Ami per la pesca alla carpa

In 2005, the fishing hook was chosen by Forbes magazine as one of the twenty best tools in human history. The oldest of the hooks were discovered in 2016 on the island of Okinawa, Japan. They are estimated to be 23,000 years old. They were made from the shell of a marine mollusk.

Nowadays, this piece of tooling is made from stainless or high carbon steel. There are blued, bronzed, nickel-plated, “gold-plated” (coated with titanium nitride) and other hooks.

All hooks are divided by numbers. The smaller the number, the bigger the hook. Although the classification is considered to be international, many manufacturers may have slightly different sizes of the same numbers.

In carp fishing, the hook is given almost totemic importance. Unlike other types of fishing, the hook is not only responsible for hooking the trophy: before hooking, the hook must enter the fish’s mouth following the bait, turn downwards with the stinger, and when spitting it out it must enter the soft part of the carp’s lip. Only after that the fish feels the hook and makes a jerk, which initiates the hooking. Therefore, this element of equipment should have a special shape and balance, be very sharp. After throwing, the sting of the hook should remain open, and before throwing minimally contact with anything. Many manufacturers of famous brands, such as Fox or Korda, put in the packaging of protective features that ensure that the sharpness of the sharpening will be preserved from production to throwing. But the price of such hooks is an order of magnitude higher.

Device of the hook

To begin with, let’s consider the general device of the fishing single hook.

The main parts are the fore-end, underdeck, stinger and head or ear, in general, the difference in their performance and sets the type of hook.

Family of carp hooks

The whole variety of carp hooks can be divided into two types: Wide gape and Curve shank. Their main difference is the shape of the forend, the Wide gape has a straight forend and the Curve shank has a curved forend. All other carp hooks are made with a focus on one or the other type.

Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, and one ideal hook “for all” can not be chosen.

Wide gape. The main features of Wide gape hooks are: wide butt, straight fore-end. The sting is parallel to the fore-end, which provides good penetration. The basic concept of operation: the hook enters the fish’s mouth, then turns around the hardest part of the lip due to the wide gape. After that, it sinks into the lower part of the lip when the fish spits out or jerks. But because of the fact that the fore-end is parallel to the stinger, it is more difficult for the hook to take a fighting position – to turn the stinger down. Perfectly combined with the classic carp mounting. Hooks of small sizes, for example #10, with a straight stinger, can be safely used when fishing for “Zig-rig”.

Curve shank. The difference of the type is a curved forend. The sting is curved towards the ring. There are modifications when the stinger is directed straight into the ring. When hooking, the hook turns around and is driven into the lower lip of the fish. Unlike Wide Gape, this hook is easier to take a fighting position due to its shape. Thanks to the curved forend, with each jerk of the fish Curve shank is pushed deeper into the lip, minimizing hookups. In case of incorrect hooking, when the hook does not go deep enough into the fish’s mouth and hits the hardest part of the lip, this piece of equipment can bend or break. It can also squeeze itself out of the lip, severely traumatizing the carp’s mouth apparatus in the process. On some waters in the UK, the use of the Curve shank is not allowed at all. This hook will come in handy in case of frequent hook-ups. Changing the angle of attack to a sharper angle can help in the realization of cautious bites. Perfectly combined with “KD-rig”, “Blowback rig” and “Ronnie rig”.

Long shank. Variety Wide gape with a straight elongated forend. This modification is excellent for large baits. For example, two bottom baits or “snowman”. This type of hooks perfectly combines with fluorocarbon leashes and works well on “Blowback rig” and “D-rig”. It is recommended to add heat shrink when making montages. This will increase the speed of turning the hook in the carp’s mouth.

Chod e Stiff. To these hooks can be attributed all hooks of the form Wide Gape, which have an ear bent backwards. This feature helps in the presentation of floating baits, on montages using a rigid section of fluorocarbon. The bent ear sets the correct angle of the hook in the water. The most popular method of attaching the nozzle is “Short D-rig” using a micro-ring. This way mounting is as easy as possible, and in the water behaves more naturally. Usually on the packages of such hooks there is a marking Chod or Stiff, which helps to immediately identify the hook. Such modifications are available from well-known manufacturers, such as Korda or ESP, and cost a lot. However, in all the variety of hooks you can find similar models with a bent ear. They will work no worse in montages like Stiff and Chod. For example, Gamakatsu’s G-Carp Wide Gape Super.

Long Curve Shank – also called “banana”. The hook has a long, elongated and curved fore-end. It is used in 360-rig rigging. It can also be used in other jigs, such as the “Blowback rig”. The hook literally sinks into the lip of the fish, and the design feature allows you to pierce almost any part of the lip on the hook. This modification has a phenomenal penetrating ability – tested on myself. From one sloppy movement, the hook entered the finger to the underdeck and it was not possible to extract it without the help of medics. But many carp fishermen refused to use “bananas”. And it’s not about wounded fingers. The hook, especially with improper force pulling, can very much traumatize the mouth apparatus of the fish. For example, tear off part of the lip or make a laceration. Since carp fishing promotes a careful attitude to fish, this hook does not fit into its basic rules.

Krank. This type is a kind of symbiosis of Wide Gape and Curve Shank. The hook was designed for muzza-rig rigging. In this snap, the boyle should lie in such a way that the hair comes out upwards. For this purpose there are special kits with a tubular plug and a thick drill bit. But the same effect can be achieved with a pop-up boyle.

However, the Krank model turned out to be so successful that it was used in many montages. There is even a modification with a bent ring for Stiff and Chod. The hook combines very well with floating baits and is also excellent for flat fishing.

The Krank is often used without a beard. Thanks to its shape, it confidently holds the fish. Use this hook should be used only on a clean bottom, where there are no shells, stones. Bottom debris sticks to Krank’s hook because of its wide underbelly and stinger displacement to the side relative to the length of the hook.

Conditions of use of different types of carp hooks

From all of the above we can deduce the main purpose of each type of hook:

Wide gape – standard carp mounting, classic carp fishing at a basic level.

Curve shank – capricious, cautious fish, montages requiring a sharper angle of attack.

Long shank – large baits, trophy hunting

ChodiStiff – fishing on algae or chod (last year’s dead algae) using a rigid section of fluorocarbon.

Long Curve Shank – 360-rig rigging.

Krank – muzza-rig, other complex montages with floating, suspended or sinking nozzles, clean bottom, craving for experimentation.

Sting position

Carp hooks differ in the position of the stinger. There are hooks with the stinger bent inward or straight. The bent stinger is suitable if there are shells, stones or bottom debris in the fishing area. Such a hook will be less blunt, respectively, the chances of hooking are increased. When using soft leash materials hook with a bent stinger is not suitable, because at the bite will not unfold into a fighting position in the mouth of the fish. Soft line materials are less visible in the water and give the bait a more realistic behavior, but a straight barb hook should be used with them.

Sharpening

Rule #1 that applies to all hooks is “The hook must be sharp!”

In carpfishing this rule is elevated to an absolute. At competitions they adhere to the principle – “One hook – one fish”. After all, every bite can be decisive, and every failure can lead to defeat.

In amateur fishing, everything is not so tragic, except for the disappointment of the descent of the very “dream fish”. After all, it is always the largest one that comes down. Therefore, the hooks must be monitored. At the moment there are many devices for sharpening, both branded and not so much. In extreme cases, you can use a nail file with a diamond spray (which you can borrow from your spouse, but it is worth explaining in advance what it is for you). With the help of a magnifying glass, you need to consider the sting. And, if the appearance of the latter you are alarmed, the sting should be treated with a sharpener from the outside. To compare the result is to put in front of you a hook with a “reference” sharpening and a hook that has survived 6-7 throws and 2-3 fish. By alternately comparing the “bad and good” hooks with the “patient”, we will be able to bring it into proper shape. Each sharpening of the hook reduces its life! Sharpening erases the top layer of the protective coating. It is important to remember this and not to overdo it unnecessarily. Otherwise, the hook will lose its working qualities, begin to quickly dull, rust and can simply break on the fish.

Checking

Checking the nail, although generally recognized, but is not very effective in carpfishing. It helps to identify only the bluntest hooks. You can’t detect insufficiently sharp hooks with this method.

To check the sharpness it is necessary to:

1) Inspect the hook visually with a magnifying glass for defects.

2) Place the hook with the stinger on the pad of your finger and pull lightly on the ear. By the method of comparing “bad and good” hooks, we can easily detect a lack of sharpness by feel.

Storage

Hooks should be stored in their original packaging, so they rub against each other less, and therefore less blunt. The hook should be inspected for defects before starting to make a montage and then checked for sharpness and possibly sharpened. Finished montages should be stored in a leash. In them, the sting does not come into contact with anything and can not dull. After contact with water, the leash should be dried in the air and only then put away in the leash holder. Prolonged contact with moisture can spoil the hook and leash material, not only the used leash, but also its neighbors in the box.

Hook – the only element of the equipment, which comes into direct contact with the fish, it depends on whether we catch the coveted trophy or get an unfortunate failure. All other elements of carp fishing: bait, rod, baiting program, line, sinker – will not be able to take on the responsibility that is assigned to the hook. Therefore, it must be high quality and sharp. Very sharp. On this depends on the realization of your nibble, and maybe the success of the whole fishing trip! After all, in order to hook a carp, it must be found, baited. Confuse it with bait and seduce it with bait. It turns out to be a whole performance in several acts, at the climax of which our hook appears. And in the epilogue, the carp swims away from the hands of the fisherman in his native element.

And if we consider that the theater begins with a hanger, then fishing certainly begins with a hook!

Conclusione

Let’s summarize briefly the description of carp hooks in the table: