Braided Hook Link Materials Explained

For years anglers focussed on making their rigs as subtle as possible, using very flexible, thin materials to try and prevent the carp from either seeing it or feeling it when they picked up the hookbait.

This often meant the use of soft braided materials, originally things such as Dacron, until materials became more advanced and specifically designed for carp fishing, to provide the sort of properties that anglers needed for their rigs.

These braided hook link materials generally aren’t as popular with modern rigs – with a few exceptions where they are still the first choice – but still have a place in your tackle box, even if just using them in combination with other types of rig materials.

What is a Braided Hook Link Material?

Braided hook link materials are made from multiple fibres which have been woven together to form a single braided strand of material.

The material which the individual fibres are made from are what determines the eventual properties of the finished braid, and different types of hook link can vary greatly.

This will determine how it behaves when you use it, including factors such as how well it sinks – often dependent on how readily it absorbs water; how abrasion resistant it is – materials such as Dyneema tend to be more durable; the diameter of it – largely depends on the strength of each strand; how soft and supple it is – some more durable materials are less supple and feel rougher; and even what colour the finished braid is – this is usually determined by what other fibres have been mixed in and are often there purely to provide colour, such as green or brown, rather than changing or enhancing any other properties of the finished material.

So, whilst there are lots of different materials that count as braided hook links, the actual way that they behave and the rigs that they are most suitable for will vary greatly, plus there will be some element of personal preference as well. 

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Braided Hook Link Material?

The main advantage of a braid over other types of hook link material is in terms of how supple it is.

This means that rigs that incorporate braid will have a lot of movement, and will also sit nicely on the lakebed (as long as your braid sinks).

Plus, of course, they are the only viable option for certain types of fishing situations, such as when using solid PVA bags and you want to concertina the whole rig inside the bag.

This suppleness is also one of the biggest disadvantages of using braid though in situations where you are fishing it with conventional rigs – other than solid bags – as it can be very prone to tangles. That is a problem that anglers have encountered for years when using braided rigs, and even with rig tubing or a leader, you can never be sure it isn’t in a tangled mess – either during the cast, or after being picked up and ejected by a fish.

Braids are generally good as well when it comes to abrasion resistance, as long as they aren’t too thin – which should be avoided anyway as that increases the potential for mouth damage to a carp.

This means that when they come into contact with weed, snags or similar, they will generally be much tougher than an equivalent diameter of monofilament, and especially so in situations where pressure and stress is being put on the material at an angle, such as when it is around weed, and can potentially cause it to sheer off (which can happen with nylon).

Braid is also very easy to colour, so it can be matched to the type of lakebed that you are fishing over – with the same type of braided hook link often coming in a choice of colours.

Can Braids be Used in Conjunction with Other Types of Hook Link Materials?

Aside from their use for solid bag rigs, one of the most popular uses for braided hook link materials these days is in the form of some sort of combi rig, where it is made from two different materials joined together – as opposed to using a coated braid.

Combi rigs – and especially the combi multi rig which is favoured by Darrell Peck – are a popular choice these days, and are often formed by joining a braided material, such as Slip D braid, to a stiff boom via an Albright knot or similar.

Alternatively, some anglers use a Loops & Booms style of attachment, where the loop part is formed from supple braid – the Loop Braid is very popular for this – and then joined to the stiff material loop-to-loop style.

There are also reverse style combi rigs, where the supple section is at the lead end and is designed to allow the hook link to sit flat on the bottom – this is Tom Stokes’ chosen method when using spinner style rigs with a COG lead system, and where he wants the entire boom part of the rig to be able to sit flat on the lakebed.

Braid can also be added to rigs simply to form a supple hair, such as when using a spinner type rig with bottom baits and an actual hair (rather than the bait being mounted on a micro swivel or bait screw).

Which Rigs are Braids Used for?

Some anglers still favour a braided hook link even just with a standard knotless knot type of hair rig, or with some sort of kicker or shrink tubing to improve the mechanics, and this can be fished with bottom baits, wafters or pop-ups.

It is much more popular with solid bag rigs though, where a short hook link is used – often 3-4 inches long and Super Natural is a very popular choice for this rig – and is folded up inside the bag, so there is never any danger of it tangling, and allows the rig and bait to easily go into the mouth of a carp when it tries to eat the contents of the PVA bag.

Aside from solid bags, the most common use for braid is as part of some sort of combi rig, and especially the combi multi rig, where it can easily be joined and used to form a short supple section of material directly next to the hook to allow it the movement that it needs for the rig mechanics to work effectively, whilst still being incredibly tangle-resistant, and having good reset properties.

So, whilst braid might not be your first choice of rig material, it is still essential to have some in your tackle box, and especially so if ever you fish solid bags or plan to use some sort of combi rig.

Braided Hook Links: Quick Questions

What are braided hook link materials?

Braided hook link materials are made from multiple fibres woven together to form a single strand. The materials used to make these fibres determine the properties of the finished braid, including its suppleness, abrasion resistance, diameter, sinking properties and colour.

What are the advantages of using braided hook links?

The main advantage of braided hook links is their suppleness, which allows rigs to have plenty of movement and sit nicely on the lakebed when the braid sinks. They are also useful for solid PVA bag rigs, generally offer good abrasion resistance and are available in different colours to match the lakebed.

What are the disadvantages of braided hook link materials?

The main disadvantage of braided hook links is their suppleness, which can make them prone to tangling when used with conventional rigs. Even when using rig tubing or a leader, there is no guarantee that the hook link will not tangle during the cast or after being picked up and ejected by a carp.

Are braided hook links good for solid PVA bags?

Yes, braided hook links are particularly well suited to solid PVA bag rigs. Their suppleness allows a short hook link, often around 3 to 4 inches long, to be folded up inside the bag without the same concerns about tangling. Super Natural is a popular choice for this type of rig.

What is a combi rig and why is braid used?

A combi rig combines two different hook link materials, usually a supple braid joined to a stiff boom section. The braid provides movement directly next to the hook, helping the rig mechanics work effectively, while the stiff section helps make the rig more tangle resistant and gives it good reset properties.

How do you join braid to a stiff boom for a combi rig?

A popular way to join supple braid to a stiff boom is with an Albright knot or a similar knot. Alternatively, some anglers use a Loops and Booms style of attachment, where the supple braid section is joined to the stiff material using a loop to loop connection.

Can you use braided hook links with spinner rigs?

Yes, braid can be incorporated into spinner rigs in several ways. It can be used as part of a combi rig, including reverse style combi rigs where the supple section is at the lead end, or simply to create a supple hair when fishing bottom baits.

What length should a braided hook link be for a solid bag rig?

A braided hook link for a solid PVA bag rig is often around 3 to 4 inches long. This short length allows the hook link to be folded up inside the bag, helping prevent tangles and allowing the rig and bait to enter a carp's mouth easily.