Rig guides · part of the rig library
What hooks do I need?
Three gauges of hook cover almost everything: fine, medium and heavy wire. Here is what each is for, the line it pairs with, and the sizes it comes in.
Part of the rig library: the rig specs carry the recommendation for a given rig, this page carries the facts.
The three gauges
| Fine wire | Medium wire | Heavy wire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The wire | Thin, light hook that penetrates on a small strike and keeps a maggot or pinkie lively | The all-rounder. Strong enough for F1s and commercial carp on the pole and waggler without being too heavy for a pellet or a caster | Forged and thick. Made for bolt-effect rigs where the feeder or the elastic sets the hook, and for big fish in the edge |
| Line it pairs with | Hooklengths 0.06 to 0.12 mm | Hooklengths 0.12 to 0.17 mm | Hooklengths 0.17 to 0.26 mm, or braid and mono in the 8 to 15 lb bracket |
| Sizes | Size 16 to 26 | Size 12 to 20 | Size 8 to 16 |
| Trade-off | Strong enough for roach, skimmers and small F1s on a soft elastic. Opens out on a proper carp | Covers most commercial fishing. Slightly heavier than fine wire, so a single maggot on a size 18 medium wire will not sit as naturally | Will not straighten. Too heavy to present a light bait and hard to set on a light strike |
| Examples | Guru LWG and SLWG, Kamasan B511 and B911 F1, Drennan Silverfish Maggot, Gamakatsu 2210 green | Guru MWG and SMWG, Kamasan B911 X-Strong, Drennan Carp Match, Matrix MXC-1 and MXC-2, Preston PR 36 | Guru QM1 and XS, Drennan Wide Gape Carp and Carp Feeder, Preston PR 28 and PR 36, Kamasan B983, Korum Xpert Specimen |
Rules of thumb
- Balance the three: hook gauge, hooklength diameter and elastic or rod. A heavy hook on 0.08 mm breaks the line before the hook bends; a fine wire on 0.20 mm bends before the line breaks. Either way the fish is gone.
- Size is not strength. A size 16 heavy wire is stronger than a size 12 fine wire.
- Barbless is the rule on almost every commercial. Check the venue rules before you tie up.
- Wide gape patterns hold big baits and hair rigs; crystal and round bend patterns suit small baits fished direct.
More guides
What elastic should I use?
Solid, hybrid, hollow and liquid, and how to look after them.
What line should I use?
Mono, fluorocarbon and braid, and the diameters that pair with each hook.
How do I mount the bait?
Direct, bands, hair rigs, bayonets and screws, bait by bait.
How do I shot a rig?
Round shot, Stotz, Styl and olivettes, fixed or movable.
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