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Hook choice???

Tony Stone

Tony Stone

Senior Member
Im curious as to which hook patterns you guys use and why?

I have always used Korda Wide gape hooks, but think im going to change to a straight point hook this season, something like the Korum Specimen hooks or Drennan Barbel hooks.
 
If I’m hair rigging larger pellets or boilies - Nash Claw. Strong, reliable and once they’re in, they ain’t coming out.

If I’m maggot or caster fishing direct on the hook or using smaller pellets or caster glued to a hair - Guru Super MWG. Nicely priced and reliable, in my experience. Had a big double in quite a tight spot on a size 12 at the back end of last season. So a definite thumbs up for them from me!

I tend to avoid straight pointed hooks, as the points blunt more easily when fishing over a gravel or rocky bottom. I’ll use a straight pointed long-shank if burying the hook into a lump of meat, only as I’ve not found a long shank hook without a straight point. I use the Bank Tackle ones. Their wide gape hooks are supposed to be good too.

Got a pack of Korda Klor hooks just to see how they go. The hooks turn and take hold really nicely once tied up, but not used them enough to give any sort of useful info.
 
See I have found that the turned in beak/claw style hooks can blunt or dink over the hook point when im using them on the river.
Not always, but I have had it happen, my thought behind going over to a straight point is that I can sharpen them easier if needed, its hard to sharpen a beaked hook.
 
Beaked points are by no means immune to it, I’ve just found it happens less. I carry a little diamond file for getting a decent point back on them, but it can be fiddly.

I find some of the brands/varieties of Carp hooks can often be too sharp out of the packet and they’ll lose their point on a single cast over any sort of gravel substrate. Kamakuras are a good example. That’s another thing I like about the Claws, they’re sharp, but not silly sharp.
 
Korum Specimen hooks are inexpensive but go blunt quite quickly.

The Pallatrax on the bfw website are expensive but worth it imo
 
Alex Warren said:
Beaked points are by no means immune to it, I’ve just found it happens less. I carry a little diamond file for getting a decent point back on them, but it can be fiddly.

I find some of the brands/varieties of Carp hooks can often be too sharp out of the packet and they’ll lose their point on a single cast over any sort of gravel substrate. Kamakuras are a good example. That’s another thing I like about the Claws, they’re sharp, but not silly sharp.
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Thats a good point actually, there is a big thing in the carp world about having sticky sharp hooks, that actually are likely to blunt easier just due to their design.
 
Dave Quinn said:
Korum Specimen hooks are inexpensive but go blunt quite quickly.

The Pallatrax on the bfw website are expensive but worth it imo
Click to expand...

I dont mind a hook going blunt after a fish if it hasnt cost me £5 for a packet, for that price I want to use it all season :D
 
I’m a huge fan of the nash claw. I’ve been on them now for probably nearly 4 years and I haven’t dropped a single fish that wasn’t caused by another problem that I’ve influenced myself. Not 1 fish with a standard hair rig and running lead set up has parted from those hooks prematurely in that time.
There’s nothing more to add they are by a country mile the best barbel hook I’ve ever used.
If I had a critical thing to say about them it’s they are probably too sharp. Yes that is a criticism because they don’t need to be as sharp as they are and all it takes is the hook to get caught on something hard momentarily at the point is goosed.
I won’t change em for anything else but they do cost me some brass because I go through quite afew.
Conventional round hook patterns allow for easier slippage than a V groove and that’s just fact. Get on the claws and I bet you’ll never want to use anything else.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I’m a huge fan of the nash claw. I’ve been on them now for probably nearly 4 years and I haven’t dropped a single fish that wasn’t caused by another problem that I’ve influenced myself. Not 1 fish with a standard hair rig and running lead set up has parted from those hooks prematurely in that time.
There’s nothing more to add they are by a country mile the best barbel hook I’ve ever used.
If I had a critical thing to say about them it’s they are probably too sharp. Yes that is a criticism because they don’t need to be as sharp as they are and all it takes is the hook to get caught on something hard momentarily at the point is goosed.
I won’t change em for anything else but they do cost me some brass because I go through quite afew.
Conventional round hook patterns allow for easier slippage than a V groove and that’s just fact. Get on the claws and I bet you’ll never want to use anything else.
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These ones??

www.anglingdirect.co.uk

Nash Pinpoint Claw Hooks

Key Features Updated patterns and advanced manufacture Raises the bar with the most advanced, sharpest hook range yet Radical new wide gape extreme design Ultimate strength with the biggest carp Unique apex angled bend design Secure hook holds under extreme pressure Combines the hooking ability...
www.anglingdirect.co.uk www.anglingdirect.co.uk

I have not seen them before really, but the points are almost straight anyway (certainly in that picture)
 
Tony Stone said:
Im curious as to which hook patterns you guys use and why?

I have always used Korda Wide gape hooks, but think im going to change to a straight point hook this season, something like the Korum Specimen hooks or Drennan Barbel hooks.
Click to expand...
Use Gardner Muggas for virtually everything carpwise but I prefer a beaked point for rivers as they def blunt less than straight patterns - have used widegapes in the past but currently experimenting with Korda Krank X hooks which I really like as they have a decent eye size / wide(r) gape / offset and sharp, verging on a circle hook!
 
Tony Stone said:
These ones??

www.anglingdirect.co.uk

Nash Pinpoint Claw Hooks

Key Features Updated patterns and advanced manufacture Raises the bar with the most advanced, sharpest hook range yet Radical new wide gape extreme design Ultimate strength with the biggest carp Unique apex angled bend design Secure hook holds under extreme pressure Combines the hooking ability...
www.anglingdirect.co.uk www.anglingdirect.co.uk

I have not seen them before really, but the points are almost straight anyway (certainly in that picture)
Click to expand...
Yeah. Very slightly turned it.
It’s enough to avoid gravel causing them harm as I don’t find that a problem but like I say…. Too sharp. You don’t get a second chance if you get them caught on a snag even if it takes just moderate pressure to release them.

For me it’s a small price for the benefit they offer around hanging on to fish
 
Tony Stone said:
They seem very well priced. Do you use them?
Click to expand...
Yes, I have done...and would do again. I've use them, Pallatrax, Nash etc, but Drennan mostly I guess. My fave hook, by a country mile, is Fox Arma SSBP (B) for hook 'n hold reliability (snag fishing) and sharpness, but had very few problems with blunting with any hooks. Had to throw a 'Gripz' away last season but that's the only time I remember in the last few years
 
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