pass the end of the hook link through the loop and pull tight. Hey presto the hook link is attached. Simply reverse the procedure then un-attach the hook link - very simple and very fast.
Korda Size 11 Ring Swivel
A tiny ring swivel was needed to complete the range and is ideal for creating a hinge in a stiff pop-up rig, made famous by the great Terrence Hearn himself. That rig is regarded by many as a big fish rig and is usually fished as a single bait or over small amounts of offerings.
We would couple it with our own Wide Gape pattern of hook and one of our small rig rings. Once the short, stiff pop-up section is tied we recommend you pull it very tightly over the steam to take the angle out of the stiff material as it leaves the inside of the eye of the hook.
This steaming makes that last section much straighter and the hook will then stand more upright ready for action. In more recent years, the small ring swivels have been used on a new Rotary rig, where the ring swivel is tied via the ring to end of the hook link. The point of a longshank hook is then slid through the eye of the swivel at the other end. The hook bait is usually sliding on a small rig ring between two float stops - the top one on the bend of the hook, the bottom one half way down the shank. Fished in conjunction with a pop-up, this rig is said to be almost impossible to eject and big fish men like Dave Lane have used it to great success.
