How To Tie A Solid Bag Rig

Rigs Beginner

The ultimate short, supple rig Solid Bag Rig, that will catch you carp anywhere! Follow these steps and give it a go for yourself.

Solid PVA bags are incredibly effective but you also need to be using the right carp rig to maximise your chances of the hook taking hold when the carp picks up your bait. Find out in nine clear steps exactly how to tie short braided rig that will flip over the instant it is inside the carp’s mouth. Once you have mastered it, see how to use this rig with our guide on How to Tie The Solid PVA Bag.

For a solid PVA bag rig you will need:

Super Natural Braid

Krank Hook

Silicone Tubing (Small)

Shrink Tube (Small)

Size 8 Swivel

Razorblade Scissors

Splicing Needle

Nine Simple Steps for the Perfect Solid Bag Rig

Step 1

Tie an overhand loop knot to form a loop in the end of some Super Natural braid

Pull six or seven inches of Korda Super Natural braid off of the spool and tie a small overhand loop in the end of it to form a hair loop – make sure it is large enough that a Hair Stop can easily be pushed through it.

Use a supple braid like Korda Supernatural and tie a loop in it to form your hair

Step 2

Thread a small piece of silicone onto the Super Natural braid

Take some 0.5mm Korda Silicone Tubing – it needs to be a low enough diameter that it grips the shank of the hook securely and won’t easily move – and trim off a small section of 5mm or so long. Thread this onto a Splicing Needle, being careful not to pierce the sides of the silicone.

Thread a piece of silicone onto your solid bag rig

Step 3

Choose your hook and carefully push the point through the silicone tube

Carefully thread this onto your braided hook link, and then push it up until it is positioned above that loop. Now take your hook – a size 6 Krank works well (other patterns like Wide Gape, Kurv Shank, and Longshank X, are also popular) – and very carefully push the point through the piece of silicone tubing, from end to end and starting from the side further away from your hair loop – by careful not to put the point through the braid.

Carefully push the hook point through the silicone, avoiding going through the braid

Step 4

Add your choice of hook bait to the hair, set the hair length, then tie a knotless knot

Add your choice of hook bait to the hair, such as a piece of Fake Foods plastic corn, as this will allow you to get the hair length just right. Pass the end of the hook link through the eye of the hook from back to front, and move the piece of silicone around the bend so that it is opposite the barb and your hook bait is sitting how you want it to. Tie a six turn knotless knot and pull it down tight.

Use a knotless knot to secure your hook on your solid PVA bag rig

Step 5

Cut off a small piece of shrink tube and push it down over the eye of the hook

Cut off a small section of shrink tube, which is long enough to cover the eye of the hook and your knotless knot, whilst leaving around 10mm protruding back up the hook link.

Add a piece of shrink tubing to your solid bag rig - this will help it flip over and cause an instant bolt effect

Step 6

Steam the shrink tube into place and created an angle to help the hook flip over

Carefully steam the shrink tubing until it is securely around the eye and shank of the hook, and you have created an angle in it above the eye - you can make that as aggressive as you like, and somewhere around 30 degrees is popular and almost a natural continuation of the shape of the Krank hook pattern. This ‘kicker’ will help the hook flip over and take a hold, but will straighten during the fight so won’t cause mouth damage.

Steam your solid PVA bag rig over a kettle to get the shrink tubing at just the right angle to make the hook flip over

Step 7

Tie a figure-of-eight loop knot in the end of your hook link and set the length

Tie a figure-of-eight loop knot in the other end of your hook link, making sure to measure and set it to your desired length – three or four inches is perfect for a PVA bag rig. Make sure that the loop that you create is large enough that the hook can be passed through it (as well as your hook bait, if you want your rigs ready to go with baits on them).

Tie a figure-of-eight loop knot in the other end of your solid bag rig

Step 8

Attach the hook link got your swivel loop-to-loop style or use a QC system

Attach your hook link to your swivel by passing the loop through the eye of the swivel, then pass your hook through the loop and pull tight – you are attaching it loop-to-loop style and this makes it quick to change the hook link, using a needle to help you undo one hook length and replace it with another. Or use some sort of QC swivel and a cut down Dark Matter Anti Tangle Sleeve to secure it.

Attach your solid PVA bag rig to your swivel loop-to-loop style

Step 9

Use the rig in conjunction with Solidz or inline leads

For solid bag fishing, use this in conjunction with an inline lead set-up, such as the Korda Solidz leads, and if there are any snags or weed, setting that up drop-off style, with one of the Korda Dark Matter fused or Kable leadcore leaders, which are specifically designed for a drop-off inline lead system.

Fish your solid bag rig in conjunction with an inline set-up like the Korda Solidz leads

You are now ready to tie your solid PVA bag - see How To Tie The Solid PVA Bag (Flatbed Style).

To find out more about solid bag fishing and exactly how to use this incredibly effective tactic, as well as when to try it, read Solid PVA Bags and PVA Bag Rigs Explained