Ok fellas I am going to try hair rigs tomorrow.

If you recall last week I was really struggling with hook ups, only hooked one out of about 20 bites, and had one steal a rod and reel combo! DOOOH!!!! I replaced it with the exact same one... $85 lesson.

Hair rig is the way to go I am told! My buddy Dfitz sent me a video on how to tie them, but I did not have the little bait needle threading tool, so I ordered some pretied ones from Amazon that came with the tools I will need.

Any tips for a first time hair rig user? Problem I was having before with just stringing the corn on a hook was I could see the buffs pick up the bait, then just spit it out in a split second. My thought is with the hair rig, they suck that bait up followed by the hook... if they go to spit it they basically pin the hook into themselves...

This should be a hoot! I wonder how much it will boost my hook ups!

That said, its been hella cold all week, it was on a warm front last week. Hopefully they are still there and biting.

Hair rigs are the best! Learning to tie them yourself will save you lots of money and ultimately will lead to more captures as you can customize your rig to suit your liking and for the size of bait you're using. You'll still get Buffalo picking it up and dropping it, they're such subtle biters it's hard to get them to commit. If you can get the timing down on a "lift," set the hook and you'll get 'em!

I just use a straightened Aberdeen hook to thread my bait on and pin it with a little piece of toothpick.

I use the strawberry dough baits from Walmart. Works great. I caught about a dozen commons and three or four grass carp down by my dock in 15 hours over three days.

I leave my drag reel loose so when the pick it up the reel clicks as they swim away. Just pull the rod from the holder and tighten the drag. Hook pretty much sets itself.

And I did get a couple bonus catfish!

typical mistakes:
- too far the bait from the hook
- the bait is getting away from the curve
- the pop up size and the hook weight is not matching and the bait lifting all the way up. (extra weight required)
- size of the bait and size of the hook is not matching
- when the pop up is closer to the hook and the sinking bait is at the end of the hair rig.
- depends on the bottom of the lake - setup the rig: what I mean that if the bottom is muddy your rig can sink in with your bait - need only pop up to lift the bait.
- curved hooks such as Gardner Mugga in used with pop up more often. Personally I have not felt any difference by catching carp. I cant even remember when I lost carp from the hook itself. Mu favorite hooks: GAMAKATSU G-Carp A1, Korda Kurv Shank, Gardner Covert Dark Continental Mugga. The A1 is my all around hook.

Alternative rig style:
https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...442867/alternative-hair-rig#Post13442867

Thanks for the info fellas.

I went on Friday and had zero luck. Wind was blowing like a sun of a gun. Which made light bites really hard to see.

You wont believe this though, that rod that a fish took from me last week...I caught it! I was not even trying. I figured it was half mile away. Reeling in my little hair rig I thought I had snagged a branch, so slowly bringing it in and surprise! It was my rod. The line was broke and the third guide was all banged up. I suspect that guide got stuck on a rock or something and the fish eventually broke the line. Needs some cleaning up but its for sure usable!

Went yesterday and was able to catch 2 carp and 2 buffs. All about 24 inches.

Still super light bites from the buffs. Even with the hair rig they are just picking it up and dropping it. The carp were a bit more aggressive but not much. I had to hold the rod and as soon as they pick it up hit them... otherwise you would not catch them. I could see the line tick and move maybe an inch or two, in or out, and then they would be gone.

Used sweet corn and garbanzo beans.

I’ve never caught a buff. Would like to someday.

Nice buffalo and carp.