Gardner Tackle Covert Hooks

Gardner Tackle are reknowned for thier no-nonsense approach to the items of tackle that they manufacture and supply through the retail channels. Gardner Tackle have had a range of hooks on the market for a number of years now, and have recently launched their range of existing hooks with their new Covert anti-glare coating.

All Gardner Tackle hooks are manufactured in Japan to the company's exact specifications. The different patterns available are the result of hundreds of hours of research,design, testing, tweaking and perfecting. Variations between patterns such as wire diameter, penetration angle and point deflection, eye angle and forging elements are carefully tweaked and changed in a controlled environment to achieve the very best hooking percentages, holding power and reliability.

New patterns are then subjected to extensive field testing by the team of consultants for several months, or sometimes years, on different types of waters, with any tweaks and adjustments incorporated into the final pattern before approval.

Gardner Tackle hooks undergo a 2 stage tempering process. In the first stage the hooks are heated up to a very high temperature for a short time and then quickly cooled. The second process is much longer and at a much lower temperature. The combination of these two processes ensure that the steel is kept pure and the molecular structure of the metal is transformed into the perfect state between being too brittle or too soft. The chemical sharpening process guarantees perfect sharpness of the point together with the high carbon steel that resists damage should the point be subjected to gravel or bone.

We have already covered the new Chod hooks in our "Chod Special" feature, so we will concentrate on the three other patterns that have been sent to us to review.

Covert Incizor

The superbly versatile shape of the Incizor has a proven track record for being extremely reliable for use in a huge number of angling situations, such as being used in the smaller sizes for Zig fishing or in the other sizes for more conventional bottom bait or pop-up rigs. The straight point of the Incizor gives unparalleled hooking potential due to the razor sharp finish. The point of the hook is slightly in-turned rather than running parallel with the shank, which gives a claw effect, which makes the barbless version of the pattern less likely to drop out of the fishes mouth. The straight eye allows for a acute angle to be created if used with mono or flourocarbon hook links without creating a weakspot against the eye when under pressure. This also allow the angler to set the hooking angle of the rig by use of shrink tube. When used with a braided hook link, the amount of different rigs that the angler can use this pattern with is endless. The shank is of a medium length, and gives plenty of scope for the angler to play around with hair exit points using silicone tube or rig rings.

Overall the Incizor is a superb all round pattern that has been made even better than before with the Covert coating process.

The Covert Incizor is available in sizes 4, 6, 8 and 10 in either barbed or barbless with 10 hooks per packet.

Covert Wide Gape Talon Tip

The main difference between the Talon Tip and the Wide ape Talon Tip is as the name states, the finely-tuned extended gape of the hook. This helps increases the hooking potential even more, making it a great choice in the modern rigs of today.  Whilst still keeping the in-turned beaked point from the original Talon Tip, to help penetration and prevent blunting of the point over hard substrates such as gravel, the Wide Gape Talon Tip also features the 5 degree in-turned eye to help pull the hook into the mouth securely and keep it in position during the fight. By removing the offset point of the original Talon Tip, the hooks ability to prick the fish is improved.

Constructed from the same ‘bomb proof’ ultra-strong forged wire of the original so the angler can be certain that the strength is uncompromised across the range of sizes, ensuring this hook will be a favourite of anglers all over the country of all abilities.

The Covert Wide Gape Talon Tip is available in sizes from 4 to 10 in both barbed or barbless, with 10 hooks per packet.

Covert Mugga

The Covert Mugga offers in my opinion, the best hooking potential regardless of hooklink material. The inturned eye, sweeping curved shank, long straight point mean that for the angler that feels the fish are very riggy and can rid themselves of some hooks easily, the Mugga maybe the answer to their prayers The Mugga may look undergunned with regards to the the guage of wire used, but the forging technique and grade of the steel used makes for a reliable hook that will take some pressure to open out.

The smaller sizes make for superb Zig hooks and do help with lowering the chance of hook pulls that can be a problem with this method. Even match anglers would find the size 12 perfect for method feeder fishing where lumps are the target.

The Covert Mugga hooks are vailable in Sizes 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 in both barbed or barbless with 10 hooks per packet.

Final Thoughts

Gardner Tackle have done something that many thought would not be possible in improving the original hooks from their range. All the points are surgically sharp and even after running them across a granite surface, the points remained more than sharp enough for any angler to cast out. Every part of the hooks have been looked at in depth and perfected before hitting the shops. I know for a fact that Richard Gardner will not allow anything to have the Gardner name on it unless it is as close to perfect as possible, and the Covert hooks are no exclusion to that rule. As the hook is the most important part of any rig, you can be assured that these hooks will not let you down.

These are going to be a firm addition to my armoury, and cannot wait to catch more fish on them!

More Information on any of the Gardner Tackle range please click the image below