What rig for fishing a drop-off or the bottom of a shelf?
Bailiff's answer, from the Carp Army rig library and what members have caught on.
Bailiff says: The hair rig
A drop-off or the base of a shelf is a natural feeding zone where carp patrol and clean bottom baits sit perfectly. The classic hair rig is the reliable all-rounder for presenting a bottom bait on this clean, defined feature.
Tweaks
- Size 6 wide gape hook
- Hooklink around 8 inches
- Use a 2.5oz lead to grip the slope
The hair rig
The rig everything else grew from. A bottom bait on a hair off a wide gape hook, on a supple braided hooklink.
Parts
Wide gape hook, size 4 to 6
Coated braid hooklink, 20lb
Shrink tube, small
Hair stops
Size 8 ring swivel
Lead clip and tail rubber
3oz flat pear lead
Bottom bait boilie, 15 to 18mm
How to tie it
- Cut 25cm of hooklink and strip 2cm of coating from one end.
- Tie a small overhand loop in the stripped end for the hair.
- Thread the hook on and set the hair so the bait sits just off the bend, then whip a knotless knot with seven turns.
- Steam a piece of shrink tube over the eye so the hook turns.
- Tie a figure-of-eight loop at the other end and attach to the swivel with a quick link.
- Mount the bait on a baiting needle and stop it with a hair stop.
Your swim is different?
Describe it and Bailiff picks for that.