I went Carping with my brother in law, Greg a while back, when I caught my first capr at 13lb, as logged in a previous thread. Greg let me have the first take, which was on one of his rods, with a size 8 hook on the end.

Now this may be a coincidence, but the only decent runs where fish were fought (and a couple lost due to my inexperience at battling with them, being more of a Pike man by trade) were on his size 8 hooks. I had size 6s on mine and a few screaming bleeps on the alarms, but no proper take.

This indicates to me that a bigger hook means less decent runs, a sentiment which Greg swears by, saying his catch rate has increased significantly after changing to size 8 and 10 hooks.

This was also backed up a month previously, when we went to Church ponds in Norfolk and Greg caught 13lb, 15lb and 22lb mirrors on a size 8. This was the best 3 fish haul recorded there that year, and the 22lb fish was the biggest to be caught so far that year (it was April).

So the question I therefore ask is simple. Are smaller hooks better in your opinion?

Cheers

Simon

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I don't know if they are better but I always use a size 8 hook for carp. I've caught doubles with a size 16 so I feel I don't need a massive hook to catch.

Cool, thanks.

It depends very much on the size of the bait you are using.

I tend to find that size 8 & 10 hooks do seem to produce more runs and I use them for almost all my fishing.

Bait: hair-rigged boilie

What size of boilie?

My standard hook size is an 8 which suits the sizes of bait I prefer to use.
Using a boilie for an example, a generalisation of hook size matched to bait size would be something like:

#10 - 10 or 12mm boilie
#8 - 14,15 or 16mm boilie
#6 - 18 or 20mm boilie

Remember though that hook sizes can vary between manufacturers.

I'm on 14mm, and have (luckily) just bid for some rigs with size 8s on them on ebay.

Off to the canal with them in the weekend. Will let you know how I get on.

Cheer for the help chaps

Simon

8's everytime - buy a pack of hooks, braid and you can knock up hair rigs that catch in minutes - even on the bank...

Has anyone tried the fluorocarbon hair rigs people seem to be flogging now (I've always gone with braid)....

Hey Simon

fist off by reading your thred, you said that you had been reciving alot of "takes" and no fish because what you thought was down to hook size! may i ask you what kinda distance your fishing at and are you useing any form of back lead/flying or clip on???? as this may not be takes but only extream line bites.

cheers and tight lines

Gav