Hi guys, here in England the hair rig is regarded

[fishingjack]

Hi guys,
here in England the hair rig is regarded as very important. Most carp fishermen will think you are crazy not to use it.

I'm just wondering if this has kind of become indoctrination in England.

Do many of you guys use hair rigs?

Is anyone here catching fish and not using hair rigs?

I'd just like an unbiased opinion on the technique.

Thanks

 

[MadCarper]

Fishingjack. You'll probably find that 80% of carp anglers use more conventional rigs where the hook is pushed through the bait and a method bomb of some sorts is used. The remaining 20% (if that many) use hair rigs.

 

[fishingjack]

MadCarper wrote:

Fishingjack. You'll probably find that 80% of carp anglers use more conventional rigs where the hook is pushed through the bait and a method bomb of some sorts is used. The remaining 20% (if that many) use hair rigs.

Thanks,

yes my normal technique is a feeder/bomb with liquidised bread. Flavoured with all kinds of things. For the hook bait I use sweetcorn or flavoured bread dough/paste.

I havent caught anything yet but I think the weather has made fishing difficult.

 

[willem wikkel spies]

make no mistake, in that the hair rig is very good
but we normally use the old way and still manage to catch fish

 

[Cheetha FS]

Hair riggs are used mainly to catch the big and very clever carp in our waters. The braid makes it inposable for them to detect a threat and they will feed easier. Also the whe use big boilies on the rig so that the small carp wont be able to pick up the bait.

 

[Jake the Snake]

Hi Fishing Jack

I think the main thing to remember is what do the fish normally or usually feed on. In SA 90% of the fishing done at re done the conventional way with our type of traces i.e. slyding rietvlei with mielie bom ext.

Thus the fish are used to feeding this way and it is very difficult to go to any venue and fishing with boilies tygers or maple peas.
It is very difficult to get the fish biting on boilies ext if they are not used to it or havent ever been introduced to it. Thus at our provisial and national bank angling trails the guys will never fish boilies or hair rigs.

IF the fish are conditioned to feed that way, i.e. like in your country where 99.5 of your fishing is done with either hair rigs or spinners/ pole fishing, you will find it difficult to fish our way as they tend to be used to feeding on boilies ext.

My advice is keep fishing our method at one spot for a few month, making a feeding spot or "kol" as we call it, and see if it works.
My advise is get you ground feed right first and work from there.

 

[Naruto]

I would love to come over there and join you in a few sessions. Could be very interesting...

 

[fishingjack]

Naruto wrote:

I would love to come over there and join you in a few sessions. Could be very interesting...

It certainly would be Naruto. I know from your posts on here that your a very accomplished carp angler. The only fishing I ever used to do was some pike fishing in England and carp/catfish fishing in Thailand. UK carp fishing is totally new to me.

In Thailand a line and a hook is about as complex as it gets. Sometimes a feeder or sinker too.

I am told by all Anglers that  have spoken to on the lake that the carp just aren't playing ball. Other nearby lakes are showing lots of catches. These lakes tend to be bigger and deeper. Something about that must be having an effect?

 

[fishingjack]

Saw a friend last week who was back in town for the weekend. He couldn't believe I hadn't caught a fish yet. About a month trying now. So we went fishing together for 4 hours. He was sure we'd catch. He even caught last time he fished there and that was in winter, so no easy task.
I got him to setup one rod and I did the other. He thought I wasn't catching because of the hooks. So we did hair rigs with Boilies, trout pellets, hemp seeds and corn. I decided to go completely UK conventional to see what would happen. Before I mainly used bread with my own flavours added. Now I've bulk bought pellets. They certainly seem to get fish in the area. Supposedly because most hatchery fish here are raised on pellets.
Anyway we didn't catch and in the week since that I've used hair rigs every time still no fish are biting. It's really tough here. The weather is mad too. A months worth of rain in the week and temperatures well below average. It's like march, not June. Now its warm again but thundery showers and lots of rainy days. The river that feeds the lake is high and flowing in a lot. Whatever that might do?
Still the other day in the bit of sun and with polarised glasses I could see fish within feet of my baits. They were even making splashes on the surface which is rare. If there was no sun you'd swear the lake was empty. The fish are so stealthy. Still no takes. This carp fishing is mad. Months going by without a fish seems to be the norm in the UK. bw_l_)

 

[DocPhil]

Since I've switched to hair rigs exclusively here in Australia my catches have been fewer but much bigger fish, and consistently so. Everyone around me may be nailing the 1-3kg fish but I would be the only one with 1/2 a dozen over 5kg at the end of the day. Just an observation.

 

[fishingjack]

Thanks DocPhil,
It may well be selective. Bigger fish having bigger mouths and being more prone to hooking by hair rigs than their smaller brothers and sisters.
You do find that in Thai fishing bread on the hook caches a lot more smaller stripped catfish and an unbaited hook catches more bigger siamese carp and mekong catfish.

If these fish ever start biting I will see if I can replicate your findings.

Thanks