Fishing Hooks and Rigs part 1

This blog is part one of a step through guide to the hooks that i use for my carp fishing in South Australia.

The first hook is a coated flat forged size 6 short shank curve hook. It is one of the most popular carp fishing hook patterns in the UK and in Europe.

i tend to use this hook when carp fishing in the margins and short casting distances combined with a braided hook-link and P.V.A mesh or bags although it is still a very good hook pattern for use with mono-filament.

This is step by step of how to create a basic braided rig for use with “maize” which is one of the most common baits used for carp fishing.

So starting with around 35 - 40 cm of soft 30lb / 13.5kg braid, i tie a small loop in one end.

Push the bait needle through the 3 peices of maize.

Pull the maize onto the braid using the bait needle.

Apply the bait stop.

Thread on the hook from the back of the hook eye.

Tie "knot-less knot" down the shank of the hook - approximately 8 turns and back through the eye towards the front.

Check that the hook hangs downward when the bait is picked up.

Tie a connection loop in the other end, and the rig is ready to go.

This rig can also be tied the same way using coated braid and mono-filament line, however the mono-filament line will require steaming over a kettle to set the angle that the line exits the hook or by using a small piece of silicone rig tube.

so to tie this rig using mono-filament, the process is the same as before. Starting with around 40 cm of 15lb monofilament line, tie a small loop in the end.

Pull the maize onto the line and apply the bait stop.

Thread on the hook and tie the "knot-less knot".

You will now see that the line exits the eye of the hook very aggressively.

So thread on 1cm of silicone rig tube.

Push the rig tube over the eye of the hook to correct the angle of the line.

Tie a loop in the end of the rig for completion.

Join me again next time for a different hook pattern and bait. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

I like the detailed pictures, that looks like a great technique. I'm looking forward to fishing on the lake this summer :)

Thanks mate :) Good look on the lake, hope you get the one your chasing.

Great guide, like the details you went too. I personally like to make my own rigs too. Making the rig is half the fun of fishing :D

Very interesting rig there, esecially the use of the maize. I use Green Giant corn for trout sometimes and it works great. We used to fish it under a bobber for trout all the time. We'd get bites on it when nothing else was working.

I am kind of curious about why you put the bait lower than the bare hook. I assume that the carp sucks up the bait and that places the hook right on the fish's lips.

Corn is an excellent bait for the smaller carp, i use maize as it is a lot harder and is more resilient to to crayfish etc. Yes carp suck in the bait, a lot of fish without teeth do. Carp have teeth in the back of their throat where they can chew up very hard baits eg snails - nuts - crayfish shells etc so they tend to suck the bait deep into their mouths. By not putting bait on the hook, the "hooking" ability is not only magnified, but helps keep the hook to catch neatly in the bottom lip - Also if hard baits are used directly on the hook, they can prevent the hook from working properly and the likely outcome would be to pull the bait out of the fishes mouth or the fish would just spit the bait and hook back out without getting a hook hold.

We can’t fish with corn anymore. Not even for trout. The fish cops get mad and will charge you a fine.
Very awesome knots and set up 💗👌

Don't worry if you cant fish on corn or maize etc there are lots of other baits that you can fish on the hair rig. You could also try Cheese, bread, meats ect there are hundreds of variations of baits you could use. My most successful bait still in testing is Vegemite and garlic boiled bait rolled into little balls.

How would this work with a steel leader for pike? 🤔
My gears are a turnin’ now.
Thanks man!

If your pike fishing with wire trace and trebles, then you would normally be using dead bait i.e other small fish. Lamprey is a great bait for pike, especially popped up several inches off the bottom.

Pretty neat way of doing it. No carp where I live, but when I fish with others, no matter how long they have fished for, many of them always ask how to set up their bait/rig. This is a helpful article for those who aren't super avid fishermen.