Fishing for carp has become more specialized over the years as the carp themselves have become "smarter." There are new technologies for creating carp rigs, from special lines to different types of bait. Carp feed on various prey depending on their environment, such as lake conditions, food availability, source of food, time of day and season. Once you understand how the carp in a specific place feed, you will be better able to design a carp rig and bait specific to that fishing area, such as the hair rig explained below.
1Attach a thin 25- to 30-lb (11.3 to 13.6 kg) test super braid, or "hair," to the end of your hook or combination hooks using a smell knot (see instructions below), leaving a bit of line at the end of the knot.
2Attach the bait to the loop on the end of the hair rig using a bait needle.
3Place some packing or other buoyant material between pieces of bait to keep the bait off the lake bottom.
4Insert a piece of material, such as a pine needle, onto the loop to stop the bait from slipping.
1Thread the end of the line through the hook eye.
2Thread the line through a second time the same way, making a loop.
3Hold the eye and both threaded lines.
4Wrap the loop around the hook several times.
5Pull the end of the line sticking out of the wrapped portion to tighten the loop.
6Tighten by lubricating and pulling both ends of the line for a regular hook or leave a small loop for bait on the carp rig.
Questions and Answers
Give us 3 minutes of knowledge!
- Try to match the components of the rig with the color of the lake bed for camouflage.
- Make sure that the rig stays firmly on the lake bottom.
- Keep the rigs as simple as possible. The most important thing the carp should see or smell is the bait, not the hook or rest of the rig.
- Carp feed by taking bait to the backs of their mouths, which means that the hook has to be a distance away from the bait to stick the mouth. The bait must be appetizing and the hook must not be detected. It should also be difficult for the fish to spit out if it doesn't like the bait or becomes suspicious.
- Adapt the rig and bait to both the venue and feeding changes. You may need to change rigs during fishing because of changes in habits and movement.
Things You'll Need
- Fishing hook or hooks
- 25- to 30-lb (11.3 to 13.6 kg) test super braid (fishing line)
- Bait needle or modified crochet hook
- Buoyant material for sandwiching the bait
- Material for keeping bait in place (such as a pine needle)