Hair Rig Lenghts?

[Quest]

Does it make a difference on the length of the hair rig? Not the hair but from the hook to the swivel.

 

Tight Lines

 

Quest

[Newt]

Yes it does.

[coxy]

Yeah it does i always fish short hooklengths when im using bottm baits as i think you get better hooking potential. I use a longer hooklength with pop-ups.

[RUDD]

When a carp takes a bottom bait it takes a movement of 6 - 8 inches as to pivot back into its horizontal swimming position.

A carp with its head down in hoover mode will move its head from side to side in an arch of between 3 and 5 inches.

Carp can pick up a bait (sometimes even the whole lead) and put it back down without so much of a twitch on the bite indication system (backleads, leadcore and weighted tubing hinder bite indication).

With the above in mind hooklength length is a critical factor of you rig.

 

I fish 99% of the time with pva bags and

I use lengths of around six inches down to an inch if I am using a nash limpet.

[steve17]

i do agree the theory works but have still caught with lengths of upto 12" maybe the fact i use braid as a hooklength fools the fish because it is supple and soft to the feel. i am not sure of this but the longer rigs have caught in the past, as have short ones, il leave it to everyone else to explain why.

[waddis]

I have started using hooklengths of between 2 inches to 4 inches and have found that i have been getting more indication.

[Quest]

Braid or Mono then?????

[waddis]

Soft braid with heat shrink tubing to enhance the hooking ability.

[Gaffer]

Hooklink length and material really does depend on the make-up of the lakebed and desired hookbait presentation.

 

For instance, if fishing on a gravel lakebed then I'd use (as a starting point) a supple hooklink material, such as braid, to allow the hooklink to 'drape' over the gravel.

 

If I was fishing on/in silt, then I'd use a long and supple hooklink to allow for the lead to sink into the silt and still present the bait in a natural manner, whereas a stiff-link could point upwards, vertically, with the hookbait 2-3 inches off the lakebed.

 

If I was fishing on a nice clean lakebed then I may use a short stiff-rig or a short braid hooklink of about 4 inches in length.

 

These are just a few examples of different hooklinks for differing situations, which, if you think about it, will differ from swim to swim, let alone water to water. What might work on your water may not work on my local water.

Always have an open mind and never use just one hooklink length or material for all waters, swims or situations.

 

Hope that helps.

[Andi]

For me its long hooklinks (12"+) with free running leads and slack lines (hanging off the rod tip) and short hooklinks (below 6") with fixed lead rigs and when fishing at long range, its also worth considering the depth you are fishing in as well as this can cause problems dependant on hooklink materials used.