Improve a barbless hook

Choose the right pattern

As we’re looking to add as many ‘extra’ performance percentages as possible and maximise the hooking potential in every way, it’s vitally important to start the whole process with the correct hook size and pattern. So offer up your hook to your chosen hookbait first and make sure it will match nicely.

Ensure the point is sharp

From taking the hook out of the packet through to making your final cast – make sure the hook point is ‘sticky’ sharp at all times. Rubbing with other hooks or bumping the lakebed with a missed cast is just a couple of the things that can dull the hook point. If in doubt, touch-up with a sharpening tool.

Add a kicker

For secure hook holds, ideally positioned in the bottom lip of the fish, the hook needs to turn to an aggressive, point down position quickly. Adding a preformed sleeve or length of shrink tubing steamed and angled onto the eye of the hook to ‘kick’ it over will dramatically increase this hooking potential - and once it goes in, with the added ‘kicker’ it tends to stay in way better.

Add some weight

Much like the ‘kicker’ extending from the hook’s eye, adding some weight an inch or so down the hooklink can really help the hook turn and angle the point down to target a strong hold. A split shot, tungsten sinker or some rig putty moulded onto the hooklink in this area can add this extra speed. And for an added confidence booster, it’s used and recommended by top carper, Adam Penning.

Mount the hookbait blowback style

Using a rig ring on the Hair, allowing the hookbait to be ‘blown back’ has a couple of hooking potential qualities. Firstly with the penetrative force added to the hook as the bait passes over and past the eye, but also by getting the hookbait out of the way, removing the possibility of levering the hook.

Position the Hair aggressively

If you’re not a fan of rig rings or they do not suit your style of rig, then adding a small piece of silicone tubing to position the Hair aggressively can also help. Securing the exit point of the Hair right the way around the bend of the hook, close to the point can bring it into play with deadly precision.

Tie the rig 'KD' style

Less a barb, we’re looking to make the hook as aggressive as possible in other ways, and if you like your rigs simple – tying them-up ‘KD’ style doesn’t require the need for tubing etc. Exit the Hair from a Knotless Knot after the second turn of the whipping to create an aggressive hooking angle and then make a further five below this. It’s a proper nailer!

Drop the lead

Okay, you’ve hooked one with a well-positioned hook hold – now you want to keep it on! Having a lead bouncing around during the fight, adding pivotal strain upon the hold with every shake of the fish’s head, just isn’t going to help. So unless you’re using really light leads, always set them to drop on the take - either using a lead clip or a drop-off in-line set-up.