How to tie a hair rig for carp, barbel and other species

Welcome to our guide to making a hair rig.
The hair rig was originally designed for carp fishing, but it is a great rig for other species, including catfish, barbel and more.

In this section we will take you through, with the aid of diagrams, how to make a simple hair rig using a tried and tested method.

How to tie the hair rig loop.

This loop is very simple to tie and can be done very quickly after a bit of practise. The size of the loop is important, try and avoid making the loop too large. For best results a length of braid should be used instead of monofilament line, braid is available at all good fishing tackle shops.

note: In our diagrams we have exaggerated the size of the knots and loops for visual purposes. Always try and keep your knots as tight and neat as possible.

Take a length of braid (or monofilament fishing line of braid not available) around 18 inches long. The first step is to double the line and form a small loop as shown in fig 1.1.

Next form a larger loop as shown in figure 1.2.

Now pass the small looped end through the large loop twice as seen in fig 1.3.

Next wet the line and pull the line until you have secured the small loop. Finally trim the excess line close to the knot you just created (see fig 1.4). The size of the loop will depend on the size of the bait you are intending to fish with.

Tying the hair rig to the hook.

First pass the small loop through the eye from the front of the hook, see fig 1.5. The amount of line to leave will dictate how far the loop hangs down from the bottom of the hook, again the length required will depend on bait size.

Position the line down the back of the hook leaving the required distance from the bottom of the hook (fig 1.6).

Ideally you want your bait hanging just underneath your hook, if you have the intended bait handy then placing it up against the bottom of the hook will give you an idea of the length required.

The next step is vital and should be done with care. Starting just below the eye of the hook wrap the free end of the line around the hook 5 times, working down the shank as you wind. Ensure the line is nice and tight against the shank of the hook and the winds are close together and neat (fig 1.7).

When you are happy with the position of the turns pass the line back through the eye, this time pass it from the back of the hook (fig 1.8).

The final step is to pull the line tight and attach the end of the line to a swivel. The length you leave between the hook and the swivel should be between 8 inches and 18 inches. if you need help with tying the swivel see our guide to tying a hook and just follow the same procedure but with your swivel instead of a hook.

How to tie a hair rig for carp, barbel and other species

How to tie the hair rig loop.

Tying the hair rig to the hook.

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