Main line to hooklength ratio

[Ali MacDonald]

Hi

 

I am experimenting with my waggler rod and have now discovered how to make a hair rig. I am using a 6lb ultima mainline but not too sure what the best hooklength would be ? I have 1lb and 4lb - any ideas. Will be hair rigging boilies or hooker pellets if that helps ? Mono, fluoro? or braid ... Im now confused...

 

Ali

[Chris Goddard]

If you are fishing a hair rigged bait on a six pond line why bother with a hook length at all?? Just got straight through!! WShat is your INTENDED quarry?? And what is the stamp of fish on the water you intend using this set-up??

[Ali MacDonald]

Chris

 

Hadn't thought if that. I hope to get to get a double figure carp in a commercial water, where they have up to 20lb.

 

Ali

[GlennB]

Hi

 

I am experimenting with my waggler rod and have now discovered how to make a hair rig. I am using a 6lb ultima mainline but not too sure what the best hooklength would be ? I have 1lb and 4lb - any ideas. Will be hair rigging boilies or hooker pellets if that helps ? Mono, fluoro? or braid ... Im now confused...

 

Ali

 

If you're going to use a hooklength, then a 3:2 ratio or thereabouts is probably a fair guide.

 

6lb main, 4lb hooklength

3:2

8:6

2:1.5

etc

[kempo]

Hi

 

I am experimenting with my waggler rod and have now discovered how to make a hair rig. I am using a 6lb ultima mainline but not too sure what the best hooklength would be ? I have 1lb and 4lb - any ideas. Will be hair rigging boilies or hooker pellets if that helps ? Mono, fluoro? or braid ... Im now confused...

 

Ali

 

you can use the exact same line as your main line as if there is a break from a big fish it will break at the weak point and that is the hook length knot.

so you get to keep all your tackle, but if bites are hard to come by then drop down in a hook length size but this most of the time is down to confidence.

 

tight lines

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

I'm not a big fan of this straight through business..........in theory yes the weakest part of the line should be the knot but thats assuming the rest of your line has no damage to it. You could very easily get snapped off and leave a fish with up to 50 foot of line trailing it if your line has rubbed a stone or some other snag and got a weak point in it.

 

IMO for 6lb line your hooklink should be around 4lb.

 

For my carp and barbel fishing I use 15lb mainline with 10lb mono or 12lb braided hooklengths. (i'd use 10lb braid but they had sold out so had to go with 12).

 

Just my tuppence worth.

[Ali MacDonald]

Thanks Guys - will probably opt for 6lb main to 4lb hooklength. I have a Daiwa Harrier 13ft waggler so not sure how heavy a line I can get away with ? What size of carp would I expect to be able to catch up to with that set up, or would I be better going for a heavier line if the rod can take it ?

 

Ali

 

Just to clarify - I am looking to break into double figures as a guide....

[siara]

as you stated the stamp of fish in the lake is double figure-up to 20 lb,it will be only common sense to use at least 12 lb main line and 10 lb hooklength.I would not drop lower,it will only lead to disapointment,and fish trailing the line all over the lake.Carp fight hard,sometimes harder than expected.Light set up surely gets you more bites,but when you hook better specimen your tackle needs to be up to the job.

My advice-12 lb Drennan Double strength,and 10 lb DDS for hooklink.And at least size 8 hooks.