Hook pulls.

[Davey-m]

Has anyone used a particular hook and had problems with hook pulls. I've lost a couple decent fish at least 5lbers this season on hooks I've not used before and now going back to manta extras. I do give the fish some stick when bring them in as I like to get the heads up asap from snags. Never had this problem before can only think it's the hooks or bad luck?

[fish fingers]

what hooks hooks are you using big fella [curtain] lol never had any bother unless they are soft wire 1,s currently using them lunar 1,s off gary and seem to be spot on davey

[Davey-m]

Phantoms mate a think they are good hooks for catch and return for smaller fish as they are nearly always lip hook. But I prefer cod to be hooked behind the row of teeth or in the guts if they are decent fish.

[g-force]

I use the Phantoms now and again, but they have a much smaller gape than the likes of Mantas - for cod I prefer the bigger gaped hooks like Mustad Powerworm / Vikings & Mantas / Big-Mouths. Like yourself, I've found the Phantoms good for smaller fish; particularly coaleys when fishing the Tyne etc.

I've had decent cod on them, but in conjunction with a small circle pennel-hook - and thinking about it on those occasions it was usually the circle hook in the scissors that got me the fish in. I'd say for cod stick with a good big-gape hook.

Gary

[Davey-m]

Cheers Gary thought as much.

[super-MAGuire]

if i think their is a chance of big fish i only use varvias big mouth extras, they are a solid hook and have never had them fail on lift, i also like their semi circle hooks for the top of a pennel, I have never been a fan of sakuma's although they are a similar pattern to the varivas, i find them pretty brittle and the eye is BIG so always busts the worm.

I just have faith in the varvias, after having 5lbers on size 2 aberdeens, 1/0 big mouths lifting up the pier wall, where i believe alot of different patterns of the small hooks would have gave up. And the larger sizes are more solid and as sharp!