Rig guide · Beginner

Hair Rig: How to Tie and Fish It

The hair rig presents your bait on a short loop of line behind the hook instead of on the hook itself, so the hook stays free to turn and take hold when a carp sucks the bait in. It is the foundation of almost every modern carp rig and the right starting point for beginners.

Published by the GilledIt editorial team · Last reviewed 2026-07-07 · Part of the carp rig library

1. 1

   Tie the hair loop and mount the bait

   Tie a small overhand loop in the end of your hooklink, then use a baiting needle to pull the loop through your boilie and secure it with a bait stop. Doing the bait first makes setting the hair length far easier.

2. 2

   Thread the hooklink through the hook eye

   Pass the free end of the hooklink through the back of the hook eye, so the hair will sit on the inside of the shank.

3. 3

   Set the hair length

   Position the bait so it sits just behind the bend of the hook, with only a few millimetres of visible hair between bait and bend. Too long and a carp can eject the bait without the hook turning; too short and the hook has no room to move.

4. 4

   Whip down the shank

   Holding the hair in place along the shank, whip the hooklink down the shank 6 to 8 times in neat touching turns, trapping the hair as you go. This is the knotless knot.

5. 5

   Pass back through the eye and tighten

   Take the end back through the hook eye from the front, moisten the whipping, and pull everything tight with a slow, steady pull.

6. 6

   Attach the swivel and test

   Tie the other end of the hooklink to a size 8 swivel with a grinner knot or a figure-of-eight loop, add an anti-tangle sleeve if you use one, then drag the finished rig across your palm. A good hair rig flips over and pricks the skin almost immediately.

Hair Rig: common questions

How long should the hair be on a hair rig?

Long enough that the bait sits just behind the bend of the hook, typically with around 2 to 4mm of visible hair between the bait and the hook bend. Too long a hair lets the carp eject the bait without the hook making contact; too short and the hook cannot turn.

What hook size should I use for a hair rig?

Match the hook to the bait. A 15mm boilie pairs well with a size 6 wide gape hook, while smaller baits around 8 to 10mm suit a size 8 or 10. Oversized hooks on small baits look unnatural, and underpowered hooks on big baits can open out under pressure.

Who invented the hair rig?

Lenny Middleton and Kevin Maddocks developed the hair rig in 1979. By moving the bait off the hook and onto a fine hair, they left the hook free to flip and grab hold when a carp sucked the bait in. Almost every modern carp rig is built on that idea.

What is the best hooklink material for a hair rig?

A soft braided hooklink of around 10 to 15lb is the standard starting point because it lets the bait behave naturally. Coated braids add a little stiffness that helps avoid tangles, and you can strip the coating near the hook to keep the movement.

Does the hair rig only work for carp?

No. It was designed for carp but hair-rigged baits catch barbel, tench and big bream too. Any fish that feeds by sucking in food items can be caught on a hair rig, though hook and bait sizes need scaling to the species.