This is a really classic pattern of hook and the Wide Gape has accounted for a huge number of big carp captures over the many years since it was first launched. It is based on an old classic spade end hook pattern from the 1980s and 1990s which found favour with many anglers at the time – the Maruta Kinryu – but we have improved it and made it more user-friendly by switching the spade for an eye.
The Wide Gape features a slightly in-turned eye, with a short shank, heavily forged bend, and very sharp, beaked point. It can be used with a wide variety of different pop-up and bottom bait presentations, and once it goes in it tends to stay in. For those fishing in snaggy conditions in the UK or for overseas fishing there is also a Wide Gape X version. Or really extreme circumstances overseas – including when targeting huge Siamese carp or Mekong catfish in Thailand – there is an even heavier duty Wide Gape XX version.
For waters where barbed hooks are banned, the barbless Wide Gape B is perfect (barbed only in X and XX versions).