THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GAPE

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GAPE

A question that often crops up is what size of hook to use for targeting ballan wrasse. I carry an assortment of off-set hooks in sizes 2, 1, 1/0 and 2/0.

What’s more important though is that you match the lure thickness to the adequate size of hook.  You can see in the picture below the difference in the gape, which is the distance from the lure to the bend of the hook.

As a general rule, if the lure is 8mm thick, I like around a 6mm gap between the lure and the hook bend.

You can see in the picture below the size 1 hook isn’t anywhere big enough as there is hardly any hookpoint exposed once the wrasse hits and bites down. Rigging this lure with this hook would result in hardly any hook-ups.

The 2/0 hook below though has plenty of hookpoint exposed once the fish strikes and bites down on the lure, which will give a good hook set.

The wrasse below hit the creature bait featured here on a 2/0 hook on the Texas rig as I flicked it slowly around a group of boulders next to a kelp bed.