Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Muddy water New guy here with some Questions( Pics, long)

Walt:

If the drag is set properly, that hook will work. I've caught them up to 20# on that set-up, and never had a hook straighten out. I like the aberdeen because I can put more kernels of corn on it, presenting a larger bait to them, and it gives me a bit more weight to cast without having to add any other weight.

Kind of defeats the purpose of 10-pound test I would think - six-pound can straighten an aberdeen hook, so you're in essence fishing with four- or six-pound test at best.

Walt:

What size aberdeen hook have you straightened out with 6" test?

When I fished regularly for crappie, #2, many times. The hook wouldn't straighten completely of course; it would bend just enough to come free from the snag; but of course the bending is what would also lose the fish, in this case a carp. But you didn't say six-pound - you said ten-pound, which will bend an aberdeen hook like clockwork. Crappie guides on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes actually use aberdeen hooks with ten-pound test so they can straighten the hook when they get snagged.

I made a simple and highly relevant and sound recommendation simply out of a desire to help the poster avoid the frustration of losing fish and finding himself at the pond without the right terminal tackle. I really don't wish to argue something that should be common sense.

THAT's funny.

Phatboy, where exactly ar you located in southern Louisiana? I am central, Opelousas / Washington location..

Hmmmmmm.... Maybe different quality of hooks? I've caught carp just shy of 20# (19lb - 10 oz)on a #2 eagle claw gold aberdeen hook using 10# line when I was a kid, and have a plaque from the Indianapolis Star (somewhere around here) for a fishing contest that they'd run. I had to have an adult net it for me because I didn't have a net big enough.

Be careful with the salt and butter guys!

My experiences with aberdeen hooks is that when they snag on logs, they just catch right at the barb. That is the weakest spot for a hook to be caught which is why aberdeens in particular will bend so easily. But when you hook fish, they generally get all the way down into the "U" of the hook where the hook is much stronger. I think the biggest reason guys use aberdeen hooks for crappie fishing is they are cheep, so if you loose one on a snag, no big deal and 2 they bend when snagged on stuff so you tend to loose less hooked. You just bend them back and you are back to fishing. But that is just my experience with aberdeen hooks.

I have a large collection of old fishing mags, more than one of which has an article on crappie fishing in which a prominent guide is quoted as saying exactly what I said above, i.e. that they use ten-pound-test with aberdeen hooks - often larger sizes than that being discussed here as well - for the specific reason that the hooks will bend when snagged so they don't break off the entire rig.

Esshup, I don't doubt a bit that you caught a twenty-pound carp on that setup - my point was merely that you weren't getting the full benefit of the ten-pound-test. You could prove it to yourself with a simple experiment similar to what they do sometimes on fishing shows when they're testing the strength of various knots.

Walt, it depends on where the test is done on that hook... At the barb and point are, you're right that hook will bend in a second... At the bend, it won't bend so easy. Certainly would be an interesting test.

Instead of further derail the thread, I started another one here:
Aberdeen hook test

It WAS interesting!

Wow you guys really ran with that one. Ive heard of carp and corn before. I have caught one that went just a tick over 15 lbs on an 8ft #4 fly rod with a yellow bug on it, I guess he thought it was food. Took me over 20 mins to land him, it was before the time of digital cameras so I dont have proof pics.

Thanks for the info...I may try that this summer.

This is a really cool thread. Ive seen it on the main page but now i finally read it begining to end. I like what you got going on keep up the good work and keep the pics coming. Also what the hell ever happened with the poachers??