F1 hook length?

HOW long should my hooklength be for catching F1s on the pole?

Alan Kirk, Southampton

IN SUMMER, F1s are famed for coming off bottom when you’re loosefeeding, so a longer hooklink will give you more chance of catching on the drop. Typically, a 12ins link will be long enough to do this, provided that you fish with a strung-out shotting pattern.

In shallow water though (up to 12ins) a much shorter link is needed (as little as 4ins) and the same applies when fishing very shallow and you need to put the hookbait among the loosefeed.