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Hooklength length

Alex Green

Alex Green

Senior Member
Ive just watched a "how to" instructional video on the AT website by a supposed big fish angler advocating the use of 7ft hooklengths.
What if any are the benefits to this????
 
As far as I'm concerned hooklength sizes are dependent on situation. If you can can get away with big hooklength it keeps your leads and mainline entering the water away from feeding fish less spook factor.
 
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If the hooklength is braid, absolutely non as it will just coil up in the water unless it is weighted down. If it is a heavy mono or fluorocarbon it keeps everything in the swim pinned down, also allows the current to move the bait around a little better
 
Please pardon my ignorance, but how do you ensure a hooklength of these lengths is lying straight and not coiled up even partially, if you know what i mean ?

Thanks
Stephen
 
That is the trade-off, Stephen.

Stiffer hooklink, less dense hookbait, small PVA bag on the hook, the flow - can all help.

Ultimately though it's a question of faith, or dare I say it, ignorance.

Personally I've never gone above 5feet, four being the norm - a more manageable length.
 
Ian, will not the resistance caused by the bait mean that the flow of water will stretch the hooklength out, even if it's braid?
 
I don't really find any difference I'n short or long hooklengths I have caught regularly on both, I often use a 3 to 4 inch hooklength with an inline stonze weight, so the benefit with short for me is less waste!
The thing I found most improved my catch rate is slack lining , I always pay off at least 6 foot of slack and I really believe it doesn't matter weather the barbel touches the line as long as it's not tight!!!
This method just nailed me a 13 lb 8 oz warks Avon barbel I'n low clear conditions,
 
With the slack line, do you still get a decent bite?

Stupid question I know but interested...
 
Same here with the slack lining. My hooklengths are normally no more than 2.5 feet. The slack line still gives good indication and here's another experiment I tried: I ditched the braid and fluoro and went back to a Maxima mono hooklength and a nice shiny Raptor T6 and have caught more fish in clear water since doing so :eek:

Goodbye fluoro.....welcome back Maxima!!!

I never liked fluoro anyway........
 
Chris Fox said:
With the slack line, do you still get a decent bite?

Stupid question I know but interested...
Click to expand...

Bite indication is always sound for me with the slack line. I think the barbel feels no resistance whislt taking up the 6 ft of slack then it's too late for them and there on, never dropped a fish like this but I used to get loads of big knocks then nothing on tight lines. So probably the fish spooking of the tight mainline
 
The only barbel I,ve ever deep hooked was caught on a chunk of meat, fished on the hook in very deepwater (26ft), couldn,t even feel the hook, no chance of unhooking, probably lucky it didn,t bite me off.
The use of knotless knot type hair setups make deephooking near immpossible, they hook on ejection of the bait, the weight of the bait is enough to at least ***** the fish, without any additional weight, so long hooklengths are no problem, boltrigs are just not needed, you will get a full on 3ft twitch even with a freelined bait, try it!!!!!
peter
 
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