Hooklinks

[FishyFraser]

Should the breaking strain of ones hooklink be higher or lower than your mainline? I've always assumed lower but I have noted some posts here which suggest the opposite. Could someone clarify?

[ayjay]

Should the breaking strain of ones hooklink be higher or lower than your mainline? I've always assumed lower but I have noted some posts here which suggest the opposite. Could someone clarify?

 

That is the general theory, for fairly obvious reasons, but it's sort of gone out the window since anglers started using braid for hooklengths.

 

Sorry, no clarification but at least a soupcon of an explanation.

Edited August 30, 2007 by ayjay

[Catnfiddled]

Fraser.

 

I'm returning to fishing after a long break and the fishing world does seem a bit double dutch to me at the moment. However your post is one I'm sure I can answer.

 

The point of a hook length was always bait presentation in my day, the lower the bs hook length the better the bait presentation. So the hook length was always a lower bs than the main line. I can't see a reason why you use a higher bs hook length than your main line.

 

Although people pole fish for carp and deliver bait in radio controlled boats these days which is crazy to me so don't take my word as gospel.

[Anderoo]

In principle your hooklength should be of a lower breaking strain than your mainline, for obvious reasons. But the fashion now (for carp and carp-style, e.g. tench/barbel, fishing) is for a higher breaking strain. This is more to do with the properties of the material than the diameter and therefore strength.

 

Except in rare instances I always use a lower bs hooklength.

 

As for bait boats !