Top 5 Carp Rigs Every Angler Should Know

The right rig can turn a blank session into a PB day. Here are five must-know setups — plus tips on choosing the right carp hooks and hooklink materials for each.

1. Hair Rig

The foundation of modern carp fishing. Thread your boilie onto a hair below the hook. When the carp sucks in the bait, the hook follows naturally.

Best for: Bottom fishing with boilies, particles, or pellets. Pair with a Krank or Wide Gape hook and a coated hooklink for the best presentation.

2. Zig Rig

Carp don't always feed on the bottom. The zig rig suspends your bait at any depth — 2ft, 6ft, even 10ft off the deck.

Best for: Warm weather when carp cruise mid-water, clear waters where they're spooky.

Tip: Use buoyant artificial foam or pop-ups, black or yellow — visibility matters less than you think.

3. Chod Rig

Designed by Terry Hearn. The chod rig sits ON TOP of weed and debris, not in it. The hookbait rests on a short stiff link above a helicopter sleeve.

Best for: Weedy venues, silty bottoms, anywhere you need the bait visible.

4. Ronnie Rig

The "spinner rig" — a curved shank hook with a swivel that lets the hook rotate freely. Incredible hooking efficiency. Popularised by Nash Tackle.

Best for: Bottom baits, pop-up presentations, almost any situation.

5. Blowback Rig

A hair rig with the hair tied back through a ring on the hook shank. As the carp blows out the bait, the hair slides, resetting the hook in a better position.

Best for: Pressured fish, finicky feeders, winter fishing.

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Key Rules for All Rigs

• Sharp hooks: Replace after every fish or two — browse our PTFE-coated carp hooks for ultra-sharp, long-lasting points
• Match hook size to bait: 4-8 for boilies, 10-12 for particles
• Test your rig: Drop it in the margin — does it sit right?
• Keep it simple: Fancy doesn't equal effective

Need rig components? Browse our carp hooks, hooklinks and leaders, and artificial baits to build the perfect setup.