The 5 Best Longshank Hook Carp Rigs | Ali Hamidi

The Lock has long been one of Ali Hamidi's favourite hook patterns, but its longer-shanked sibling opens up a different set of rig options entirely — more gape, more aggression, more ways to present a bait. Here, in his own words, Ali talks through what makes the shape work and how he ties around it.

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Imagine a carp's mouth. Look at the aggression of that hook. That's what I'm always thinking about when I'm tying a rig, and it's exactly why the Lock Longshank exists. The Lock itself is an incredible pattern — it's become a favourite with so many people, they absolutely adore it, just like me — but there were rare big fish scenarios where the standard shank wasn't quite giving me what I wanted. It wasn't about bringing out a Longshank for the sake of it. There was a reason for it, rooted in rig evolution — situations where the extra length and gape genuinely earn their place.

"This hook opens up a world of rig possibilities"

There's been a lot of testing, a lot of tweaks behind the scenes that no one would have seen. They're the hard yards. So I want to show you some of the rigs where you're going to really get the very best out of this hook, because it is so versatile.

"This is a carp hook that really nails them!"

What The Extra Length Actually Gives You

The whole appeal of the Longshank comes down to gape and flip. A longer shank changes the leverage on the hook the second it's in a carp's mouth — it opens up a more aggressive angle, sitting like a cobra ready to sting them. It also means the hook flips and takes hold deeper and faster than a standard pattern, without the aid of shrink tube.

I'm not a great believer in the old flip-it-in-your-palm test as a rule, but with this hook, it does exactly that — flips instantly, deep, almost clawing in as soon as it goes in. And I'm a great believer in more metal too. Ever since filming Underwater 7 and 8 at St John's back in my Korda days, watching Dan fish a larger hook, I've never really gone below a size 4. For me, a 6 is small — most of my carp fishing is done on a size 2 or a 4. Even when the hookbait looks tiny and out of proportion sat on a size 2, I promise you it sits there just fine, and the moment it goes in their mouth — wallop. Bang, it's in, and they cannot get rid of it.

That gape and flip is the foundation every rig below is built around — it's just a case of which mechanics and which hookbait style you pair it with.

"The Longshank is a carp hook that flips and turns fast!"

The Slip-D Multi-Combi

This is the rig that's caught Max Braby a lot of big, big UK carp — enough to make him top dog on his syndicate wherever he goes.

It's built on the Lock Longshank in a size 4, with a Cured iScream or Paella Bottom Bait and a small Bait Blob on top to help secure it. The hooklink is where the detail is: he takes the Blend Coated Braid, strips it back, then joins it to a length of Blend Fluorocarbon using an Albright Knot to create a genuine combi rig. That goes onto a Magic Wand, with a small blob of GOAT Putty added to help kick the rig away from the lead.

Braid for the flexibility near the hook, fluorocarbon for the mechanics from the lead — that combination is why it's worked so consistently for him.

Learn how to tie the Slip-D Multi Combi yourself here...

The Spinner Rig (The "Ronnie")

The one everyone will reach for — the Spinner Rig or the Ronnie. Tied this way, it gives a taller pop-up presentation, almost like the old, original 360 rig — a nice tall pop-up sitting just that little bit longer, giving a more open gape and a more aggressive sitting angle.

The mechanics are simple but precise: a Spinner Swivel clipped straight onto a Kickback Linkz. Nothing complicated, but paired with the Longshank's gape it becomes a proper hooking machine.

Learn more about the Ronnie Rig and how to tie it here...

The Solid Bag Long Legs Rig

For Solid Bag work, the Long Legs Aligner added onto the Longshank "German" style is a genuinely aggressive setup. Tied to Ammo Braid, kept short and direct, with a dumbbell wafter hookbait.

We've got underwater footage of this one in action, and it's brutal — the second a fish touches that wafter, they're stung instantly. There's no hesitation in the take and none in the hookhold either, especially with the Magic Wand Inline Solid Bag System too!

Learn how to tie the perfect Solid PVA Bag here...

Standard Blowback Hair Rig 

Not every situation calls for that level of aggression, so here's a more delicate setup — one I use a lot fishing in Thailand. It's built around the Bloodliner Aligner, tied with a small granny loop (you could also fish it blowback style if you prefer).

The whole thing goes into a small solid bag or mesh bag. It's one I'd keep for winter, or the cooler months generally, when presentation needs to be that bit more subtle.

Blend Fluorocarbon D-Rig

This is the rig, along with a Spinner, I've been using for years to great success — a Blend Fluorocarbon D-Rig, again paired with the Long Legs Aligner, made even better with the Longshank Lock. It's about as aggressive a combination as you'll find in this lineup. The D-Rig mechanics let the Aligner sit and rotate exactly where you want it, and combined with the Longshank's flip, the hook takes hold instantly and deep.

Couple that with a Magic Wand or Magic Wand Inline, and you've got a setup that does most of the work for you the moment a fish picks the bait up. I've found from Underwater Filming this presentation preferable to a Ronnie on rocky lakebeds with wafters.

Learn how to tie the Fluorocarbon D-Rig here...

Building Around The Shape

Every one of these carp rigs is built to make the most of that extra gape and the flip the Longshank gives you the instant a carp picks the bait up. 

As I always say — imagine a carp's mouth, and build your rig around exactly what happens the second it goes in. These hooks and rigs nail them, simple as that! And any of you who are already Lock Hook fans know, once it hits that "Apex Corner", it really is game over, it's not coming out!