How To Tie Hair Rigs For Carp Fishing

A Step By Step Guide On Tying A Hair Rig

Hair rigs were initially designed for Carp fishing in the late seventies by Len Middleton and Kevin Maddocks two well known UK carp anglers. It has been said the initial idea in mind was to present the bait in such a manner that no matter what type of bait was being used. The bait would not mask the hook and therefore increase the chances of hook penetration. This initial theory indeed proved correct and to this day the theory and method is still used by most of the world’s top carp anglers.

Since the hair rig was first designed there are many other benefits which have come to the fore which have helped to make the hair rig one of the carp fisherman’s deadliest weapons. Anyone new to carp fishing may find the concept of fishing with a hook with no bait on, secured by a knotless knot totally alien, a bit of faith is required here because the simple hair rig has probably accounted for more carp over the years than any other carp rig. So if you are not using this method you are missing out on fish big time. It just offers so much in the way of bait presentation and increased hook ups.

Most carp hooked on this rig are usually hooked through the bottom lip which is actually safer for the fish. One of the main benefits of the hair rig is the ability to present to the fish hard baits such as boilies which can be mounted on the hair rig using a baiting needle. Particle baits are another bait which can be used successfully with this rig again with the use of a baiting needle. These baits presented this way have  often tempted the wariest of fish to a take when many other methods have failed.

Although it can be a bit fiddly at first to tie, after a few practice runs the hair rig will become second nature to tie. And just like any other knot you tie when fishing, after a few times you will be able to tie them in your sleep. Over the years there have been many variations on this rig as carp anglers experimented. Some have stood the test of time and if used in the right situations can be deadly, others have fallen by the wayside. My take on all this is try and keep your rigs as simple as possible, don't try the latest craze just for the sake of it. We will discuss the merits of some of these on other pages on this website. 

The photographs included in this article show a step by step guide on how to tie a basic hair rig for carp fishing. Although there are many variations on this basic rig we will cover them and their uses in the carp fishing rigs section on this site. But for now let’s get going but before we start, it’s probably easiest to start with the biggest hook you have until you have practiced a few times and are able to get it down pat.