Rig making is a crucial aspect of angling, and having the best carp fishing hooklink material is essential for getting the rig to present correctly in any given situation.
The best carp fishing hooklinks come in a variety of colors, materials, and breaking strains, providing the angler with complete versatility when tying rigs. Whether you need a lighter hooklink to blend into gravel or a more supple hooklink for fishing over an uneven lakebed, there will be an option for you. However, it’s up to you to tailor the rig to suit the specific environment you're fishing in.
The best carp fishing hooklinks at a glance:
•Best Budget Coated Braid Hooklink - Korda Basix Coated Hooklink - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
•Best Camouflaged Coated Braid Hooklink - Fox Camotex Soft - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
•Best Hooklink Material For Chod Rigs - Korda Mouth Trap - View offer on Fishing Tackle and Bait
•Best Hooklink For Concealment - ESP Soft Ghost Fluorocarbon Braid - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
Often made from braid, coated braid, or fluorocarbon, hooklinks each have different properties tailored to what you want to achieve with your presentation. If you want a rig that is rigid and will reset itself, a stiffer material generally works better. However, if you need maximum movement in your rig, a more supple option is preferable. Here is a guide to the best carp fishing hooklink materials available…
nullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullWhat to look for in a carp fishing hooklink
Due to the varying nature of lakebeds and the different hooklinks available on the market, the best carp fishing hooklinks are those that provide the desired presentation for the specific scenario you are facing. If a material causes the bait to act unnaturally, is highly visible, or anchors the bait away from where the carp can reach it, then it is unsuitable for that situation.
The best hooklinks will present the bait as naturally as possible while allowing the rig to perform efficiently to hook the carp. Since carp angling relies on the fish hooking itself, the components of the rig significantly impact your success rates. Generally, for softer, debris-filled lakebeds, a softer hooklink material is preferable. Conversely, for hard bottoms like gravel, a stiffer material usually performs better.
When choosing a hooklink material, first consider how you want the rig to perform. If you want the rig to kick away from the lead and reset itself when picked up, a stiffer hooklink is ideal. For fishing with a solid bag, you’ll need a very supple, braided hooklink that can be carefully coiled into the bag, allowing for free movement when the carp sucks up the bait.
Glossary
Hooklink: A term that refers to the line that the hook is attached to that is then attached to the mainline.
Braid: A line made up of strands of fibres like dyneema that are tightly wound to make one, strong fibre. The braid will give you an indication of how many strands it contains, generally the higher the count the stronger it is.
Coated braid: A braid that has a plastic outer coating on it, this is added to alter the properties and make it less prone to tangling.
Tungsten: A metal that is really heavy and is often added to putty or hooklinks improve their sinking properties.
Fluorocarbon: A fishing line that ismade of a single strand of fluoropolymer, this material has a similar refractory index to water, making it almost invisible.
Refractive index: The refractive index isthe measure of bending of a light ray when passing from one medium to another. The more similar they are the more indistinguishable they are.
Chod Rig: A chod rig is a pop up rig fished on a short hooklink straight off the mainline or lead core. It is primarily designed to be cast onto any lakebed and still present the bait well.
Breaking Strain: This is simply the amount of pressure required to break a fishing line, it doesn't refer to the size of the fish you can land on it.
Line Diameter: The diameter of the line gives an indication to how thick the line is in millimetres (mm), the higher the diameter the thicker the line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hooklink material for carp?
There is no one size fits all when it comes to hooklinks for carp fishing, all types of material excel when used in the right situation. As a rule softer braids and coated braids are better when fishing over soft lakebeds and weed, with stiffer hooklinks better when fishing on firm bottoms like gravel.
What is the best hooklink material for solid PVA bags?
The best material for using in conjunction with a solid bag is a standard, uncoated braid. The supple nature allows you to coil it easily into the compact area inside the bag, whilst making sure the hookbait remains inside the pile of free offerings when the bag melts. A stiffer hooklink could push it out or make it sit unnaturally resulting in less takes.
What breaking strain hooklink should I use when carp fishing?
If you're fishing on the bottom and the the hooklink is well camouflaged it doesn't really matter as the fish wont see it, so generally the stronger the better, with most anglers using around 20-30lb. If you are using zigs or fishing on the surface you need to consider how visible the material is you are using is, in this instance usually the lighter the hooklink you can safely use will get you more bites as the fish often inspect the baits longer when they are floating or suspended.
What is the difference between a coated braid and an uncoated braid hooklink?
Apart from the obvious one being coated and one not, there are very discernible differences between the two. Coated braids tend to be far more versatile, they can be stripped back to reveal the soft inner whilst still retaining their stiffer properties. They tend to tangle far less, can be used for a variety of different rigs and boom sections and come in a whole host of colours. An uncoated braid is prone to tangling but does offer unrivalled movement when a carp inhales the hookbait due to its very supple nature, making it great in a solid PVA bag or when dropped in the margins.
AuthorAidan Bordiukis an enthusiastic angler who enjoys all fishing disciplines from match fishing to beach casting. He is currently occupying the position of Commercial Content Writer at Angling Times.