Hooks and generalisations

[binka]

J hooks, circle hooks, barbed, micro-barbed and barbless hooks.

Single hooks, double hooks and treble hooks.

Wide gape, curved and crystal bend, coloured and PTFE coated.

Fine wire and 'X' versions.

Spade end, eyed and long shank, to name but a few.

It seems we have come a long way since the bent pin!

I carry a good selection but invariably prefer a simple, wide gape J hook for the vast majority of my fishing including worm and maggot, I'm convinced that I bump off less fish with wide gape versions and nowadays I won't use anything other than an 'X' version for my perch fishing.

What's your take on your hooks and how do you roll?

 

[Bobnewboy]

As a newbie, barbless wide gape J hooks to nylon seem to have suited me well in various sizes. But I don’t go smaller than size 16 as it can be very hard to disgorge some very small fish that I often catch otherwise.

Cheers, Bob

 

[lambert1]

I like to use long shank as well for Chub, simply to mould a nice lump of cheese paste round. I have found it effective and a better hook up rate, but otherwise wide gape like you Steve.

 

[thecrow]

Wide gape are what I use as I believe that the wider gape gives more room for a better hook hold, I used a Mustad pattern for years until they discontinued them for my Barbel fishing I now use a Korum hook that looks very much like the discontinued Mustad one.

 

[browndog]

When does a wide gape in one size become a short shank in another size?

 

[jon atkinson]

I was having a sort out last week & 'discovered' that I have ridiculous quantities of different hooks given that I realistically only get out once a week [if I'm lucky]. Having dabbled with various Preston & Guru patterns over the last 3 or 4 years I have recently come back into the B911 fold, mostly standard but with the F1 variants in smaller sizes for when it's cold / they are being shy. I suspect that I will still use the Guru F1 maggot & Kaizan on occasion [I might as well seeing as I have dozens of them!], & I have some heavy duty Korum for Barbel, but otherwise I'm happy with the 911. As ever when it comes to tackle preferences, I'm sure that we all have our favourite brands / patterns & Christ knows, there's a bewildering array to choose from...

 

[thecrow]

When does a wide gape in one size become a short shank in another size?

Not sure what your question means, the gape of a hook is the distance between the hook point and the shank, this explains it better.

 

[sam vimes]

Horses for courses. My favoured hook patterns, and types, depend entirely on the bait used, target species and the method employed. As an awful lot of my time is spent float fishing, with maggots as bait, for anything with fins, my favourite hooks are Drennan Wide Gape Match. Microbarbed, crystal bend, strong enough for anything, but not too heavy gauge. I just wish they did exactly the same hook pattern in barbless for the odd venue I visit that insists on barbless hooks.

 

[103841]

Hooks, a real p in the a for me.

My fingers have lost dexterity and nimbleness with the onset of arthritis I guess, two things are a real issue, tying a knot and unhooking a fish when using a small hook, when I say small that's anything size 16 or smaller! I just cannot grip a small hook, a disgorger sometimes helps but useless if I want to use an eyed hook, forceps are the only real help but then I run the risk of damaging the line or hair.

So I have used much larger hooks than I would prefer to use, this of course does have a detrimental effect when bites are hard to come by. It's embarrassing struggling to remove an 18 from the lip of a small roach or similar, certainly encourages me to use barbless.

Having said all that if we could have just one pattern in our collection it would have to be a B893.

 

[rayner]

Years ago I carried quite a number of different patterns, all in little envelopes in a wallet. Long and short draws.
I don't know if it's because I have a modicum of experience or it's just that I'm older but these days I only use one hook, 911.
I use 911s, 911s extra strong, 911s F1. depending on the sizes of fish I'm catching.
I always use barbless and even the odd canal trip I stick with barbless, I will never go back to barbed, for no other reason that they suit me.
Commercials don't allow barbed hooks, it wouldn't stop me using them if I preferred them. I've never had an hook checked yet.
I don't do rules in fishing unless they're what I do.

 

[tigger]

As Chris has already said it depends on the bait, species, conditions etc. However I do have my everyday go too hooks which are animals and superspeds and both are barbed.

Regarding which way I roll depends on the angle of the slope :w.

 

[john step]

So much choice today its bewildering at times. I use mostly Kamasans.( exept Rovex in trebles) I may be wrong but I think they are from the Drennan stable?

I remember an AT article yonks ago where **** Walker was bemoaning the quality of hooks and anglers would surely be prepared to pay at least 3d or 6d for a decent hook.
I guess his forecast has come true.

 

[S-Kippy]

Goodness knows how many hooks I've got ...and in a myriad of sizes and patterns. I have certain favourites for certain situations but if pressed I'd have to go for a wide gape...micro barbed if allowed in the smaller sizes.

Drennan and Kamasan in the smaller sizes....ESP, Gardner and the odd Korda pattern in the bigger.

Dont like crystal bend hooks at all though I could not tell you why. Nor do I like Super Specialists. I know they are very strong but I dont do a lot of cod fishing.

 

[binka]

I see a couple of others are fans of the B911, without a doubt it's my most widely used hook in both the standard and the X version.

Anyone dabbled with the red coloured maggot hooks, did it seem to make any difference?

 

[S-Kippy]

I see a couple of others are fans of the B911, without a doubt it's my most widely used hook in both the standard and the X version.

Anyone dabbled with the red coloured maggot hooks, did it seem to make any difference?

Yes and not that I noticed. Crystal bend too so I never really took to them.

I like the B911 in both guises too.

 

[jon atkinson]

I used to use the Drennan red coloured maggot hook in my previous fishing life - can't honestly say that they improved results but back then I was watching the pennies a lot more, so having bought them, I was damned well going to use them!

 

[Another Dave]

Not sure what your question means, the gape of a hook is the distance between the hook point and the shank, this explains it better.

Isn't the gape what determines the hook size though?

 

[tigger]

Goodness knows how many hooks I've got ...and in a myriad of sizes and patterns. I have certain favourites for certain situations but if pressed I'd have to go for a wide gape...micro barbed if allowed in the smaller sizes.

Drennan and Kamasan in the smaller sizes....ESP, Gardner and the odd Korda pattern in the bigger.

Dont like crystal bend hooks at all though I could not tell you why. Nor do I like Super Specialists. I know they are very strong but I dont do a lot of cod fishing.

Don't get that since I think they go right down to a 20 size?

 

[S-Kippy]

Don't get that since I think they go right down to a 20 size?

Dont get what ? Youve lost me completely.

 

[Richox12]

When does a wide gape in one size become a short shank in another size?

I know what you mean. Perfectly reasonable question.