hair length?

[AussieGeezer]

i've been getting quite a few takes lately,but no solid hook-ups.......do you think that the hair is too long?
i normally bait 4 sweet corn kernels onto a 1" hair........i measure the 1" length from the bend of the hook,not the eye.........size 10 hook.
any help appreciated.....getting frustrated missing fish
cheers

[Tom]

Its possibly a tad too long, the other thing might be the angle of the hook when its being picked up. Are you tying a separate hair or using a knotless knot hair rig?

If you're using a separate hair then give the knotless knot a go

If the latter then I'd try adding a little heatshrink tubing over the shank of the hook and just a little say 5mm extra over the eye then steam it over a kettle keeping the heatshrink at about 45 degrees toward the point of the hook and keep the hair straight, that way it might give a better angle for getting a hookhold.

[AussieGeezer]

hi tom.....using the knotless knot method.
will try to make it a bit shorter,see how we go with that first.
cheers.

[zebs]

I've read that the hair length should be the width of your little finger, wich i suppose is about right, i suppose its up to what kind of bait or multiple baits your using...zebs

[sqwat]

id try lenthing the hair a bit sounds like there is not enough separation bettween your hook and bait

[AussieGeezer]

hmmmmmm.....a couple of different thoughts there
i guess that it's just trial and error.
will have to fish a "populated" area with both long and short hairs,and take it from there.
thanks all

[Tom]

No problem glad to help.

Reason i said go shorter and pin it to the shank is because it may be that the hair is flicking around the hook and ending up laying over the bend (if you see what i mean) so when its being picked up it will twist the hook over and the bend of the hook might be hitting the outside of the mouth and not even going in.

[sqwat]

this is why i like carp fishing people have so many opinions and different ways of over coming problems theres always something to try

[Tom]

True, its all about experimenting. I have a huge transparent plastic box i keep in the back garden filled with water for testing my rigs in. It can give you a little bit of an idea of why sometimes a presentation doesnt work.

[sqwat]

ive got my old fish tank in the shed if i have a new rig idea ill drop it in their