Match Fishing Magazine

H ooks are hugely personal things, and for most anglers their choice of patterns tends to come from a variety of companies. It’s a rare thing for anglers to find one hook manufacturer and only use their hooks, as most have some great patterns and some that aren’t quite right. Maver has seen this opportunity and set its consultants the task of designing a range that will cover just about every fishing situation that you are likely to be faced with and, do you know what – they have done it!

I’ll start with the Invincible range. This is Maver’s latest range of carp hooks,and rather than supersede the original MatchThis range they are available alongside them. What is very interesting, and something that I really like, is that Maver has kept the range of new hook patterns to just four. In my opinion this is an excellent move as it keeps hook choice simple and also allows the customer to gain confidence in a small range of hooks that will cover everything. 

First up in the range is the CS 20. This is an eyed pattern that has been designed for hair rigging baits. It features quite a wide gape and short shank that provide an excellent hook-hold. Due to this short shank they are also fairly small, which is something that I like as I’m a fan of small hooks and a size 18 in this pattern is a true 18. They are very strong and look great for any situation where an eyed hook is required.

Next up is the CS 21. This is marketed as a Carp Power hook, and these hooks are strong! They feature a relatively thick wire gauge and are Scottish international Jamie Masson’s first choice for fishing down the edge and at five metres, where large carp are likely and you don’t want your hook to let you down. I have been out on several features with Jamie lately and I can tell you he has landed some awesome fish while I have been with him, and I can now see why he rates them so highly. So if it is a strong, reliable hook that you need then this could be the pattern for you.

The CS 22 is an altogether different hook and is much more of a finesse pattern. I have been using this hook a fair bit myself and have really found them ideal for fishing with soft pellets for smaller carp and F1s. This is quite a light pattern that features a swept round bend and inturned point.

The final pattern in the Invincible range is the CS 23. If you are after a good all-round hook pattern that will work well with just about every type of bait then this is the one for you. It has a medium-thickness wire gauge, lovely wide gape and slightly inturned point. As far as I can see this hook will cope with all but the most demanding situations. The full range of hooks is available in sizes 12 to 18.

The Elite range is an altogether different beast, with these hooks being designed for silver-fish fishing. Again the range has been kept to four patterns.

The ES 40 is the first hook in the range and is a silver-fish wide-gape pattern with a green-coated finish. It is quite a fine-wire hook with a wide gape and long, straight point. These hooks are also razor sharp and keep their point well. Despite their fine wire, these hooks are deceptively strong and I would be confident in landing bonus fish on them. This pattern is available in sizes 16 right through to a tiny size 24, and I’m sure they will find many fans.

If you are looking for an all-round barbed silver-fish pattern then the ES 41 could be the hook for you. It is a traditional round-bend with a small barb that won’t damage the hook bait, a fairly long shank that helps to quickly unhook fish and looks to be perfect for presenting a single or double maggot. These are available in sizes 14 to 24 so there should be a hook to suit every situation.

The ES 42 is a different hook altogether. It features a shape more like a standard carp pattern but with a barb. It has been designed with feeder fishing for bream in mind and features a bronze finish. The wide gape and inturned point will help keep worms on the hook but, more importantly, will help reduce fish losses, a common problem when fishing for soft-mouthed skimmers and bream.

The final pattern in the range is the ES 43. This is a very similar pattern to the ES 40 but has an increased wire gauge, which makes it the ideal all-round commercial silver-fish hook. It is nice and strong too, so will be a good hook for winter fishing for F1s where delicate presentation is a must.

To sum up then, this is a fantastic new range of hooks from Maver. The company hasn’t just released hooks for the sake of it and has clearly sat down with its consultants and come up with a simple yet complete range that really does cover every situation.

RRP:  99p per packet