How to Tie a Stiff Hinge Rig

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

A stiff hinge rig is a pop-up rig made of two stiff pieces: a boom tied to the lead end and a short hook section, tied as a D-rig, joined to it by a swivel. Neither piece bends; the rig pivots at the swivel instead.

The boom holds the bait clear of the lead and resists tangling. The hinge lets the short hook section swing, so the hook can turn and take hold. Putty on the swivel pins the hinge to the bottom and sets how high the pop-up sits. Mark Pitchers of Fox says the hook sits at an aggressive angle that makes the rig very hard to eject, and that it can reset itself if a carp does get rid of it.

It also goes by hinged stiff rig or hinge rig. The seven steps below cover the tie, the mount and the checks; for the wider picture, see other carp rigs.

Step 1: Choose Your Materials and Lengths

Get the specs right and the tying is easy. Lay this out on the mat first:

Boom material: stiff fluorocarbon or stiff mono, or coated braid if you plan to crimp
Hook section material: chod filament or stiff mono
Size 11 ring swivels or a mini rig swivel, plus a rig ring for the D
A chod-pattern or curved-shank hook, tungsten putty, a lighter and a pop-up
Optional: crimps and crimping tool, shrink tube, a kettle

Published set-ups, not rules:

Element	Published example	Source
Boom length	7in (about 18cm)	Ian Chillcott
Boom length	8in (about 20cm), 5in between swivels when crimped	Darrell Peck (Korda)
Boom material	30lb fluorocarbon; semi-stiff coated braid with loops at both ends	Chillcott; Pitchers
Hook section	8in of 30lb stiff mono, doubled; chod filament	Pitchers; Peck
Swivels	Size 11 ring swivels	Pitchers, Peck
Hook and bait	Size 5 short chod hook, 15mm pop-up	Chillcott
Hook section tag before joining	4 to 5in	CARPology

By now you should have both materials cut slightly long. For a first rig, a 7 to 8in boom and a single strand of hook section material sits mid-range.

Step 2: Tie the Hook Section as a D-Rig

Stiff material springs open the moment you knot it. Beat it with turns, moisture and a firm pull.

Thread the material through the hook eye from front to back, leaving a large loop.
Wrap it round the shank 6 to 7 times. CARPology uses 6 to 7 wraps; Darrell Peck uses a 7-turn knotless knot.
Moisten the turns and pull them down hard.
Slide a rig ring onto the tag and pass the tag back through the eye to form the D. Angling Direct uses a bait screw instead.
Blob the tag end with a lighter so it cannot pull back through.
Leave 4 to 5in beyond the hook for the hook section, as CARPology does.

For a stiffer section, Mark Pitchers doubles 8in of 30lb stiff mono like a multi rig, which he says makes it twice as stiff.

Barbless and micro-barbed rules vary by venue, so check with the fishery before you tie up a batch.

By now you should have a tight D, a ring that slides freely along it, and both ends blobbed.

Step 3: Tie the Boom and Straighten It

A kink in the boom throws away the anti-tangle advantage that makes this rig worth tying.

Tie a loop knot at the lead end. The Angling Direct build uses a figure-of-eight loop.
Attach a mini rig swivel or ring swivel at the other end, as in the CARPology method.

For a crimped boom, Darrell Peck crimps coated braid between two size 11 PTFE ring swivels set 5in apart, with shrink tube over the swivel end.

Korda steams the boom to take out kinks. Hold it straight in kettle steam until it cools, fingers well clear of the spout.

By now your boom should lie dead straight on a flat surface. A crimped boom is tidier but needs a tool; a knotted one needs nothing extra.

Step 4: Join the Hook Section to the Boom

The hinge is only as good as the knot that makes it.

Pass the hook section through the free swivel on the boom.
Tie a blood knot. CARPology uses 3 turns; Angling Direct and Mark Pitchers use 2.
Moisten it, tighten it and test it with a firm pull.
Trim the tags to a couple of millimetres and blob them, as Pitchers does.

Position matters. Pitchers slides his size 11 flexi ring swivel to about 1in from the hook eye before tying, which keeps the hook section short so it swings at the swivel. Angling Direct’s build adds an anti-tangle sleeve, which is optional.

By now the rig should flex at the swivel and nowhere else.

Step 5: Balance the Pop-Up With Putty

Putty does two jobs on this rig: it anchors the hinge and sets the bait height.

Attach the pop-up to the rig ring or bait screw. Ian Chillcott pairs a 15mm pop-up with a size 5 hook.
Mould tungsten putty round the swivel, as CARPology and Angling Direct do, or round the crimp on Peck’s version.
Drop the rig into clear margin water or a pint glass. Pitchers wants the bait to sink slowly.
Add or remove putty in small pieces until the swivel sits on the bottom and the hook section stands up.

By now the rig should settle with the hinge on the bottom and the bait standing proud. If a big pop-up needs so much putty that the boom drags down, drop a bait size.

Step 6: Fit It to Your Lead Set-Up and Pick the Spot

The right rig in the wrong swim still blanks.

Ian Chillcott fishes his on a helicopter rig arrangement, which lets the boom rotate around the leader.

Mark Pitchers says it can be presented over many lakebeds, including light weed and chod (decaying debris on the bottom). The pop-up sits above the mess while the boom holds it away from the lead. As general guidance, it is a poor fit for thick weed, where a chod rig on a longer leader may present better.

On lead, the Control of Pollution (Anglers’ Lead Weights) Regulations 1986 ban the import and supply of lead fishing weights but exempt those over 28.35g (1oz) and those of 0.06g or less, so typical carp leads fall outside the ban. Fisheries can set stricter rules, including lead-free, so check with the fishery before you travel.

By now the rig should be mounted and a spot chosen.

Step 7: Check It Between Casts and Fix Common Problems

Most stiff hinge rig faults show up as tangles or missed takes, so check it every time you reel in. General guidance:

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Tangles on the cast	Boom kinked or too supple	Steam it straight or retie
Bait lying flat	Too much putty or too small a pop-up	Rebalance in the margin
Missed takes	Hook section too long or join too bulky	Shorten it and trim the tags
Join slipping	Knot not bedded down	Moisten, retighten, re-blob
Blunt point	Gravel, stones or fish	Change it if it slides off a thumbnail

Check the point after every fish and every few casts. A sharp hook goes in and comes out cleanly, which is kinder to the fish.

Reach for a hinge rig when you want a tangle-free pop-up over light weed or debris. For a pop-up on a single hooklength with no hinge to set, compare it with a ronnie rig.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a stiff hinge rig and a chod rig?

A stiff hinge rig is a fixed stiff boom with a short hook section that pivots at a swivel. A chod rig is a short stiff hook section that slides on a leader. Both present a pop-up. There is no official definition, so treat this as a practical distinction. The chod rig guide covers that rig in full.

Is a hinged stiff rig the same as a stiff hinge rig?

Yes. It is one rig under several names, including hinge rig and hinge stiff rig. Whatever the label, the build is the same: a stiff boom, a swivel and a short stiff hook section tied with a D.

How is it different from a combi rig?

A combi rig usually joins a stiff boom to a supple hook section, so the hook end moves freely. A stiff hinge rig keeps both parts stiff and relies on the swivel for movement.

Do I need a licence to fish for carp with a hinge rig?

In England, yes: you need an Environment Agency rod licence. GOV.UK lists a 2-rod licence at £7.30 for one day or £36.80 for 12 months, and the licence is free for juniors aged 13 to 16, though they still need one. Prices change, so check GOV.UK before you buy. Rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.