Every carp angler knows that the first step for catching carp is to use the right hook. This may look like a simple task that requires no thought, but the fact is that it is not as simple as it seems. Choosing the right hook for carp fishing can be the most important step in your fishing trip. Having the best hook before hitting the water is the first step to ensure you catch the best and the biggest carp possible. Choosing the best hook plays a vital role in your ability to catch carp, and in the next paragraph, we will take a look at the best hook for carp fishing.

What Is The Best Hook For Carp?
There are different types of hooks when it comes to carp fishing. Personally, the Wide Gape hook is my favorite for all my carp rigs. This is because the hook is very versatile and can be used for different rig setups, although it is mainly used with a standard hair rig. The aggressive pattern enables the hook to holds very well and if presented properly, it will turn bites into fish on the shore. Wide Gape hooks have been around for many years and have proven to be one of the most effective hooks for carp fishing. Now, let’s take a look at the different types of carp hooks.
Types Of Carp Hooks
There are several types of carp hooks and they all can and will work. Most people have a particular type they like and it is all they will ever use, but if you look just outside of your comfort zone they will find new options that will help them become better carp fishermen and environmentalist. Below you will find a list of these hooks and the options that you have available to you.
Long Shank Hooks
These are the best hook to use with bottom baits. If you are fishing with particles like sweetcorn or tiger nuts, then a long shank hook is suitable for the task. There is a probability of the bait drifting away from the hook point, but you can correct it by tying the hair on the bend using silicone tubing. Recently long shank hooks come with Teflon coating that not only prevents rust but also reduces glare off hooks, making it difficult to detect.
Partridge Piggyback F8/Z14 Carp Long Shank Hook
Go try out a artridge Piggyback F8/Z14 Carp Long Shank Hook!
Curve Shank Hooks
These hooks have a clear curve of the generally straight shank. Once taken in, the fish will find it difficult to get rid of it, which is one of the most popular hook patterns in carp fishing. The major advantage of using this hook is that it is difficult for fish to get rid of it once it is sucked in.
Stiff Rigger Hooks
This is the perfect hook to use with monofilament and fluorocarbon lines. These materials have dramatically improved over the years, although for some time they were thought to weaken when attached to an in-turned eye hook with a knotless knot. These hooks are the perfect choice for the increasing popularity of chod rigs that a lot of modern carp fishermen now employ.
Carp Fishing Chod Rigs With Stiff Rigger Hooks
Go try out a Carp Fishing Chod Rigs With Stiff Rigger Hooks!
Wide Gape Hooks
This hook has accounted for landing more large carp than any other hook pattern. What makes wide gape hooks very effective is its versatility, the hook can be used for different rigs setups, and it is suitable for fishing both buoyant and bottom baits. Another reason for its popularity is the high strength to size ratio and it also increases the possibility of holds as the fish try to remove the hook.
Circle Hooks For Carp
After hearing and reading about some anglers singing the praises of circle hooks for carp fishing, I have decided to research how effective circle hooks are for carp fishing. I discovered that this is one of the best hooks for all carp fishing rigs. This is because the hook has a curved shank that sets the hook point in the fish's mouth as it swims off with the bait.
This makes it difficult for carp to remove the hook even when it tries to spit the hook. It will still turn on most of the time and stick inside the fish's mouth. To remove these hooks from the fish, simply turn the hook in a backward circular motion, the reverse of how it went in. Circle hooks are designed to stop deep hooking and therefore stop killing deeply hooked sport fish.
Mustad UltraPoint Demon Wide Gap Perfect in-Line Circle Hook
Go try out a Mustad UltraPoint Demon Wide Gap Perfect in-Line Circle!
Circle hooks are meant to be used to provide an easy hookset that occurs at the mouth but doesn’t allow harm to come to the fish. Many hooks are made to hook anywhere on the fish, but this one is almost guaranteed to hook them in the lip because of the way it is made. For this reason, many lawmakers are making this mandatory for gamefish that need protection from overfishing and uneducated fishermen.
Here in Massachusetts, it is mandatory that you use these hooks for Striped Bass. After realizing what is happening to there numbers and how people are mistreating them this is an obvious choice to make. Of course, it is only useful for those who follow the rules. Those who don’t follow the rules and don’t get caught will continue to hurt the ecosystem until there is nothing left.
Are Small Or Big Hooks Better For Carp?
When it comes to carp fishing, choosing the right hook size is very important. The general rule is that the bigger the fish you are hunting, the bigger the hook. Your bait will also play an important role in choosing the size of your hook. For example, you will not use a size 4-hook hook with a 10mm boiler. To answer this question, let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of these two hook sizes.
Advantages Of Small Hooks
It is sharper, so it is good for better penetration
It is lighter, and less obvious to fish when sucking in the bait, and they are less likely to be rejected
Smaller hook and bait can help in long-distance casting
Disadvantages Of Small Hooks
Smaller hooks mean using smaller baits, which might be a disadvantage when targeting big carps
These hooks are not suitable for snag fishing
Advantages Of Big Hooks
Bigger hooks are suitable for fishing larger baits, which are perfect for catching big fish
Big hooks are suitable for large fish situations
Disadvantages Of Big Hooks
- They are heavier and so less discrete and easier to detect by the fish, and also cut down on casting distance
In summary, it is obvious that smaller hooks will eventually make it possible to catch more fish. Smaller hooks are perfect when targeting smaller sizes of carps. But when targeting big carp, big hooks are the best hook size for the task, which is why I always go for a big hook.
Carp Rigs
These are basically the new way of fishing carps and successfully deceiving them. For years, the traditional way of casting out baits and reeling them in has become the basic. Carps are catching on to what is happening. This is why rigs are important. Rigs help you deceive fish with a complex, but simple lure that will trick them to believe that the lure is real. So, if you are new to carp fishing rigs, you will need to know how different rigs work and what parts you will need. In general, you should consider carp fishing rigs, as this could mean the difference between catching carp and not catching anything at all.