A well-tied rig can make all the difference between success and failure, and in carp fishing the stakes couldn’t be higher.
We’ve asked seven of the best anglers in the business to pass on their advice and help you fine-tune your own rigs to perfection.
That way, when you get on the bank, you'll be fishing with that most vital ingredient of all – confidence!
Use long hairs for bottom baits
Rich Wilby: Fishery owner and expert at catching carp from any type of venue
“My golden rule for rig tying is that the hair must not be too short when using a bottom bait. I want a good separation between bait and hook.
"This ensures the hook will stay in the carp’s mouth if the hookbait is rejected. A short hair would enable a carp to eject them both together.
“A long hair is more prone to tangling, but I guarantee you will get better hookholds and lose very few fish when you use it.
“I tend to tie my hairs so that they are twice the length of the bait. For example, a 15mm boilie would go on to a 30mm hair.
“I always add a nugget of PVA foam or a small PVA bagto the hook so the hair can’t wrap around the shank on the cast and cause tangles.”
GET THE BEST REELS LINES FOR CARP FISHING IN OUR LATEST BUYER'S GUIDES.
Keep it tidy and straight
Lewis Read: Tackle developer and expert rig mechanic
“Tying a neat and straight rig is essential to top presentation. If a hooklink is twisted or kinked, it will be far more likely to tangle or act randomly.
“Also, take care that the way in which a knotless knot exits the hook doesn’t kick the hook to one side awkwardly. The same goes for any loop knots used to attach hooklinks to quick-change swivels.”
“Steaming stiffer materials straight over a boiling kettle or storing them on rig boards so that the natural memory of the product re-sets really helps get the most from them. Get the product to work for you, not against you.
GET MORE SUPERB CARP FISHING TIPS FROM LEWIS IN THIS ARTICLE ON 'LINERS'.
Free movement is the key
Adam Penning: Author, TV presenter and captor of big carp
“The main consideration with rigs is that they should be stiff enough to allow the bait to push away from the lead on the cast and so prevent tangles.
“The rig should also have enough stiffness to cause the carp instant problems when it picks up the bait, but this is where people can go wrong.
“Free movement in rigs is essential – it’s easy to tie a stiff rig that doesn’t allow the hook to turn fully and can be more readily ejected by the carp.
"Movement for the hook, so it can turn pretty much the full 360 degrees, ensures that no matter what angle the fish approach it from, they still get hooked.”
WANT MORE CARP TIPS FROM ADAM PENNING? TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ARTICLE.
Curve you shrink tube correctly
Scott Lloyd: Captor of some of the country’s biggest carp, including the Burghfield Common at more than 60lb
“For my favoured wafter presentation, I use a rig known as the Noodle.
"This setup incorporates a 2ins length of shrink tube, which in essence extends the shank of the hook.
"Once the tubing has been steamed over a kettle, I then use my thumb to create a slight curve in the end furthest from the hook.
"Avoid making this curve too aggressive as this will work against you by closing the gape of the hook and reducing the chances of it grabbing hold in the carp’s mouth.”
“When tying up pop-up rigs, like the Ronnie, I vary how much tungsten putty I add to the knot of the loop to determine the rate at which the pop-up sinks.
GET YOUR HANDS ON THE BEST POP-UPS IN THIS LATEST BUYER'S GUIDE.
Add putty to suit the lakebed
Oz Holness: Former holder of the British carp record
“If I’m fishing over silkweed, I want the pop-up critically balanced so that it sinks incredibly slowly.
"Doing this and pushing the top bead on my helicopter arrangement up the leader lets the rig settle gently on top of the weed.
Over baited, clean spots, I overweight the pop-up to pin it down on the harder areas and stop it moving around unnaturally.”
GET MORE TIPS FROM OZ HOLNESS IN THIS TACTICS ARTICLE.
Attach an anti-tangle sleeve
Kev Hewitt: Tackle shop manager and day-ticket carp expert
“One of the all-important aspects of the majority of the rigs that I use is the inclusion of a stiff streamliner rig boom.
“Having a stiff boom attached to the swivel emerging from the lead clip ensures that the rig kicks away from the lead in flight and while it falls through the water.
"This is fundamental in preventing the rig from tangling and also straightening the rig out once the lead hits the deck.”
LIKE FISHING SOLID BAGS? GET KEV HEWITT'S BEST TIPS FOR USING THEM.
Keep the curve in your chods
James Furness: Angling Times Editor
“For those who use chod or hinge stiff rigs, keeping the curve in the hook section is vital to their efficiency.
“Several products on the market – chod safes and bins – can aid this process. These can also be created at home with pipe insulator.
"Simply wrap your rig around it and apply steam to help set the curve.”
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