Carp is one of the favorite games for many anglers. Their size, strength, and availability make it fun to catch carp. For a successful and enjoyable carp fishing session, it is important to use the best carp rig.
There are a lot of factors that determine which carp rig is best for carp fishing at a particular point in time. These factors include location, the season as well as the kind of fishing terrain.
Choosing the best carp rig can be a bit difficult. This is why we have listed the five best carp fishing rigs that work regardless of carp species.
Items That You Need To Make The Best Rig for Carping
You need a couple of tools to make a rig. The rig tackle that you have available will determine how reliable your rig is, so it is best to have all the essential tools.
We have highlighted some of these tools as well as their uses below.
- Tackle Box: A tackle box is required for organization and safekeeping. With a tackle box, you can store all your tools in an orderly manner. This will save you the time and energy needed to be searching for tools.
- Hooks: Carp fishing hooks are important for catching carp, so it is necessary to use the right one to get the desired result. There are different types of hooks and they all serve different purposes.
- The circle hook is a popular choice and is suitable for beginners.
- For pop-up rigs, it is best to use wide gap hooks.
- Long shank rigs work well with bottom baits like tiger nuts and corn, while hooks that come with the eyes pointed outwards are perfect for chod rigs.
- If you are fishing in a weedy area, a hook with a straight point is a great option.
- Hook Link: The hook link is part of your fishing line between the hook and the mainline. The type of hook link material that you use is dependent on your rig setup. Mono or coated braid works for multi-rig. Braids are best when fishing a PVA bag. Other options to explore are fluorocarbon and super lines.
- Bait Needle and Bait Stops: These tools are crucial to setting up your bait properly. The bait needle is responsible for piercing bait in order to attach them to your rig. Bait stops, on the other hand, help in keeping hook bait in place on the rig.
- Swivel and Links: Swivels are helpful in preventing your fishing line from tangling, so it is important to have them. The function of links is for attaching weights to the line.
- Scissors: Making a rig requires a lot of cutting, so you definitely want to have a pair of scissors in your tackle box.
- Knot Puller: This tool is used to tighten the knots in your rig. Having this in your tackle box will ensure that you make firm rigs.
Other items include shrink tubes, putty, lead, weight, clips, as well as tail rubber for fixed rigs.
Five Best Rigs for Carp Fishing
Now that we have gone through the essential tools for making a rig, we can discuss the five best rigs for carp fishing.
1. The Simple Hair Rig
The simple hair rig is one of the most common carp fishing rigs used by carp anglers. A hair rig is a versatile rig that can be used in a lot of fishing conditions.
It is very easy to make and can be used with different types of baits, making it a great choice for beginners. A bottom bait rig and hair rig work well with small bait like boilies and corn.
These two baits can also be combined on the rig. Below is a guide on how to make a simple hair rig.
- Get a braided hook link of about 14 inches. Take off the coating from the last 3 inches at the end of the link. Proceed to make an overhand knot at the end of the link, making sure to pull the line from the back to the front of the hook eye.
- Follow this up by tying a knotless knot. Six wraps are okay for the purpose of a simple hair rig. After tying, pull the line from the back to the front of the hook eye.
- Install a shrink tube over the shank, hair, and eye.
- Finish it up by tying the eight knot. Do this near the end of the line to allow you to add lead. Once this is done, you can fix your bait and commence fishing.
2. The Classic Pop Up Rig
The classic pop up rig gets its name from pop up boilies, as it works best with this bait. It is also suitable for other buoyant baits and is a great choice for beginners.
For lake beds with debris, the pop up rig is the best rig. The classic rig is quite similar to the simple hair rig in set-up. Below is a guide on how to make a classic pop up rig.
- Get a braided line of about 12 inches. Take off the coating from the last two inches and make a small loop. Attach a boilie to the loop.
- Make a knotless knot of about 6 wraps, ensuring that the boilie is centered across the hook bend.
- Install shrink tube over the shank and hair
- Tie the eight knot at the end of the rig, in order to add the lead.
- Balance the rig making use of warmed-up putty and a blob.
3. The Chod Rig
The chod rig is not as popular as the two rigs that have been previously mentioned. It is, however, an efficient rig that can be used on almost any surface.
A short and stiff hook length is needed to set up a chod rig.
- Get a hook link and put it through the outer of the hook eye by passing it through the inner.
- Attach the hook by using a knotless knot. Be sure to leave about three inches of hair, which you will attach rig rings onto.
- Pass the hair to the inner side of the hook eye through the outer.
- To secure the ring, heat up the end of the line with a lighter. This will make a blob that will keep the rig ring secure.
- Finish up by tying a swivel to form a short hook link. Simply tie the eight knots to form a loop.
4. The Multi Rig
This rig gets its name from the fact that it is multi-purpose. A multi-rig is regarded as a classic rig due to its reliability in every condition.
The versatility of multi rigs makes it a must-have in your rig wallet. Below is a guide on how to make a multi-rig.
- Form eight loops at one end of a braided line of 14 inches.
- Form another eight loops at the other end of the line. Make sure that the loop is smaller than the first one.
- Take off the coating at the end of the larger loop, up to about 3 inches.
- Install a hook bead on the shank using a size eight hook. Follow this by pulling the larger loop through the hook eye before placing a bait screw or swivel there.
- After doing this, pull the larger loop over the end of the hook before pulling it down to tighten it to the hook bead.
- Attach your bait to the swivel. Finish up by warming up some rig putty and adding it to the big loop.
5. The Ronnie Rig
Also known as the spinner rig, the ronnie rig is the best rig when it comes to freely rotating bait. This rig is great for use in areas with gravel or light weed. Below is a guide on how to make a ronnie rig.
- Get a braided line of about 8 inches long. Bend it in half, and put a rig ring over it. Proceed to pull the hook point through the bent end and down below the ring to the hook shank.
- Pull the ends of the line through the hook eyes, making sure to take it from back to front. Create a knotless knot of about 6 to 8 wraps around the hook, using one end of the line. After doing this, pull the end through the hook eye once again, taking it from back to front.
- Using a lighter, make a blob on the end of the line. Then install a shrink tube over the knot and the hook shank.
- Tie a swivel to the other end of the line, making use of three granny knots. Then, install a shrink tube over the swivel as well.
- Round up by adding a bait and hook length.
Making a ronnie rig can be tricky, so it is best to watch ronnie rig videos to perfect it.
Conclusion
As a carp angler, it is important that you are able to make your own rigs. This is due to the change in fishing conditions all through the year.
The effectiveness of your rig is determined by your rig presentation, so it is essential that you use suitable rigs for different terrains.
Always ensure to use the appropriate equipment and baits to guarantee the success of your fishing trip.
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