A Good Hook

Most beginners often ask my opinion about hooks. Here goes.
If you are looking for the best buy in hooks and a quality hook, go with the Umpqua Tiemco, no. 2457 hooks. These are really heavy duty fly tying nymph hooks but work well for carp. They sell for $5.95 a package at Fishwest with free shipping. Here is the link:

http://www.fishwest.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
I like this hook in a size #6 or #8. I generally use the #8 for small carp under 10 lbs. and the #6 works well for fish from 10 lbs. to 20 lbs. Their hooking power and reliability is far better than an Eagle Claw 84 or 184 hook. For your money this is the best buy in carp hooks and will handle just about anything RI has to offer.
On a negative note, I will tell you that these hooks will bend if you target giant fish over 25 lbs. When I am looking for 30 lbers. in big MA waters, I generally use a Kamassan Carp Max hook that is sold at Wacker Baits. It is very heavy duty and sharp and will handle anything the carp world has to offer. It is also three times the price of the Tiemco.