The all-time best rigs for carp fishing

Whether you are new to carp fishing or have fished for them for decades, in the last ten years or so, rig development has changed dramatically and they are certainly more technical than they ever were, but more carp are being caught because of it.

The influx of manufacturers into the carp scene has made lots of intricate items of tackle available to the modern day angler, which has thankfully made tying a perfect carp rig, easier than ever. It can be confusing with every angler seemingly using a different rig, but if you stick with the tried and tested favourites in this guide, you will land far more carp than ever before!

On all of these rigs, you can adapt the way the hookbait is mounted, choose different hooklink materialsto suit the lakebed and vary what hooks you use, to find something that suits you, and more importantly, puts more carp in your net as a result!

YOU NEED THE BEST CARP REELS TO BE ABLE TO LAND ALL THE BIG CARP THESE RIGS WILL HOOK...

The Ronnie rig

After exploding onto the carp scene a few years ago, the Ronnie Rig, also known as the Spinner Rig, has become one of the most popular setups in carp fishing. Not only is it incredibly easy to tie, but it’s also highly versatile, working effectively over various lakebeds and baiting situations. Additionally, it excels at hooking carp securely, with very few fish managing to shake it off once hooked.

The rig can be used with pop-ups, wafters, particle baits like nuts, and bottom baits. One of its biggest advantages is the ability to change the hook quickly, allowing you to adapt to different feeding situations with minimal effort. By pre-tying a few boom sections and keeping them on your rods, you can simply attach a hook upon arrival at the lake, making the rig instantly ready while also saving money on expensive hooklink materials.

IF YOU NEED MORE ADVICE ON FISHING WITH THE RONNIE RIG, IAN RUSSELL EXPLAINS ALL...

D-Rig

The D-rig rose to fame through Korda’s underwater videos, thanks to its exceptional hook-to-land ratio, put simply this rig excels at converting bites, making it a firm favourite among many anglers.

There are two main ways to tie this rig. One option is to use a wide-gape hook pattern and form a small D on the back, similar to a Chod rig and the other is to use a curved-style hook, creating a D that extends up the shank. While both versions work, the curved hook variation is my preferred choice, as it significantly reduces hook pulls and provides a more aggressive hooking mechanism.

Tying this rig can be a bit tricky due to the stiff fluorocarbon or coated braid required, especially when forming the D section using a whipping knot on the shank. However, pre-made kickers are now available to simplify the process, but it is worth the effort as this rig is hard to beat when fishing over hard bottoms like gravel, particularly when paired with wafters.

For the best results, use a larger hook—size 2-6 with a curved pattern or size 6-8 for the standard D-rig.

TYING THE D-RIG COULDN'T BE EASIER AS OUR EXPERT TYING GUIDE EXPLAINS.

Hinge-stiff rig

Made popular by the likes of Terry Hearn and Oz Holness, the Hinge Stiff or Stiff Hinge Rig is just as effective at catching carp today as it ever was. Whether you're fishing over low-lying weed, casting to showing fish, or targeting the biggest carp in the lake, this rig is a top choice. You can further adapt it by using either a stiff or soft boom, depending on your preference.

Designed for use with pop-ups, this rig works exceptionally well over a spread of boilies. As carp move between the baits, they often drop their caution, and the added movement from the swivel helps ensure solid hook holds. If you want to deter smaller fish, extending the hook section to around three inches can be beneficial. For the best performance, pair this rig with hooks that have an out-turned eye.

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Solid PVA Bag rig

If you’re short on time, fishing a prolific water, or simply prefer to fish with precision, the solid PVA bag rig is an excellent choice and is perfect for beginners too! This rig is designed to present carp with a concentrated mouthful of food, so when they come across the small pile of pellets, they instinctively suck everything up, including your hookbait. Thanks to the short hooklink, the fish are immediately hooked against the weight of the lead.

Since everything is enclosed within the bag until it melts on the bottom, this rig is highly effective on a variety of lakebeds—whether weed, silt, or gravel—ensuring a well-presented bait every time. With a solid PVA bag, a bite is always on the cards!

IF YOU WANT TO TIE A PERFECT SOLID BAG, HERE IS HOW TO DO IT!

Combi/ Slip D rig

The combi rig basically refers to any rig that utilises two different materials to tie it up, without the use of swivels. This rig offers a lot more finesse than some of the more mechanical rigs that need swivels for movement, instead relying on the supple braided hook section to give the hook the movement to flip and catch hold. Alternatively the rig can be fished with a stiff hook section and a soft boom, and is becoming more popular since Darrell Peck has used it to great effect!

This rig is relatively simple to tie, with the only challenging part being the Albright knot, which is used to connect the stiff fluorocarbon or braided boom to the soft braid hook section. However, once mastered, it can be tied quickly. If you opt to create a braided loop section at the end, you can easily swap hooks, meaning you only need to tie one boom section for potentially multiple big fish captures. This is also how to tie the Slip D rig. A small blob of putty on the knot completes the rig.

One of the best features of this rig is its versatility—you can use it to present a variety of baits, including pop-ups, nuts, boilies, and natural baits like maggots, casters, and worms.

YOU WILL NEED A SET OF THE BEST BITE ALARMS TO REGISTER ALL THE EXTRA TAKES YOU WILL GET WITH THESE RIGS!

Noodle rig

Made famous by Scott Lloyd, this rig is excellent for fishing over a bed of bait when carp are feeding tightly against the lakebed. If you’re an avid user of particles but aren’t getting as many bites as you’d like, give this rig a try.

It’s best tied with a soft or semi-stiff coated braid boom and you can either purchase noodle kickers from various manufacturers or steam some shrink tubing to achieve the desired shape, which gives you a little more flexibility.

Thanks to the length of the shrink tubing and the aggressive curve at the end, this rig hooks carp quickly and provides excellent hook holds. Anytime you’re fishing over bait and want to use a small wafter or bottom bait, this rig should be on your rods!

PARTICLE BAITS ARE GREAT FOR CARP, BUT YOU MUST PREPARE THEM CORRECTLY!

The chod rig

Once the go-to rig for pop-up fishing, this setup has fallen out of favour with many due to the rise of the Ronnie rig. However, it remains an excellent choice, offering the ability to present a hookbait over nearly any type of lakebed.

This rig is particularly effective for single hookbait fishing, fishing over spreads of boilies, or when dealing with weedy conditions. Thanks to its configuration, it will settle neatly on top of any debris on the lakebed, ensuring great presentation pretty much wherever it is cast out, the ultimate confidence rig.

The rig itself is simple to tie, or you can buy ready-tied versions to save time. The only adjustments needed are the sharpness of the curve and the length of the boom, which can be tailored to personal preference. It can be fished naked—either on a heavy mono or fluorocarbon mainline—or on leadcore, with the rig running between the lead and a buffer bead positioned up the line.

If you struggle with finding spots, prefer to stay mobile, and don’t want to spend time casting around, this rig is a great option. The only downside is the potential for hook pulls due to the lead bouncing near the fish’s mouth, but this can be minimised by using a piece of silicone tubing above the lead to absorb the lunges.

IF YOU WANT TO USE A CHOD RIG, HERE IS A MORE IN-DEPTH GUIDE TO USING THEM.

The hair rig/ KD rig

If you’re new to carp fishing, a standard hair rig is incredibly easy to tie and will catch carp from any water you fish. While more advanced rigs exist, the hair rig has consistently caught carp and will continue to do so wherever it’s cast.

This rig is best fished on a soft braid or coated braid to allow it to move easily and you can use any style of hook and any bait you want, if you would like to add a pop up, just add a shot to counterbalance it on the hooklink.

Tied with a simple knotless knot, this rig can be set up in seconds and is effective for catching carp of all sizes. The KD rig follows the same tying process but traps the hair after two turns of the knotless knot, causing it to kick out at an angle, helping the hook position itself for a better hold in the carp’s lip.

WHEN TYING YOUR OWN CARP FISHING RIGS, YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THESE IMPORTANT TIPS!

Multi-rig

If you’re looking for an easy-to-tie rig that allows you to change your hook in seconds, the multi rig is perfect for you. It’s simply a loop tied into a soft-coated braid, which you pass through the eye of the hook to attach—it really is that simple.

The multi rig is excellent for pop-up baits, and to enhance its effectiveness even further, you can steam a slight curve into the loop section to improve its hooking capabilities.

OLI DAVIES EXPLAINS WHY YOU NEED TO INCORPORATE THE MULTI-RIG INTO YOUR CARP FISHING!

Zig rig

If there’s one rig that carp anglers are the most hesitant to use, it’s the zig, and while some of the best anglers in the country swear by it, others have little to no faith in it. Carp spend most of their time swimming off the bottom, meaning that fishing on the bottom for the majority of a session can be a waste of time, often just waiting for "bite time" when the fish actively start feeding.

In warmer conditions, a well-presented piece of foam positioned at the right depth can completely transform a session. Even at night, zigs can still be highly effective and they are particularly productive in winter and spring. Nobody knows for certain why they work, whether they resemble insects or if carp take them out of curiosity, but it’s a rig you need in your armoury.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZIG FISHING, THIS USEFUL GUIDE WILL HELP YOU CATCH MORE CARP!

Carp rig terminology

Hooklink: The hooklink is the material that the rig is tied wit which attaches the hook to the mainline.

Boom section: A boom section is simply another name for a hooklink refer to as a boom as it separates the hook from the lead.

Hooklength material: This material is used to construct the rig, popular choices include fluorocarbon, monofilament and coated braids.

Hair rig: A length of material which exits the shanks of the hook, upon which the bait is mounted. This leaves the hook showing to get imporve the hooking capabilities of the rig.

Hooking capabilities: This saying derives from how well the rig hooks carp, the better the hooking capabilities the more effective it is at hooking carp.

Lead clip: A specially moulded contraption, usually made of tough plastic that allows the mainline and hooklink to be fixed together. It has a special point for a lead to be slid on too.

Swivel: A swivel is a small item of terminal tackle which essentially consists of two rings connected to a barrel-shaped pivoting point. The main purpose of a swivel, once incorporated into a rig, is to enable line to untwist and prevent tangles.

Kicker: A rubber or plastic moulded item of tackle that is used to change the angle of the hook, in turn, making it catch hold quicker in the mouth.

Lead: a lead is the weight that is used to help hook the fish, as you aren't striking when carp fishing this is essential for pulling the hook into the lip.

Author Aidan Bordiuk is an enthusiastic angler who enjoys all fishing disciplines from match fishing to beach casting. He is currently occupying the position of Commercial Content Writer at Angling Times.