ASK THE EXPERTS
Dear Panel,
Just recently I have noticed an increasing trend to have the Hair coming off the hook further down the hook, even on the bend. For many years the advice has been to have the Hair coming off around halfway down the shank. Is the new trend better, an improvement in some circumstances, or are people just doing something a bit different?
Many thanks,
Martin Woodall,
Runcorn
Cheshire.
Hi Martin,
Now this is a very interesting question. Some time ago I was on the bank doing a magazine feature and I wrote about my concerns regarding some of the so-called advances in rig construction, or, more precisely, the point at which the Hair comes off the hook. It is not for me to pour scorn on what others are doing, but here are my thoughts.
My preferred hooking arrangements. Simple, but so effective.
You use the word ‘trend’ to describe the rig that sees the Hair coming off the hook on the bend. And that, I fear, is all it is. I cannot for the life of me see how this setup will aid the hooking of a carp. It is hard to test something with any great accuracy when it is not being used in the situation for which it was intended, but I have shown so many people the results of my tests, and all have concluded that it is not as effective as a more normal setup. Try it for yourself. Set up one of the new rigs, and attach a hookbait. Now try to move the hookbait backwards without the hook being drawn upwards and out of what would be the carp’s mouth. The hook is being drawn away from its intended target. It simply doesn’t function as I would want.
The original Hair was tied on the bend of the hook. It didn’t take long for anglers to discover there were better places to put it!
There is little doubt that the ‘Hair on the bend’ rig has caught carp, but I can’t see the benefits. A rig that allows for the maximum hookbait and hook separation (depending on the situation being fished) allows the hook far more chance to find a hold. For this reason I always use a setup with the Hair coming off halfway down the shank with a fairly long Hair, and sometimes I like it even nearer to the eye. The angle that is created is far more aggressive and, in my book, far more likely to find its mark. Much of carp fishing revolves around individual confidence, Martin. Find out for yourself what works and what doesn’t, and then, like me, you will probably be using that setup in 10 years’ time.
I saw this 21lb common pick up my standard rig. No need to change for a while, methinks.
Hope I’ve helped.
Chilly
