Bait on Hooks

[Reemul]

Question I have had from my son.

I normally fish using some form of rig, normally a hair rig. My son asked when float fishing if he could just have a hook and put the bait straight on to the hook rather than fiddling with the hair bit. Obviously he can but is there a better reason to keep using a hair rig or not.

Normally fishing for carp to 15lb in the margins with his float along with Tench and Bream to 7lb. Bait is Luncheon meat, corn, pellet and boilies but Meat is the preferred

Any advice most welcome

 

[Keith M]

Whether or not its better to use a hair rig largely depends on whether it’s likely to mask the hook point and to a lesser degree what species you are trying to hook.

Carp and other fish that hoover up a bait; sometimes from a couple of inches away; can quite easily be hooked on a normal length hair rig but other fish like Tench and Chub often pick up the bait in their lips; so either a very short hair or a hook mounted bait can often be a lot better for them, as long as the hook point is not being masked.

Keith

 

[Paste paul]

It’s a good question........
And I’ll bet there are various opinions all with merit...
I normally only use hair rigs when using a method feeder or the bomb.....
When margin fishing or waggler (unless pellet fishing) I normally put the bait on the hook...
If shallow fishing or pellet waggler then it’s an hair...
Basically you can’t hook an hard pellet so an hair is a must.....
But worms maggots soft Pellets can easily be hooked.....
The thing with planting the bait in the hook you can chop and change pretty simply.
Hope this helps

 

[iannate]

It is a good question

Obviously he can but is there a better reason to keep using a hair rig or not.

Some baits can blunt hooks is one reason to use a hair.

Meat can contain bits of gristle which can as Keith suggests can mask the hook point, with soft meat, I do prefer to hook it.

With bread I can find hair rigged punch works better one day, then another I find punch on the hook and another flake on the hook.

Really the better reason to use a hair rig is down to the day and the bait.

It's good to see young'uns thinking about why they are doing something, he'll do well at this fishing malarkey.

 

[rayner]

I never used to use bait bands but they work very well with most baits I'll even band a single caster or dead maggot when fishing shallow.
The only baits I don't use a band for is paste or worms, for worm, I will put one on a quick stop or the hook with paste just a bigger hook.
Sometimes a bait band isn't needed, I would encourage your son to tie his own hooks then he'll always have what he needs, he could also tie your hooks.