To hair or not to hair

[Paul Bullinger]

All my barbel fishing has been of the ledgering variety. Big leads in heavy floods (remember them?) and small shot to bump the bait along "touch ledgering" style.
When we get some decent river levels I am going to attempt trotting (have posted on this subject before..thanks for advice)
My query is this. When trotting with meat, are there any circumstances where it would be best to hair-rig, or should the hook always be buried in the meat??

 

[Kevin Stephenson]

All my barbel fishing has been of the ledgering variety. Big leads in heavy floods (remember them?) and small shot to bump the bait along "touch ledgering" style.
When we get some decent river levels I am going to attempt trotting (have posted on this subject before..thanks for advice)
My query is this. When trotting with meat, are there any circumstances where it would be best to hair-rig, or should the hook always be buried in the meat??

Bury the hook with the hook exposed it will continue to get caught up when trotting.

 

[John Newman]

I always just bury the hook in the meat. To my mind hair rigging is inviting the hook to get caught in weed, on a snag or get the point damaged on gravel. I am not vastly experienced but on the river I trot for barbel the bites usually result in the float sailing under met with enough force by me to pull the hook through the meat.

 

[Paul Bullinger]

I always just bury the hook in the meat. To my mind hair rigging is inviting the hook to get caught in weed, on a snag or get the point damaged on gravel. I am not vastly experienced but on the river I trot for barbel the bites usually result in the float sailing under met with enough force by me to pull the hook through the meat.

Hi John,
Yes, I thought that a bare hook wafting through the water would invite snags. I am looking forward to my first attempt at trotting for barbel. Primed and ready to go. Just need rain!!