Rig Basics          
by John Kneebone

When it comes to hook bait presentations, particularly rigs designed to catch carp feeding on the bottom; I believe there is one thing all anglers, of all levels have in common, at some point we have looked at our rigs, as the whole reason for an uneventful, blank!!!

On go the blinkers to the many realistic reasons for another blank, wrong location, poor weather conditions, angling pressure and so on. Just to make matters worse, what normally follows, if we care to admit to it is a mad blitz of rig tying, incorporating every bit of the latest, all singing, and all dancing pieces of terminal tackle known to man, as we spiral into a rig tying oblivion.

Once in a rut of frequently changing rigs, in search of an all conquering version, we inevitably increase our belief that such a presentation is required, and actually exists, which of coarse it does not. Other very important watercraft skills, become forgotten, and ignored, so even when a good, appropriate rig is used, it generally fails to produce.

Simple knotless knot rigs, have caught tons of carp, and offer plenty of carping education.

Starting with, or returning to the basics, is certainly the best way of avoiding the rig tying blues, a sound understanding of basic rigs, will naturally lead to a better comprehension of how and when to effectively produce more advanced hook bait presentations. Although not trying to run before you can walk, is perhaps easier said, than done, where rigs are concerned!

The modern day carp angler is completely spoilt for choice of ever developing pieces of kit, especially in the terminal tackle departments. Hooks in every conceivable pattern and size, hook length materials ranging from supple braids to stiff, fluro-carbons, wide eyed swivels, kwik change swivels, rig rings, the list is endless. This fantastic, wealth of available tackle, provides us with everything we might ever need, for every imaginable rig design or angling situation, but this sheer mass of choice, can be confusing, and make combining items to form good, effective rigs difficult, especially when we feel a need to incorporate them all. I’m sure that if anyone taking up carping, for the first few months, was only allowed to purchase some hooks and nylon or braid for their rigs, they would catch a lot more carp, and would become better anglers a lot sooner?  

A simple knotless knot, hair rig still contains all the rig mechanics, and hooking principles to learn from, as any more advanced design.

Firstly the hair section, the idea here, is to attach the chosen bait, retaining freedom of movement, and position away from the hook. The bait can be sucked into the mouth of a carp in the same way as any freebies, but once the carp feels the resistance from the lead, or hook, it tries to eject the bait from its mouth, by spitting it out, ideally at this point the hook latches into the bottom section of its mouth. The carp becomes self hooked by the force of the hook bait flipping forwards on the hair.

The hair gives the hook bait freedom of movement, and allows the hook to hang beneath at an aggressive angle.

When the carp attempts to reject, and spit out the hook bait, the force of the bait flipping forward, helps the hook locate a good hold in the bottom of the mouth.

If the carp is only just hooked on the very edge of its mouth or lip, it’s highly likely that the hair is a little short, and the hook bait could have done with getting further back in the carp’s mouth, before being ejected. In contrast to this kind of hook hold, when the hook is found deep in the carp’s mouth, the hair in most probably a tad too long. Keeping an eye on the location of hook holds, will teach you just how long the hair needs to be for a good strong hook hold, nicely in the bottom lip, about half an inch back. With the size and shape of carp mouths differing from lake to lake, dependent on strain, average size, or effects of feeding on hard or soft bottoms, the length of hair used, is a very important, yet basic, rig function.
  
Of coarse every rig has a hook; many of which are rig specific, meaning the pattern of the hook has been designed, for use within one particular rig or situation. Carp hook patterns can differ in a few ways,
 
The length of the shank, which is distance between the eye and bend of the hook,

The gape of the hook, which is the space between the point and shank of the hook,

The gauge of the wire used to make the hook, standard size wire is used for general open water fishing, where as hooks with heavier, thicker wire, are designed to withstand the extra strain of fishing waters containing weed or snags.

Identical hook patterns can differ by being either barbed, or barbless.

Although all carp hooks, aim to achieve the same objective, by the same working principle, that the hook suspended beneath the hook bait by the hair, will turn, so that the hook point angles down, and embeds into the bottom lip area of the carp’s mouth, as it attempts to ejected it. As a rule of thumb, hooks that have a shank length, roughly one an a half times the width of the hooks gape, make good all rounder’s, and good hooks to start with, such the Fox series 1, or new SSBP patterns.

SSBP hooks, good all rounder’s

Finally to complete a basic rig, a hook link is required and there are many different types to choose from three main categories of materials, nylon, braid and coated braids.

Both the stiffness of nylon, or softness of braid work well in simple rigs, as well as, more specialist set ups, although I think coated braids provide a good medium, containing all the attributes for good, effective rigs. This material has a slight rigidity, holding the hook bait clear of the lead, helping prevent tangles, one of the plus points of nylon; this also gives a more direct contact, and resistance from the lead, another quality of nylon, especially very stiff, bristle filament versions. Simply removing an inch or two of the abrasion resistant outer coating, at the hook end of the link, exposes a supple braid within. The main value of this limp section near the hook is that the hook bait has freedom of movement, similar to free, baits, although good contact with the lead remains, any carp mouthing the bait will not feel this resistance straight away, and spook.

Coated braids come in various colours, to match the angling situation.

The length of the hook link is sometimes over looked, but is a very important consideration, and has a major part to play with the hooking potential of the whole rig.

General pros & cons are that longer hook lengths (10+ inches) offers less resistance from the average 3oz lead, in turn giving carp that associate hook bait resistance with danger, little cause for concern. One possible draw back of a long link is that upon the sensation of becoming hooked, the first reaction of many carp is to vigorously shake their head, at this point there is a chance that the bolt effect from the lead, and consequent sinking of the hook, has not yet occurred, and a light hook hold may be ejected. Shorter hook lengths make direct contact between hook bait and lead, with immediate resistance, which despite signalling a potential hazard to cute or wary carp can quickly induce the bolt effect of the lead, and a strong hook hold. Again take notice of how well carp are being hooked, if you’re lightly hooking fish or encountering a lot of hook pulls, try shortening the length of your hook link. Lengthening the link can work well when carp are gently picking up hook baits, nervously testing the freedom of the bait. So if you’re receiving positive bite indication, that are not generating into full blown runs, remember the effects of hook link length, try a change, and monitor results.

Getting to grips with the basic functions of a hook link rig, will not only give a good understanding of rig ethics, but should also increase angling confidence, one of the most important elements of angling for carp. In my own angling a basic bottom bait rig, developed a little over time, have evolved into what I would deem, my main stay presentations, one pop-up, one bottom bait, and my favourite snowman rig, all three tied with the same materials, working by the same principles.

Here’s how I put them together.

These are the bits needed for all three types of rig. (Pop-up, Snowman, Bottom bait)

Begin by removing approximately 5 inches, 13cm of the braid coating, for 15-16mm bottom and pop-up rigs, a little more for snowman rigs. Tie an over hand knot, to form the hair and hold a hook bait stop.   

Using a bait needle, thread the hook bait(s) onto the hair.

Add a boilie stop, to keep the bait on the hair.

Thread a micro ring onto the hook length, and secure in position almost an inch, about 2cms away from the bait for bottom & snowman rigs, with an over hand knot. 

Thread a Sz 8 Fox LS pattern hook through the micro ring. I have found this blow back style ring attachment increases the freedom of the bait, and helps the hooking potential of the rig.

Take the loose end of the hook link, and thread through the eye of the hook, from the top, ready to begin a knotless, knot.


Working away from the eye of the hook, make 6 turns with the hook link material around the hook shank, and thread the loose end back through the top of the eye. 

Tighten the hook link to complete the knotless knot.

Cut a section of shrink tubing, about an inch, 2.5cm long.

Thread the shrink tubing down the hook link, and push over the knot. This tubing section really gets the hook turning over, for a strong hook hold.


Make a simple over hand, loop knot, to the end of the hook length, for easy terminal attachment, and tighten with the aid of the tension bar to form a neat loop.

With a little lead wire (I keep the wire off cuts from splicing lead core) make a few turns about halfway down the hook length.

Mould a little tungsten putty around the lead wire.

This will pin the rig down to the bottom nicely.

Shrink the tubing, and mould to an aggressive angle, either by holding over steam, or by immersing in hot water, to finish the rig. (Be careful not to burn yourself)

There are a couple of differences with the pop-up rig. I like to have the hook bait closer to the hook, than the bottom & snowman versions, only 2-3mm off the hook.


I also like to use a section of shrink tubing twice the length of the other rigs; and there is the addition of a counter balance weight.    

The three completed rigs.

These rigs have caught me loads of carp, installing a confidence within my approach, that given fair opportunity, I can rely on my rig to work, in turn this has allowed me on many occasions to solely concentrate on location, and my rigs have caught carp not by design, but through angling confidence.

A double.......

....A twenty....

........And a thirty

Three different sized carp, from three different venues, what do they have in common? Answer, they were all caught on my favoured main stay, snowman rig!

Yes there are times when a different presentation is called upon, but 90% of the time, I start sessions with one of my main stay rigs, and when I need a change, more often than not, an idea that the norm is not ideal, logically leads to identifying a better presentation.

I hope to take a look rigs again soon, until then, keep it simple, and enjoy your fishing.

John Kneebone