A hook is not just a hook! It's a tiny work of art that's been designed for a specific use, and in some cases a specific bait. Follow our guide and you will hook and land more fish next weekend...

This style of hook, featuring an out-turned eye, is ideal for hair rigging and in particular for hair rigging pop-up baits because the hair remains parallel with the hook shank and therefore the hook remains straight against the hair. It works equally well with sinking baits too. A good all-rounder for specialist fishing and particularly good for creating 'stiff rigs.

Typical patterns: Drennan Star Point, Fox Series 6, ESP Stiff Rigger, Drennan Boilie Hook.

Ideal baits: Pop-up boilies, floating pellets, large sinking baits.

Hooks with in-turned eyes are absolutely perfect for pop-up or semi-buoyant carp baits. When tied using the knotless knot the hook point will sit well proud of the hair and bait, plus the angle between the hair and hook, created by the in-turned eye, will force the hook to flick over in a carp's mouth therefore increasing the chance of a hooked fish.

Typical patterns:  Fox Series 1, Nash Fang, ESP Raptor G-4.

Ideal baits:  Boilies, nuts, multiple particles and corn.

Crystal bend

This style of hook is available in either eyed or spade end and is a firm favourite among match anglers. Why? Because of its shape it's the perfect hook for maggots. Put one or two maggots on correctly and they will sit on the bend of the hook, right below the point and in an ideal place to ensure instant hooking of the fish. Fine-wire, forged, barbed and barbless versions are available so you can use maggots to tackle bleak through to carp, depending upon the gauge of wire.

Typical patterns: Kamasan B520, Drennan Forged  Match, Drennan Fine Match, Mustad Match Carp,  Preston Maggot Pinch Barbless.

Ideal baits:  Maggots, casters and redworms.

Wide gape

The gap between the point and the shank of these hooks is incredibly large, therefore they lend themselves to fishing with slightly larger baits than maggots. They are perfect for corn, hemp, meat or paste because the bait can be placed securely on the hook, but the hook point will still stand proud of the bait. Wide-gape hooks are available in barbed and barbless, fine or forged wire.

Typical patterns:  Kamasan B511, B611 and B711, Preston Innovations PR26, Mustad Wide Gape, Drennan Carbon Specimen.

Ideal baits: Hemp, meat, corn and worms.

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