|
The Length of Carp Rig Hook Links
The length of the hook link
will need to be different for many carp fishing situations. It’s not just a
case of tying on any old carp rig and hoping for the best. I think it’s
important to think about the fishing situation and then adapt the
length of
the rig to suit that specific situation. It is also a good idea to spend
some time looking in the margins to see how carp feed in the lake you’re
fishing. Not all strains of carp feed the same way, and there are clear
differences between fish in the same lake.
How Long Should I Make The Hook Link?
Normally I would use shorter
rigs if fishing over a heavily baited area. This is because carp have less
distance to move before finding another bait, so a short link will allow the
hook to hit the weight of the lead sooner and helping to set the hook.
Anything from 2 inches to 5 inches would be ok for fishing over beds of
bait.
 When fishing
single hook bait tactics, or with a couple of stringers, I
generally use longer rigs from 8 inches right up to 18 inches in length. The
longer links have more natural movement and I find they produce more takes.
However, it’s important to have some kind of stiff link material somewhere
on the rig set up in order to limit any
possible tangles. Long braided hook
links are much more likely to tangle unless placed in a PVA bag or used with
any other technique for stopping potential tangles.
Usually on pressured waters, it is often best to use longer hook links and
fishing rigs. The more cautious a carp feeds, the longer the hook link needs
to be. I remember reading an article by Lee Jackson, in which he discussed
how the carp in a very well-known pit used to tackle rigs. He stated that
they seemed to pin their lips to the bottom, and around the target bait, and
only then attempt to suck the boilie up. If the bait was attached to a rig,
the link would be trapped between the lake bed and the carp’s lips, which
meant that the bait couldn’t be sucked into the back of the mouth. This was
the way the bigger carp in the lake was “testing” rigs to avoid capture, and
possibly one of the reasons why that particular gravel pit was known to be
difficult.
In a situation where carp are testing baits as in the story above, you need
to create a rig to suit the way they feed which will fool the carp. This is
one reason why I like to use long supple braids wrapped and coiled up inside
PVA bags, and then fill the bag full of small pellets. As a cautious feeder
sucks at the group of bait, the link uncoils and extends right back into the
carp’s mouth. Small pellets are used so they are light and won’t trap the
movement of the braid as the fish sucks at the food. I have caught numerous
big carp using this
method, and with longer hook links than normal.
I have found that longer hook links are better for catching bigger carp. A
longer link gives more natural movement and so has the potential to fool the
bigger fish into taking the bait. Another reason why I believe longer rigs
may work well is that bigger carp usually have larger bellies which hang
down, and this means it’ll have to up-end further when feeding to avoid
catching its huge belly on the bottom. Once it has picked up the hook bait,
it needs to straighten up again to sample it. The extra length needed for a
big carp to pick a boilie up and straighten means that longer links would
better suit the way this large carp feeds. Also, some large carp suck up
food items from a further distance, in some cases up to 4 inches away, a
longer link will have the ability to extend and reach to the back of the
mouth allowing more room for the hook to turn and grab hold.
Types of Lake Bed to Suit Length of Links
If you fish in silt, or
silkweed, then the hook links should generally be longer. If the
lead sinks
into the bottom or drops through the weed bed, the hook bait can still rest
nicely on top for a good bait presentation. A longer link decreases the
chance that the boilie will be dragged into weed.
If fishing in-between weed beds on small, clear patches, then I would
recommend using shorter rig lengths as a longer link may cause the lead to
land on the clear gravel but the hook caught up hanging in weed and exposing
the lines.
On gravel I would say it doesn’t matter too much about the length of rigs.
The main thing is to make sure all the line is pinned down on the bottom.
The last thing you want on a flat gravel patch is to have the carp bumping
their fins into your line.
Tactics for Finding idea
Hook Link Length
Another way to find out
what’s the best hook link length to use is to try various sizes of the same
carp rig on different rods whilst fishing for carp. If a certain length on
one rod outperforms the other two, then change the other rods over to the
length that’s producing the most runs. As a general guide, if the hook is
positioned on the edge of the lips when you catch a carp, then the link may
be too short. If the hook position is in the middle of the bottom lip, or an
inch or two further back in the carp’s mouth, then it is the correct length!
One final point I would like to make about the length of fishing rigs.
Always try to find out what many of the other anglers are using on the lake,
and then create a carp rig with a different length to the “norm”. Carp will
often adapt to rigs, and this also means they’ll learn how to deal with a
certain length of hook link. Using a different length, or type of rig, to
what other anglers are using means you’ll often be one step ahead of the
carp in your local water!
Applying a New Carp Bait
Fishing for Carp in Rivers
Locating
Big Carp in the Spring
Carp
Location in the Summertime
Finding
Large Carp in the Cold Winter
Location
of Most Carp in Autumn
The
Case for Quality Carp Bait
Fishing Tactics for Snags & Trees
Boilie Placement on the Hair rig
Different types of carp rigs to use
Attempting to Catch Wary Carp
A Carp's Digestive System in Detail
Common
Baiting Tactics When Fishing
The Various Carp Bait
used to Catch Bigger Carp
When to use Pop-ups or Bottom Bait for Carp Fishing
How to
complete a Baiting
Campaign on Lakes & Ponds
The
Basic Carp Fishing
Baits Used to Catch Large Carp
Fishing Tactics when Fishing for Carp during Long-stay Sessions
Advice & Articles on How to Fish for Big Carp
|
