Let's tie a rig
Hair Rig Workshop: Tie Along Step by Step
Tie a simple hair rig with an interactive component checklist, illustrated steps, knot checks and saved progress. A beginner-friendly carp rig workshop.
Start here · 6 practical steps
Get your tackle ready
Let's tie a simple hair rig for a sinking bait. Lay the parts out beside your tackle box and work through the steps at your own pace. Start with the bait you're going to use, then set the hair to suit it. This is the same coated-braid version as the full guide, so you can switch between the two if you want a closer look.
Where to use it: For a confirmed clean patch with a sinking bait. Not a pop-up rig or a solution to deep weed. The example uses a size-6 hook and 20lb coated braid; venue restrictions and your actual bait still take priority.
New to this rig? Read the full simple hair rig guide first, or try the rig selector if you're still choosing.
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Work through your rig
Check the component list before starting. You can browse ahead without marking a step complete.
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Step 1 of 6
Prepare the hooklink
Cut about 30cm of coated braid so there is room for knots and trimming. Strip roughly 10–13cm at one end to leave a supple hair, the hook whipping and a small flexible section above the eye. Use a stripping tool and inspect the fibres in good light. Set out the hook, bait, stop and needle before picking up the hook.
Check before moving on
The exposed braid is intact, with no fuzzy, flattened or cut fibres.
Common mistake to avoid
Don't pull coating off with your teeth or keep braid damaged by the stripping tool.
Step 2 of 6
Make the hair and mount the bait
Double a short section of the stripped end to form a small loop, pass that doubled section through an overhand knot and draw it tight. Leave a short tag. Pierce the sinking boilie with the needle, catch the loop and draw the bait onto the hair. Put a bait stop through the loop and seat the bait against it. Keep the point of the needle away from your hand.
Check before moving on
The stop cannot pull through the bait and the loop is securely tied.
Common mistake to avoid
Don't set hair length using an empty loop and then discover your bait is too large.
Step 3 of 6
Set the bait-to-hook gap
Lay the hair down the back of the hook shank and hold the bait below the bend. About 5–10mm of clear space is a starting point, not a fixed measurement for every bait. Pass the long working end through the eye so it leaves towards the hook point. Hold the hair in position while checking that the bait cannot mask the point or fill the gape.
Check before moving on
The hair runs behind the shank and the hook point and gape are clear.
Common mistake to avoid
A bigger gap is not automatically better. Adjust for the actual hook and bait, not an assumed universal size.
Step 4 of 6
Tie and bed down the knotless knot
Holding the hair steady, make approximately seven to nine adjacent turns of the working end around the shank and hair, moving towards the bend. Start away from the hook eye's join and keep turns neat rather than overlapping. Return the working end through the eye so it exits on the hook-point side. Moisten and draw down evenly; stop before the wraps extend unnecessarily around the bend.
Check before moving on
The turns sit neatly, the hair is not trapped across the gape and the finished hooklink leaves the eye towards the point.
Common mistake to avoid
Front and back are easy to confuse when turning the hook. Use the point-side exit as your reference and remake crossed wraps.
Step 5 of 6
Finish the hooklink and connect the lead system
For a compatible quick-change connection, slide the anti-tangle sleeve onto the hooklink first, then tie a figure-of-eight loop. Aim for roughly 15–20cm finished length on this clean-bottom example. Seat the loop on the swivel and fully cover the crook with the sleeve. If your complete system requires a direct knot to its supplied swivel, use that specified connection instead; don't force a replacement swivel into a clip.
Check before moving on
The loop is seated, the crook is covered and the connection matches the lead-system instructions. Test every knot with rig pullers.
Common mistake to avoid
A neat-looking knot can still slip. Moisten, bed down and pull-test it; remake any damaged or slipping connection.
Step 6 of 6
Water-test and check the complete setup
Lower the actual baited rig into clear water and watch it settle. The hook point and gape must remain unobstructed. Recheck after the bait has soaked. Separately verify the complete manufacturer's lead arrangement and what can release after a main-line break, including knots, tubing and any leader. Check venue rules and have your net, wet mat and unhooking tools ready. If any part is uncertain, ask the fishery team or an experienced angler before casting.
Check before moving on
I have tested the connections and bait presentation, checked the line-break escape path and confirmed the venue rules. A tick records my check, not a safety certification.
Common mistake to avoid
Don't test hook sharpness on your skin or cast an untested setup into weed or snags. Repeat checks after damage, a fish or a bait change.
Check the whole setup before fishing
Stick to the version shown while you're learning, and follow the instructions supplied with your tackle. If a knot slips, a part doesn't fit or you're unsure what releases after a break, stop and ask an experienced angler to have a look. Check the fishery rules and the swim too; finishing the steps here can't do those jobs for you.
Need a closer look at a knot? Try our fishing knots guide. The beginner rig guide will help you compare this rig with the other options.
Manufacturer guides
Workshop prepared 21 September 2026. Manufacturer demonstrations may show a different version. Check compatibility before swapping knots, crimps or lead components between setups.