Favourite hook pattern

[Goldfish]

Hi chaps,
Been a while since I posted on here. Quite a few years I think. Anyway good luck for the new season and hopefully we will have some rain before it starts. I've got great confidence in the fishing tackle I use for barbel from the rod through to the hook length. Never been broken from a fish with the gear I use now. The one item of tackle that I chop and change with is maybe the hook. Being a bit on the tight side with money last year I used the old drennan super specialist hooks. Not the barbel ones but the old classic bronze ones. Now I've had plenty of barbel on them but on occasion, mainly if the hook gets caught up, the hook will open. Some might think this is a good thing as I get the rig back. Not opened whilst playing a fish but I don't play them excessively hard as I'm not hooking and holding. However it does concern me that it does open up under full pressure. On the other hand I've used drennans continental bollie hooks that are about as strong as it gets but heavy and minimum size is 8. I prefer something a size smaller for summer fishing. I'm going to buy a packet of the guru super mwg hooks to try. These look excellent. A stronger looking shape than the super specialist and duller in colour. I've heard good things about these hooks so will give them a go. The barbel posts on here aren't as frequent as they used to be. Maybe we can post a bit more this coming season. Good luck for the new season and hope you catch plenty of whiskers.
Mick.

 

[jon atkinson]

Welcome back Mick! I don't fish for Barbel as often as I would like - my nearest River is the Dee, and whilst they are in there I wouldn't class it as a recognised Barbel river in the way that the Ribble or Severn are, these both being within 'range' but further than I would travel other than on a very occasional basis. When I do target them it tends to be with a feeder, 2 - 3' hook length using a hair on Korda 'Kaptor' wide gape 8 or 10 - not the cheapest hooks but as strong as they come! Arguably overkill TBH, but having once lost a really good fish with it straightening a cheaper model, I determined never to lose out again for want of a better hook.

 

[Alan Whitty]

I used to use Drennan Super Specialists for barbelling until I had my pb,it had almost opened upon landing,so I went on a hook hunt and for many years used Fox SSBP hooks,but as a carp hook they didn't go below a 10,so I was always keeping an eye out and one day I watched a Dean Macey program on the Wye,he mentioned how he had never had a problem with them,the Guru MWG or MWGB,I prefer a barbed hook,but some venues I fish dont allow them,so I tried them and can honestly say they are everything I would want from a barbel hook,I have used them for barbel from 8's to 14's,they are as cheap as hooks get these days,which is even better...

 

[Goldfish]

Hi Jon. I've used korda hooks in the past. I think the original wide gapes and choddys. I think I looked at the kaptors and they looked very good. You could get them in green or brown if it's the ones I'm thinking of. I don't think the colour matters so much but the anti glare coating may help in clear conditions. Cant hurt anyway. The drennan barbel super specialist I tried and although strong the point seems to get bent quite easily. Now you could say it's a straight point hook but so is the basic super specialist and it hasn't happened to me with them. Good to know you're having success with the guru mwg Alan. I know a lot of matchmen rate them. I think guru is part of korda if I'm not mistaken. I also prefer barbed hooks. Mainly through confidence of keeping hold. Funnily enough I read that barbs on hooks were devised to keep bait on the hook rather than having the fish come off mid fight. How true this is I don't know. I've lost two many small fish in the past on barbless hooks with them flapping about and creating a bit of slack. Probably doesn't happen so much with bigger fish keeping the line tight constantly. Still prefer the confidence of a barb though.
Mick.

 

[Alan Whitty]

The Guru hooks take a right hammering,I find the Korda hooks,being designed for carp are a little heavy in the wire,the Guru MWGB however is perfect giving power to virtually hit and hold if absolutely necessary,without a hint of opening up on 12lb lines...

 

[Aknib]

Korda wide gape 'B' barbless for me every time, you could tow a car without them opening up.

Korum Specimen come a close and credible second at a lower price.

I like Guru in the smaller sizes for maggot as I can get heavier line through the eye.

 

[Goldfish]

Well it seems its all korda and guru hooks that are favourite. Aknib you use barbless for ease of unhooking?

 

[Aknib]

Well it seems its all korda and guru hooks that are favourite. Aknib you use barbless for ease of unhooking?

Partly, I just don't see the need for a barbed hook for something that is pulling every inch to the net and never has the opportunity to shake a hook on a momentarily slackened line, they just don't create the opportunity.

I do use barbless exclusively for other species too, I believe penetration is better and yes, hook removal is quicker and easier.

 

[Keith M]

I usually use Korum Wide Gape Barbless too although It largely depends on whether I’m using a hair rig or I’m mounting my bait directly onto the hook.

I also occasionally use the slightly longer shank of the Drennan Barbel Specialist (I think that’s what they are called) when I am mounting meat directly onto my hook.

I’ve also occasionally used Korum Quickstop hooks (with the deep red/maroon cotton type hairs) without having any problems too although the hooks can; and have in the past; changed in their design slightly.

I can’t remember having any of my hooks straighten out, or suffer from any hook pulls (famous last words )

My Ideal hook when after Barbel would be: Reversed point, wide gape, short shank, barbless and Teflon coated just like the Fox SSBP barbless armour point hooks that used to be marketed by Fox. Although I believe that Fox have bought out some new comparable hooks which I might try.


The Fox armour point barbed SSBP hooks (which unfortunately are no longer sold) although I used the Barbless version.

Keith

 

[Goldfish]

Aknib think you are right about the barbless issue. More to do with smaller fish rather than the bigger fish that keep the line tight through the fight. Some of these pictures I've seen with hooks embedded in people's hands look awful. I think it was a fly fisherman who got one in his eye. Glad to have barbless then for sure. Keith i personally don't like hooks with aggressively inturned eyes. I tend to use fluoro for hooklengths and I don't like the way line comes out from the eye when doing a knotless knot. The angle doesn't look good to me. Not a problem with braid. Might make no difference. Just a personal thing. Keith you use barbless for the same reason Aknib does?
Mick

 

[Alan Whitty]

Have you tried the Guru MWG(barbless)MWGB(barbed)Keith,they are very similar to the SSBP....

 

[Alan Whitty]

The issues of tight lines depend on venues,if you fish heavily weeded waters then at times you have to give fish slack line to allow them to change the way they are lying,barbed or barbless the hooks I use perform well,but if given the choice it's barbed....

 

[The Sogster]

For many years I used the original super specimen hooks, no problems.

A couple of years ago I started using the eyed preston mcm-b for feeder fishing and the kkm-b for float up to a size 16 and would highly recommend them for bigger fish/ baits.
The mcm-b is more of a circle type hook and really works on a method type feeder.
The kkm-b has a beaked point which i like when float fishing.
For anything smaller I use spade ends.

 

[sam vimes]

I've not done any barbel fishing (beyond the odd float fishing session) for several years.My favourite hook from the period I was much more barbel focused was the Nash Fang Gaper. As I still have a fair stock of them, if I dust off the barbel gear, I'll be using them still.