Ben Jennings
Senior Member
Do like the look of these I have to say. Like that they go from a 4 to a 16. Might have to see if they have any in my local next time I’m in there.
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Hook change
- Thread starter Ben Jennings
- Start date
Do like the look of these I have to say. Like that they go from a 4 to a 16. Might have to see if they have any in my local next time I’m in there.
Steve Walker
Senior Member
Hook Report
After all the recommendations this hook gets on here I thought I had better try them out and did so for the first time today.I arrived on the banks of the Trent at 12.30pm and had a 5 hour session just into dark.The river was low and clear so I fished a single hair rigged 8mm pellet fished lassoo style using a size 12 Gardner Target Specimen barbed hook.The size 12 matches up nicely with an 8mm pellet.
I didn't have a knock for 4 hours but as the light faded the rod tip started giving me the tell tale taps saying the barbel had moved in,10 minutes later the rod hooped over and I was into a good fish.There were no significant snags in the swim so I didn't have to exert a lot of pressure during the spirited fight,the hook held and 5 minutes later I had a pristine 9.5 fish in the net.
It was now nearly 5 o'clock and getting into dusk,my favourite barbel fishing time so I cast in hoping to get another before I packed up.10 minutes later and I was in business again,this time judging from the slow methodical fight and the powerful way it shook it's head in mid river it was obviously a large fish.
I played it carefully bearing in mind I was using a new hook and only in a size 12.When it first rolled on the surface I could see it was obviously a double and I began to wish I had used a bigger hook.No need to worry,the gardner hook managed to cope with the last minute lunges and I soon had a cracking fish of 11.11 on the bank.
Apologies for chopping the nose off in the photo but I was on my own in the dark.
It's very early days yet but my first impressions of the target specimen hook are positive.I have never been entirely happy with the hooks I have been using in the smaller sizes so hopefully these will do the job.
After 5 hours of being dragged along a gravel bottom the point was still as sharp as when I started,it also survived being stuck in a tree.
The micro barb is just about right as the hook popped out easily without a mark on the barbel's mouth-I have seen some fish which have been quite badly marked up around the mouth this season.
They are the classic barbel hook pattern with a short shank,beaked point,wide gape and 5°in turned eye and are available from size 10 to 16 so may be worth using for maggots in the smaller sizes.
I don't have a problem with the bigger hooks I use for snaggy hit and hold situations so will continue using the Korda wide gapeX but these Gardners are excellent in the smaller sizes.
After all the recommendations this hook gets on here I thought I had better try them out and did so for the first time today.I arrived on the banks of the Trent at 12.30pm and had a 5 hour session just into dark.The river was low and clear so I fished a single hair rigged 8mm pellet fished lassoo style using a size 12 Gardner Target Specimen barbed hook.The size 12 matches up nicely with an 8mm pellet.
I didn't have a knock for 4 hours but as the light faded the rod tip started giving me the tell tale taps saying the barbel had moved in,10 minutes later the rod hooped over and I was into a good fish.There were no significant snags in the swim so I didn't have to exert a lot of pressure during the spirited fight,the hook held and 5 minutes later I had a pristine 9.5 fish in the net.
It was now nearly 5 o'clock and getting into dusk,my favourite barbel fishing time so I cast in hoping to get another before I packed up.10 minutes later and I was in business again,this time judging from the slow methodical fight and the powerful way it shook it's head in mid river it was obviously a large fish.
I played it carefully bearing in mind I was using a new hook and only in a size 12.When it first rolled on the surface I could see it was obviously a double and I began to wish I had used a bigger hook.No need to worry,the gardner hook managed to cope with the last minute lunges and I soon had a cracking fish of 11.11 on the bank.
Apologies for chopping the nose off in the photo but I was on my own in the dark.
It's very early days yet but my first impressions of the target specimen hook are positive.I have never been entirely happy with the hooks I have been using in the smaller sizes so hopefully these will do the job.
After 5 hours of being dragged along a gravel bottom the point was still as sharp as when I started,it also survived being stuck in a tree.
The micro barb is just about right as the hook popped out easily without a mark on the barbel's mouth-I have seen some fish which have been quite badly marked up around the mouth this season.
They are the classic barbel hook pattern with a short shank,beaked point,wide gape and 5°in turned eye and are available from size 10 to 16 so may be worth using for maggots in the smaller sizes.
I don't have a problem with the bigger hooks I use for snaggy hit and hold situations so will continue using the Korda wide gapeX but these Gardners are excellent in the smaller sizes.
Gareth Collis
Senior Member
I can highly recommend Gardner covert talon tips in 12's upwards & I also use Gardner target in smaller sizes they are very good!