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Drennan Barbel Hooks

M

Matt Wilson

Member
Had an email from a mate containing the following -:

You know I use and swear by the Drennan Barbel hooks well I am having a problem with them. Cast out - reel in no snag ups with either weed or snags and the gape has opened out. Ok happens once tie up a new link and same again. So another hook this one appears to be ok four casts later its opened out. Try a different size same thing. Anything on the forums relating to the same?

Anyone experienced this or similar with Drennan Barbel hooks ?
 
Hi Matt,

I used them for nearly all of my barbel fishing last season. A very sharp hook with an 'attractive' anti-glare, teflon finish. I had quite a few open out on me while playing fish and decided to up the size a little bit, which was helped by a tackle shop owner using a micrometer to measure the gauge of the wire accurately. In the end i only needed to go up one size. They are a fine hook but not really upto the job of hauling big fish when needed and as such i will be using different hooks when in the same situation this year.

Never heard of that problem you have though. I wonder if it could be something that has gone wrong during the tempering process?
 
Hi Matt, I used to use the Drennan barbel hooks but must admit I was not that impressed with them. I found they did not stay sharp very long and I lost a few fish due to hook pulls in swims with no snags. Ive changed to the Gardner hooks now and have started using their covert hook range . Must admit I am more than impressed. Good strong hooks that do exactly what i need. On the few occasions I fish big pieces of meat however, I still use the Drennan specialist hooks. This hook pattern is fantastic and really has stood the test of time.
 
David Slater said:
Hi Matt, On the few occasions I fish big pieces of meat however, I still use the Drennan specialist hooks. This hook pattern is fantastic and really has stood the test of time.
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I agree that the Drennan Super Specialist hooks are totally reliable, as are the old Jack Hilton Carp Hooks, of which I have an adequate sufficiency.


Regards

Hugo

 
Thanks for the replies lads. It is weird that just being in the water should change the gape. Its either a bad batch or they've degraded with age, normally takes many years before the wire goes off and then it normally snaps under very little tension. I shall stick with the ESP raptors ( G4 & T6 ) and suggest he gives those a go.

Thanks.
 
ive used these hooks a lot but only trouble is when fishing stony gravel bottoms they blunt easily as they are strait at he point ,i still use them on the sandy mud bottoms with confidence on the swale & ouse :) ,on the trent ive been using kasman barbel max for a few years it has a beaked point and a nice micro barb, not let me down yet with some decent barbel landed ,although the second rod this season:eek: will be fished with a esp d7 raptor as i have a couple packs i got cheap of flee bay & if jon frisby rates em they must be worth a try;) ,again with the micro barb which i like and most of the time can remove hook with fingers:) i always thought the drennan continental boilie hook was the stronger of the 2 drennen hooks but according to the man himself, on web clips fishing the wye apparently they are not:eek:am not sure but are kasman part of drennan ?
 
Matt Wilson said:
Had an email from a mate containing the following -:

You know I use and swear by the Drennan Barbel hooks well I am having a problem with them. Cast out - reel in no snag ups with either weed or snags and the gape has opened out. Ok happens once tie up a new link and same again. So another hook this one appears to be ok four casts later its opened out. Try a different size same thing. Anything on the forums relating to the same?

Anyone experienced this or similar with Drennan Barbel hooks ?
Click to expand...

Did he try opening out a few with his fingers Matt ? They obviously have to be faulty hooks, i've used them - didn't like them after i dropped 2 fish in a row, but never had that sort of problem, they must have had less than the tensile strength of soldering wire to be able to open up on a retrieve ! :eek:

I use ESP G4 Raptors too, and never had any problems with them i re use them time and time again, i only ever get blunted points when i've got caught on stoney bottoms, Drennan specimens were my hook of choice before ESP came out, i only changed because i prefered the black, as opposed to gold colour.

Ian.
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
Try Drennan continental boilie hooks you will have a job opening them up , super tough ..
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You'll have a job opening up any Drennan hook Mike, like i said those hooks must have been seriously faulty !!!!! a paper clip wouldn't do that !

Ian.
 
i did a few basic experiments last year with some esp D 7s and found a size 8 opened out at around 13 pounds, thats good enough for me. In use i did open one out slighly one day with a mid double barbel in a hit and hold situation, but with a 7oz lead hanging from its bottom lip i really wasnt too suprised.
 
Most hooks open because the points have folded over and they don't penetrate properly.

If you hang a weight from the point the hook will open well below the weight if hung from the bend.

It's simple mechanics. Where's a bright young engineering student when you need one?
 
Adrian Williams said:
Most hooks open because the points have folded over and they don't penetrate properly.

If you hang a weight from the point the hook will open well below the weight if hung from the bend.

It's simple mechanics. Where's a bright young engineering student when you need one?
Click to expand...

;)



use o'shaughnessy hooks if your that worried about them opening up, the sizes people insist on using for barbel these days aren't far off sea hooks anyway
 
Last edited:
Sam Lloyd said:
;)



use o'shaughnessy hooks if your that worried about them opening up, the sizes people insist on using for barbel these days aren't far off sea hooks anyway
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depends on the bait, if i use a meatball, i can go down to a 4 long shank..:eek:
 
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