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Drennan Barbel Hooks

Ian Grant said:
Matt... Just a thought, your mates name isn't Uri is it ? :D

Ian.
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No Ian its not, I did suggest in my reply to him something along those lines. Then I began to wonder if he needed to measure the PH of the lake in case things had turned slightly acidic.
Think a bit of perspective has got lost on the way. The gape had widened, not opened right out to an L shape. It was just very weird so he asked if anything negative on these hooks had been posted on forums as he knows I read them more than he does. Hence the question. He uses them for Tench fishing whereas I use the G4 size 10 or Pallatrax 14 ( same gape ). Very difficult to find small hooks for use with maggot/caster ( fake or real ) that are strong enough for big tincas when there is weed about. A size 12 G4 would be a serious advance for Tench anglers. I know people will say pallatrax do a 16 but I've heard of those snapping.
This one could run for weeks and I've got to tidy up so as I can go home. Thanks to all who've responded.
 
Hello Matt

I stopped using these about 3 seasons ago not because of any problems opening out but it was a sharpness issue and not just because they had a straight point as other hooks of similar pattern weren`t as prone to dulling as the Drennans. I personally now use either the Pallatrax, which have not yet let me down, banking barbel to just under 16 on them last season, or the Solar stronghold hooks down to size 12, which are also impressive.

Mic
 
I've used the Drennan barbel hooks for several seasons with no problems opening out. It is my hook of choice. I generally use an 11 or 12 in summer and a 9 or 10 in winter.
You do have to keep an eye on the point though as they are prone to blunting on gravel as others have said. The pallatrax "the hook" is very strong for their size but are very black and shiny which I don't like in clear water conditions.

Regards,
Jeff
 
Most expensive **** hooks ive ever used the Drennan Speciallist..They blunt far too easy on gravel bottoms which makes them pretty useless if your fishing static tactics over gravel bottoms..By far the best hook ive used and currently have used for some years is the Fox ssbp in size 9 or 10 ive landed multiple Barbel using the same hook with no need to change, these hooks really do stay sharp for long periods and are relatively small in size compared to the same size in Drennean Speciallist..
 
Gardner Talon TIPS are my choice not let me down with an slight inturn on the point prevents blunting over gravel and very strong with teflon coating !!
 
here is a strong hook pattern that goes down to a 12 for whoever it was that was talking about that subject...have tested them on mullet and they are real terrors for bending hooks...these are just the job...if a little pricey.

Gamakatsu Carp Hook Specialist Wide Gape GP202
 
If you want a strong, small hook, I'd recommend the Animals. Caught plenty of barbel to 12lb on size 16 and 1 or 2 maggots without issues.

ESP Raptors I can vouch for too; having hooked myself in the toe with a size 6 over the weekend (don't ask how :eek:). Bloody painful going in (good Bolt Effect properties :eek:), being barbed it didn't move about during the "fight" or open up and not too bad to unhook.
Nicely "camo'ed"...........I never saw it.........

And still sharp afterwards, too. :D
 
Simon King said:
If you want a strong, small hook, I'd recommend the Animals. Caught plenty of barbel to 12lb on size 16 and 1 or 2 maggots without issues.

ESP Raptors I can vouch for too; having hooked myself in the toe with a size 6 over the weekend (don't ask how :eek:). Bloody painful going in (good Bolt Effect properties :eek:), being barbed it didn't move about during the "fight" or open up and not too bad to unhook.
Nicely "camo'ed"...........I never saw it.........

And still sharp afterwards, too. :D
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See told you they were good :D
 
Having a bit of a rumage through my bits and pieces tonight, i found a packet of the hooks that were the original subject of the thread, in size 7.
So i thought i do a couple of tests.

First i tried to open one out with my fingers.... not a chance with my bare fingers, however by putting my thumbnail up against the inside of the bend just above the barb i was able to open the hook very slightly before my nail slipped, and i almost stuck myself under the nail.
I then used pliers, which were able to do the job fairly easily as you would expect.
So whilst i think they are probably not the strongest on the market, the damage to a Barbels lip would be pretty severe, even i guess rip right out before it reached anything llke the force needed to open the hook.

The second test i took another hook and put the point into a nook in a large flint from my garden, and pulled hard, then dragged the point across the stone making sure the point was being pushed hard onto the stone the whole time.
The result as i expected was a burred over point, but actually much less than i expected, in fact placeing the point on my thumb and pulling the point slightly it began to penatrate very easily point burred and all, and i would conclude would not be the slightest hinderance in hooking a taking barbel.

The hook i had two consecutive drop offs on was a size 9 - i think, and i couldn't find that packet to do a test, i think i must have chucked them.
I think - (only my opinion) the slightly shorter shank of these hooks compared to say ESP Raptors , and in a smaller size than that tested, caused the hook to 'bounce' an prevented a good hook hold when i used them whilst actualy fishing.

I'm pretty sure that any hook would have burred under the pressure i put it under, but i'm not so sure that any hook would have still been capable of easy penatration.

In my opinion if you find in your fishing the hook finds a good hold ok, then they are more than sharp enough to penatrate, will not unduly burr on contact with gravel, at least no more so than others out there, and are easily strong enough not to open out, under the pressure you would expect from a hard fighting Barbel.

Even though i don't like this pattern so much, my opinion of Drennan & ESP hooks remains unchanged, and are still my choice of hooks.

Ian.
 
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