Long hooklengths

[TF_JohnH]

I can recall years ago 36 inch hook lengths were common. I used to store them in hook packets. These days of Preston plastic boxes and wallets have seen me increasingly using 6 or 10 inch hook lengths and I am starting to convince myself that its all wrong.
Reading the article on deep shallow Lodge farm in Decembers match fishing the writer talked of 4 foot hook lengths with no shot on for slow fall. He also said large 20lb fish were not uncommon, these are not easily fooled fish!!
Thinking about it, fishing standard deck rigs for carp the loop to loop will be about eye level for an approaching fish and we all know how easy they spook thanks to the underwater images available from Korda.
I am going to tie up several direct rigs for use this year to try to prove a point but would value others opnions..
I know we have the issue of break offs and blunt hooks but think how many fish are spooked before we even know they are there?

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

I fish 18 inch on the bomb short hooklengths seem to wrap round too much for me, running rigs and quick change beads dont help with tangles either. Ive gone back to using swivels recently instead of quick change beads you get far less tangles

[TF_JohnH]

I am ok with shorter hook lengths on the bomb or method feeder, its really the pole that I am talking about. I feel the loop to loop on short hook lengths might be not the way to go.
.

[TF_Rhino]

Let us know your findings John – Big Wayne who is the featured angler is certainly convinced and has a very good record with that type of fishing – good enough for maruku to take notice and give him some backing at any rate!

[TF_baitchefParticipant]

I think the theory behind the short hooklength is based on the fact that you don’t place any shot on it, so there are no additional weaknesses.

If you use a longer hook length, then you will have to place shot on it, if you are worried that fish will see the loop to loop on a short hook length then you will have to consider that they will also see the shot so the two kind of cancel each other out really.

I think this is all based on how positive your rigs are, and in the warmer months i think you can be far more positive so things on the line will not take priority over other issues like strength etc.

However in the winter when the water is clear, there could well be something in the idea of longer hook lengths and well spaced out shot??

Who knows unless you try?

I know Steve ringer favours the strung bulk and i am pretty sure he now uses it on the majority of his rigs, and even in winter, maybe if he sees this he can confirm this?

I do quite a bit of lead/feeder fishing and most of the time the shorter the better, unless you are fishing on the drop with natural baits, but this is specialised fishing and more relevant to silvers. The exception is the method feeder where usually the hook length has to be as short as possible, because anything around 6 inches will see fish being foul hooked as the hook length gets tangled over their backs.

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

I think its a confidence thing John I dont really think feeding puddle carp give a hoot about seeing your loop to loop specimen carp fishing is different to match fishing, Ive spent my fair share of time in a bivvy and specimen carp fishing in my opinion is all about trying to trip a wise old fish up hence why they mess about so much with rigs, I thing smaller carp in commercials feed very differently,

[TF_JohnH]

I am not sure it is that different to specimen fishing, we are after all trying to catch as much as possible in as shorter time as possible. The fact that 20lb fish are turning up regularly should indicate something is going on. Apart from Bolingey I am not sure too many match lakes can boast fish of this size being weighed on a fairly frequent basis. Many lakes do have fish of this size in them now I think.
The specimen boys spend a great deal of time disguising rigs and a long hooklength maybe one for match anglers to consider. Surely the Guru brown bombs are one such example of disguise being used by matchmen these days.
I have fished with Steve and he does favour strung out bulk shotting about 2 inch apart starting 18 inch from the hook working back to the float. Scothorne was similar, for deck rigs in 7 foot of water.
An article in this months mag also talks about the merits of light hook lengths,surely avoiding the loop to loop in the killing zone is just an extension of this argument which I think we all accept as correct? I dont buy the shot argument as even on the deck its a lifting and dropping game with no shot within 18 inch of the hook, I am of course talking carp match fishing.
I will let you know Rhino how I get on but I am making up direct rigs from here on in, or using 2 foot hook lengths minimum on the pole, Buffy has just quoted me for a long box for them.

[TF_baitchefParticipant]

Like I said there is probably something in it, but I just don’t let things like this get in my head.
Its far too psychological for me. The problem I have with this sort of thing is once you go down these routes I think it begins to restrain you. If lets say for arguments sake you are concerned about what is going on at the last 18 inches of water, does it mean you will be scared/paranoid to ever put shot on the line again….just in case!! lol.
Then again that’s probably why i’m crap!! ha ha. 😀

It was interesting but last night I watched a video of Rob Wooten going through his float selection, anyway he was explaining that he often likes a float with a thicker bristle, dotted right down with bigger baits, like 6mm pellets, meat etc. He then lifts into indications that through experience he can read as bites.

I started doing a bit of this towards the back end of last year and i must admit i really enjoyed fishing like it. But crucially even when lifting and dropping as well as leaving a static bait (depending how they wanted it on the day) I sometimes had droppers as close as 4 inches from the hook.

What I then realised, but far too late that the top guys had already been fishing like this for some time and had sussed it all out. :rolleyes: So it was back to playing catch up again.lol

I guess it could be argued that i’m ignorant, but i just don’t like having things like this going around in my head, it affects my confidence and i begin to doubt myself.

[TF_DAT]

When I was a lad (yes a long,long time ago) 36″ was a Yorkshire bottom. Don’t know if it was this length because Yorkies are tight arses and want value for money (Or owt for nowt and they are there with a barrow),but its what we used to buy in the likes of Gales and Monkwood autos (Pauls Tackle).

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