How to choose the right hook size

How do you pick the right hook?

Do you A - pick a hook to match the fish you're catching... or do you B - pick a hook to suit the bait you're fishing?

If you answered B you're doing it right!

Here's our guide to which baits are the best choice for the 13 sizes of hook available for the coarse angler.

We've detailed the best hook sizes to use for baits presented directly onto the hook, and the best hook sizes for baits presented off the hook, on a hair-rig.

Use this guide wisely and you're sure to catch more fish the next time your out on the bank...

Hook Size	Bait - on the hook	Bait - hair-rigged
26	Joker, bloodworm	None
24	Joker, bloodworm, Squatt	None
22	Squatt, bloodworm, pinkie	None
20	2xpinkie, maggot, caster, punched bread, hemp	None
18	Maggot, caster, punched bread, redworm, expander pellet, hemp, tares	None
16	2xmaggot, 2xcaster, punched bread, redworm, 1/2 dendrobaena, sweetcorn, expander pellet, tares	None
14	Breadflake, 3xmaggot, 2xsweetcorn, dendrobaena, cocktails, expander pellet	Single sweetcorn, meat
12	Breadflake, paste, meat, 3xsweetcorn, cocktails, chum mixer	Double sweetcorn, meat, mini boilie, peanut
10	Paste, meat, bread crust, chum mixer	Double sweetcorn, meat, maize, chum mixer, 10mm boilies, tiger nut
8	1/2 lobworm, paste, bread crust	21mm pellet, meat, triple sweetcorn, 11mm boilies, 14mm boilies, 2xchum mixer, maize, tiger nut, 14mm pellet
6	Whole lobworm, paste, bread crust, liphooked livebait	Meat, 16mm boilies, 19mm boilies, 21mm pellet
4	Whole lobworm, paste, bread crust, liphooked livebait	Meat, 20mm+ pellets, 20mm+ boilies
2	Paste, liphooked livebait	Meat, 20mm+ pellets, 20mm+ boilies