The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

What hooks do you use for your fishing, for the last four seasons I only carry two brands of hook.

1. Raptor ESP T-6 barbless in sizes 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10, these hooks are my big fish hooks.

2. Drennan Specimen barbless in sizes 18, 16, 14, 12, and 10, these are my small fish hooks. But saying that in the summer I caught an 18lb carp on a Drennan size 12 when fishing for perch.

I use as above plus guru QM1 barbless size 10, shame they dont do bigger

I also use Kamasan specialist carp B725, B745

Drennan Super Specialist, barbless. Sizes 6 and 8 for carp.
Drennan Specialist barbless for everything else.

Mark wrote:What hooks do you use for your fishing, for the last four seasons I only carry two brands of hook.

1. Raptor ESP T-6 barbless in sizes 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10, these hooks are my big fish hooks.

2. Drennan Specimen barbless in sizes 18, 16, 14, 12, and 10, these are my small fish hooks. But saying that in the summer I caught an 18lb carp on a Drennan size 12 when fishing for perch.

Thems my hooks as well,they cover any situation over 4 seasons.

Whilst on the subject of hooks, does anyone use hook sharpeners as well?

Loop Erimder wrote:Whilst on the subject of hooks, does anyone use hook sharpeners as well?

Yes. I have always carried a small, triangular carborundum stone for touching up fly-hooks since I can ever remember but have used a very fine grit, flat diamond file for the last few seasons, which I have to say, is far superior to a stone, in every respect.

I'm not much up on all the different general angling hooks available now, but have to say that the chemically-sharpened, Kamasan hooks are unbelievably sharp, compared to the old 'Model Perfect' ones and really cannot be faulted.
Rather than use barbless, I buy the barbed versions (for both fly and general hooks) and then snap off the barb with small pliers, which leaves a tiny 'bump'. This gives a far more secure hold, yet is easily removed without injury to the fish.

I tend to stick mainly with certain favourites from Drennan, Kamasan, Mustad and ESP.

Drennan Super Specialist barbless and Drennan Specialist barbless............

Pallatrax the hook I have used this exclusively for chub and Barbel now for 3 years and they have never let me down. For Perch and others Drennan of all types.
Bumble