Just look through any magazine or catalogue and you’ll find a dizzying array of hook patterns available – some of which are designed for specific purposes and some that are based on general fundamental principles that offer good mechanics
with a wider range of rig applications.

The hook that you choose for a certain application is, in the terms of us carp anglers and the venues we fish, based upon the type of rig and bait that you use – and this can vary from day to day and even cast to cast.

However, for many anglers the exact factors that determine the correct decision are a bit jumbled. In this feature I aim to add a little insight into what makes a particular pattern fit for a specific purpose.

There are particular elements that are universal. To start with, all carp hooks are made from high-carbon steel. The process by which a simple piece of wire is transformed into a finished hook is nothing short of miraculous when you consider the bendy nature of the raw material before processing. This strength is achieved through two processes. Firstly there is forging, which is a flattening of the sides of the wire. This helps provide the hook with a degree of strength against straightening (by increasing the amount of material in the axis of the bend)…

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