I use the preston plastic hook boxes, the short ones for method feeder hooklengths of about 4 inches. The longer boxes, about 10 inch long for other general pole work. For waggler hooklenths I use a long wallet, the daiwa one, to tie about 12 inch long.
I use these for bomb work too. On shallow rigs I tend not to have hooklengths but tie direct ditto margin rigs.
When hair rigging my bait band is just touching the hook bend.

I’ve always struggled to understand why people use hooklengths on carp rigs,if you use the same line through ,you have no weak links.Carp in coloured water don’t see the line so why lessen your chances?

Interesting bigredfred, I was with Steve Gregory last week paste coaching and he had a similar take on hook lengths for paste fishing. He does not use them preferring to tie direct. When you think about it we are fishing for large fish in the main 8lb or so, when approaching your bait their eye level will be about where your loop knot would be, a great advert for announcing your presence and thus spooking fish.
Set me thinking about hooklengths in general.

Six inch hook-lengths all the way for me on the pole, apart from if I need very shallow rigs when I use 4in.

Much like baitchef say’s at some point you’ll hook something that results in a lost hook. Strait through is fine then if you’ve a long line above the float, but quite often I’d find re-tying a hook will make the length of line wrong above the float – too short often when you’re needing to tuck in to features and leads to poor presentation as the tip moves the float, or the close proximity prevents it settling properly.

Also, sometimes a hook just blunt’s, or you want to change it for a different size or pattern to react to the way the fish are feeding – much quicker to just change the hook-link than re-tie a hook! And you’d have to change the whole rig if you went from a standard hook to say a band on the hair.

I doubt the whole carp can see the loop thing – look at the colour in a typical commercial and tell me they can see anything two foot down! And looking where their eyes are, I doubt they can see what’s directly in front of them at close range anyway.

I used to fish straight through, I now fish with hooklengths, you can change a hook in seconds they do go blunt after all.

Incidentally, I have switched over to the Matrix, baggers and riggers. The Riggers look and feel spot on, very happy with them so far. The baggers seem quite fine a bit like B911’s, but the seem strong enough. Time will tell as I’m going out for a practise today, Ill report back for anybody who’s interested.

Hi there baitchef, long time no hear!
I’ve been using the Drennan band-its & method hook lengths. They’re all tied with 6 or 8 lb bs & use the Drennan eyed hooks. Good quality & good value.
As a matter of interest, I note you’re using Matrix tackle. I have posted on here mentioning the Angling Direct web site advertising Matrix tackle but none is in stock! I’d like to know where you can get them!
Regards Peter