How To 'Touch Up' Your Carp Hooks
A sharp Hook is one of the most important things in Carp Fishing. This one thing can be the dividing line between a big fish in your hands or a dry and empty net at the end of your session. In this article we take a quick look at how to care for and sharpen your Carp Hooks...
Checking and testing the sharpness of your Hooks is a habit that all anglers should be doing regularly. If your Hook is not pin sharp, you won't get as many bites, if any, and you increase the risk of losing the fish should you be lucky enough to hook one.
Hooks, no matter how good they are, can go blunt for a number of reasons. In most carp fishing scenarios we put the Hook points under a lot of stress dragging them across rocky bottoms and snags, as well as the obvious pressure put on them after hooking a fish.
You should be checking your Hooks before every single cast, if it is blunt, you either need to sharpen it or replace it, which might even mean tying a whole new Rig.
HOW TO TEST YOUR HOOKS
Testing your Hooks for sharpness is simple and easy, with anglers using two main methods...
The Nail Test
This is a common method for testing Hooks. Simply press the point of the Hook on your finger nail. If sharp, the Hook should hold in place with minimal pressure. If the Hook is at all blunt, it will slide across your nail.
The Finger Test
Some anglers believe that the flesh of your hands is actually more representative of the carp's mouth, so prefer to test their Hooks directly on the finger. To do this, simply try to lightly Hook your flesh, if it grips and lifts the skin a little, it is sharp, but if it pulls away easily with minimal force, it needs sharpening up.
Take a Close Up Look
On many occasions, you can tell your Hook is up to scratch or not simply by looking at it. Plenty of anglers carry a magnifying glass to get a close up look of their Hookpoints, with this you will be able to see how fine the point is.
WHEN TO REPLACE A FISHING HOOK
Even with the best sharpening or Hook Honing Device in the world, some Hooks can just be beyond repair. If the point of the Hook has seriously folded over, you won't be able to sharpen, even by filing it down, without seriously changing the performance of the Hook. If this is the case, you simply need to replace it.
Using Rigs like the Ronnie/Spinner or Multi Rig allow you to change the Hook quickly and easily without re-tying the whole thing. For quick-changing the Hook section on Hinge Stiff Rigs, check out the Dog Bone Ronnie Clips.
HOW TO SHARPEN YOUR CARP FISHING HOOKS
More often than not, even if your Hook is not quite as sharp as you want or even totally blunt, it can be recovered and recast with a bit of a TLC. Our Tweakers Touch Me Up Hook Honing Device has totally changed the game in this regard and is a Tackle Box Essential for all anglers.
How To Use The Touch Me Up Hook Honing Device
- Place the Tip of your Hook into the top of the Touch Me Up device.
- Using the Handle, twist the device around the Hook point.
- Your Hook has now been Touched Up!
You can use the Touch Me Up as often as you feel is required, in fact, if you keep it in your pocket, you can check the rods before every cast and if the Hook needs it, whip it out and Touch It Up.
TOP TIP - Once the top of the Touch Me Up Device is full of holes, you can trim it down with a Stanley Knife to keep it operating in best condition. This is why the honing block has been made so long - you can keep it going for ages!
HOOK SHARPENING AFTER CARE
You might notice that after the Hook has been Touched Up, some of the coating may be gone from the point end. On typical short sessions, where you are recasting the Rods regularly, this won't be an issue, but on longer trips where you may want to leave the Rods out for well over 24 hours at a time or in specifically harsh water conditions, this could cause rust.
NOTE: The Touch Me Up works phenomenally well at restoring rusty Hooks too, as shown in our recent Instagram and Facebook videos.
Fortunately, however, there are some great products on the market that help prevent rust occurring, our favourite being ZR Hook Treatment. Supplied in a bottle with a brush applicator, simply smear on the sharpened Hookpoint and rust will be prevented - the bonus being it has added fish attractors too!
WATCH THE TOUCH ME UP IN ACTION
We have created lots of content to show anglers how to use the incredibly popular Touch Me Up Device, here are some of the best below...
Not got your Touch Me Up yet? Don't wait too long, they have already sold out once, as anglers begin to realise this pocket beauty is an essential for all styles of fishing!
Journalist Chris Haydon joined the OMC Family in the spring of 2024, after six years working for the UK's number 1 fishing publication, the Angling Times. He is a keen Coarse and Carp Fishing All-rounder, fishing in the South West region, including the famous Cotswold Water Park.
