Boom and Stiff Hook Link Materials Explained

The use of stiff hook link materials has become very common in carp fishing, and they feature in many of the most popular rigs. But what actually makes them so effective?

Traditionally carp fishing rigs were made to be as supple and unobtrusive as possible so that the carp wouldn’t feel it and eject the bait, but as rigs have changed, so have the materials that are used to construct them.

The use of stiff hook links are nothing new, and you can go back to the 1980s and find anglers using things such as Amnesia, which was a low memory shockleader material, to create stiff rig presentations.

What has changed though, is that now the use of some sort of boom or stiff rig has become the norm, and these days the majority of anglers use some type of stiff hook link material for at least some of their fishing.

Many of the most popular rig set-ups are based on the use of stiff materials for at least part of their construction, and these include the spinner or Ronnie rig, the combi multi rig, stiff hinged rigs, and of course chod rigs.

What are Boom and Stiff Link Materials?

There is of course no specific definition for this, but for most anglers it would be a hook link material that feels stiff and wiry, with springiness in it under tension.

This would include heavier breaking strains of fluorocarbon, such as 20lb IQ2, as well as heavier mono in a similar breaking strain, plus materials such as Korda Boom specifically aimed at creating these rigs, or even some coated braids such as Hybrid Stiff which are rigid enough to create these types of rigs.

The properties of these various types of hook link material can vary greatly, aside from the fact that they are all classed as stiff.

Monos have more stretch in them and also tend to have a higher memory, and aren’t suitable for crimping, and aren’t used much these days with so many specialist hook link materials designed for this purpose.

There are special types of mono available though, such as Korda Mouth Trap, which have been designed so that they have a high level of memory, so they will retain the shape that you manipulate the hook link into, such as the curve you want for a chod rig to sit just right.

Fluorocarbon, either in the form of something like IQ2 or Boom, has very little stretch and also has the advantage of being less obtrusive on the bottom, plus is stiffer than mono, and can be crimped as long as you match the correct sized crimp to the diameter of the material.

Certain coated braids such as Hybrid Stiff also are stiff enough to fall into this category and can be used for slightly more supple boom sections – such as where the bottom might be uneven and a really stiff boom will stick up more - or specific combi style rigs with part of the coating stripped back at the end of a stiff boom section, and the coated part can be securely crimped as long as you use the right size of crimp.

So, there is a real choice, and each will have its own advantages in certain situations, so it is important to understand when and how to use each type.

Why Use a Stiff Hook Link or Boom?

The purpose of using a stiff hook link material is two-fold, with it not only determining how rigs behave when a carp takes the hookbait into its mouth, but also how they act in terms of the presentation they give you.

In terms of presentation, the idea is that once your lead lands on the bottom, the stiffness of the hook link naturally pushes the bait out and away from the lead as it settles, so that the full length of the hook link is lying flat on the lakebed.

How effectively it does that will depend on your lead set up – a lead clip or inline style lead in conjunction with some sort of anti-tangle sleeve should always push it away from the lead, whilst with a helicopter set-up it could land on top of the leader, or close to it, if you are unlucky.

It will also depend on the type of bottom you are fishing over and how lucky you are with how the lead settles, as an uneven bottom or larger stones and debris can cause stiff hook links to stick up, as can fishing them into silt – in that scenario a helicopter rig would definitely work best due to the way it allows the hook link to sit flat on top of the silt and not partly plugged into it.

Assuming that your hook link is able to sit and present properly, then the idea is that when a fish takes the bait into its mouth the rig reacts very fast in terms of pricking the carp as soon as it moves, and it feeling the weight of the lead.

If for any reason the fish gets away with it and doesn’t get hooked, and spits out your bait, then the rig has a high chance of resetting itself and you will still be fishing effectively.

Stiff hook link materials are also very effective at hooking fish where you can’t rely on a lead to do it, specifically when using chod rigs, as they allow the hook to sit at an aggressive angle below your pop-up and provide a good chance of pricking a fish, plus they present well.

Can You Combine a Stiff Boom with Supple Hook Link Materials?

Some of the most popular rigs incorporate the use of a stiff boom section, alongside a short supple sections that either gives movement to the hook or is designed to allow the rig to sit better, in some form of combi rig.

The combi multi rig is one of the most popular presentations, and is what Darrell Peck uses for most of his fishing, and this incorporates a stiff boom along with a supple section of braid, and a hook that can quickly be changed multi rig style, and is fished like a Slip-D.

The use of a stiff boom in this case gives the rig good anti-tangle properties and means it presents well in most situations, but with the benefit of plenty of movement at the hook end when the carp takes the bait into its mouth and you are hoping it will prick itself.

There are plenty of other combi style rigs that either use a stiffer coated braid like Hybrid Stiff to create that combination of supple and stiff in the same rig, or they are created by joining a stiff material like Boom to a supple one like Slip-D Braid using an Albright knot, or similar to create a strong connection, or even using them Loops & Booms style with a loop to loop connection, using a crimped loop in the boom.

You will also find this combination for some hinged rigs, where you want that very aggressive stiff section by the hook and forming the part which is sat up off the bottom, but instead of a stiff boom, you might want something a bit softer such as a coated braid when the bottom has debris or is uneven, to help ensure the rig sits properly on the lakebed.

Reverse combi rigs also have their uses, and these are where you have a short supple section of hook link at the lead end of the rig. Tom Stokes is a big fan of this when fishing with COG leads, using just enough supple braid that it will hang down over the side of the lead and allow his stiff boom to sit flat on the bottom – rather than it coming down off the top of the COG lead at an angle.

So, as you can see there are plenty of uses for a stiff hook link material in conjunction with coated braid or supple braid.   

Which Stiff Hook Link Material is Best for Different Carp Rigs?

Different types of stiff materials feature in different rigs, sometimes overlapping depending on personal preference, and exactly what type of presentation you are looking for.

By far the most common use for fluorocarbons such as IQ2 is in the construction of the popular IQ D-rig, which is still a favourite of some Team Korda anglers such as Scott Sweetman, and often used with longer hook links than you’d typically find on the rigs that use some sort of boom.

Hybrid Stiff is arguably the most versatile stiffer material, due to the presentations that can be achieved by stripping back segments of coating to create combi style rigs, and its versatility as a boom section material in situations where you may not want something quite as stiff as the other options.

As the name suggests, Boom was designed specifically for use as a hook link material, including the green tinge that was added to its colouration and which helps it to blend in with the bottom and makes it less likely to catch the light, and comes in a variety of breaking strains to cover carp fishing at home and abroad as well, and any boom type rigs you are likely to want to use.

It has a low memory so can be made to sit very straight – the use of a Pulla Tool at either end of your boom section helps get it dead straight – and is stiff enough for its purpose.

Boom features in many of the most popular rigs these days, including the spinner rig or Ronnie rig, plus the combi multi rig, and is incredibly easy to use due to how well it crimps.

Some anglers also favour Boom for their chod rigs, although Mouth Trap is more commonly used as it allows you to set the rig at whatever angle you want it to sit at, and with a specific curvature to the hook link.

Mouth Trap is also popular for constructing the popped-up section of a hinged stiff rig and can be easily knotted securely with very few turns of a blood knot, and then bent and/or steamed into whatever shape you want – the inner part of the Chod Safe is useful for that.

If you are using a stiffer material for the hook section of your rig, and directly through the eye of the hook - unlike with a spinner rig set-up - then you will need to consider the pattern of hook you choose. These stiff materials, when used through the eye of a straight or in-turned eye hook, create an angle which is too aggressive and makes the hook sat too far over, so to get round this issue you will need to use an hook pattern with an out-turned eye, such as the Choddy.

If you don’t fancy constructing these rigs yourself from the components, then many of them are available in ready-tied versions that you can use straight out of the packet and just add your choice of hookbait.

So having just a couple of stiff rig type materials in your tackle box gives you access to a wide variety of different proven popular rigs, which can be used in a wide variety of angling situations.

Boom and Stiff Hook Link Materials: Quick Questions

What is a stiff hook link material?

A stiff hook link material is generally a material that feels stiff and wiry, with some springiness under tension. Examples include heavier breaking strain fluorocarbon such as IQ2, specialist boom materials such as Korda Boom, stiff mono such as Mouth Trap, and coated braids such as Hybrid Stiff. 

Why use a stiff hook link or boom?

Stiff hook link materials help a rig push the hookbait away from the lead as it settles, improve anti tangle properties and influence how the rig behaves when a carp takes the bait. If a carp ejects the bait without getting hooked, a well presented stiff rig may also reset itself and continue fishing effectively.

What is the difference between fluorocarbon, mono and boom materials?

Mono generally has more stretch and higher memory than fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon has very little stretch and is less obtrusive on the lakebed. Specialist boom materials such as Korda Boom are designed for rig construction, offer stiffness with low memory and can be crimped when matched with the correct size of crimp. 

Which stiff hook link material is best for a Ronnie or spinner rig?

Korda Boom is widely used for spinner or Ronnie rigs. It is stiff enough for the presentation, has low memory and is easy to use with correctly sized crimps. 

Is fluorocarbon or Mouth Trap better for a chod rig?

Mouth Trap is more commonly used for chod rigs because its memory allows it to retain a chosen curve and shape. Some anglers also use Boom for chod rigs, while fluorocarbon such as IQ2 is commonly associated with the IQ D rig. 

Can you combine stiff and supple hook link materials?

Yes. Combi rigs combine a stiff boom section with a supple section of braid to provide anti tangle properties and movement around the hook. Materials can be joined using a suitable knot or a loop to loop connection, and stiff coated braid can also be used to create combinations of stiffness and suppleness.

How does the lakebed affect stiff hook link presentation?

Uneven lakebeds, larger stones and debris can cause a stiff hook link to stick up rather than lie flat. In silt, a helicopter setup can allow the hook link to sit on top of the silt instead of becoming partly buried. A slightly more supple boom section, including one made from stiff coated braid, can also help when the bottom is uneven. 

Can stiff hook link materials be crimped or knotted?

Some materials are suitable for crimping and others are better suited to knotting. Fluorocarbon can be crimped when the correct size of crimp is used for its diameter, and stiff coated braid such as Hybrid Stiff can also be securely crimped. Ordinary mono is not suitable for crimping, while Mouth Trap can be knotted securely using a blood knot with very few turns.