Photos: Drennan · supplied retailer imagery
Terminal tackle · Dropshot hooks · Our take
Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks
Sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6 · 10 hooks per packet
Wide gape, an out-turned eye and sizes for small soft lures. These are purpose-made perch hooks, but matching the hook to your bait still matters more than the name on the packet.
- Designed for dropshotting for perch.
- Available in sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6, with 10 hooks per packet.
- Super high-carbon steel construction with a wide gape, needle point and out-turned eye.
- Micro-barbed; suitable for 4–10 cm soft lures, plus worms and fish baits.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the micro-barbed Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks. We haven’t tested them on the bank; the advice below is based on their confirmed features and how dropshot rigs work.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
Provisional design-based scores, not bank-test results; durability and value remain harder to judge without hands-on use or a verified selling price.
- Product Quality8.6/10
- Performance8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8/10
- Ease of Use8.9/10
- Value for Money7.7/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Perch anglers building a dedicated dropshot setup. The pattern is designed for the job, with sizes to cover different small lure profiles.
- Anglers switching between plastics and natural baits. You can use worms or fish baits as well as soft lures, where local rules allow.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers fishing strictly barbless venues. These have a micro-barb; choose a compliant hook rather than assuming a small barb gets a pass.
- Lure anglers working through thick weed and tangled cover. An exposed dropshot hook is more vulnerable to snagging than a suitable weedless presentation.
The lowdown
Introducing the Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks
Wide gape, an out-turned eye and sizes for small soft lures. These are purpose-made perch hooks, but matching the hook to your bait still matters more than the name on the packet.
- Designed for dropshotting for perch.
- Available in sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6, with 10 hooks per packet.
- Super high-carbon steel construction with a wide gape, needle point and out-turned eye.
- Micro-barbed; suitable for 4–10 cm soft lures, plus worms and fish baits.
Quick verdict
A sensible little hook for a dedicated perch setup
The E-SOX Dropshot Hooks have a clear job: presenting small soft lures and natural baits on a perch dropshot rig. The wide gape, needle point and out-turned eye make this a well-targeted option rather than a general coarse hook pressed into service.
They’re worth a look if dropshotting is your thing. Just check the micro-barb is allowed, choose your size around the bait’s bulk, and don’t mistake a purpose-made hook for a shortcut to more bites.
Provisional design-based scores, not bank-test results; durability and value remain harder to judge without hands-on use or a verified selling price.
- Product Quality
- 8.6/10
- Performance
- 8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.9/10
- Value for Money
- 7.7/10
The confirmed steel construction and purpose-made pattern look sensible, though finish consistency and point life remain untested.
The wide gape and out-turned eye suit conventional dropshot presentation when the hook is correctly sized and tied.
Good bait clearance can support effective hooking, but location and presentation matter far more than the packet name.
Four sizes and straightforward bait mounting make this accessible, with knot orientation the main detail to get right.
Ten hooks per packet is practical, but without a verified price this is a cautious provisional value score.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks
Dropshotting is one of those methods that looks almost too simple when you first see it. A hook up the line, a weight below, and a little lure doing its thing near the bottom. There’s nowhere for clumsy tackle choices to hide, though. Pick a hook that crowds the bait and that lovely little tail can end up looking a bit naff. The Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks are designed specifically for perch dropshotting, giving you a purpose-made starting point rather than another bit of terminal tackle to bodge into place.
What you’re buying is straightforward: a super high-carbon steel hook with a special wide-gape design, sharp needle point, out-turned eye and micro-barb. It comes in sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6, with ten hooks in a packet. Those are the confirmed features, not a promise that every perch tapping your lure will end up in the net. We haven’t used these on the bank, so this is a look at the design and where it makes sense, rather than a tale about a conveniently timed PB.
The wide gape is the feature to think about first. On a typical nose-hooked soft lure, you want the bait secure without filling the space that needs to take hold when a fish bites. A bit of clearance is useful, especially when the lure has a chunky head. These hooks are intended for soft lures measuring 4–10 cm, but don’t treat that as a rigid size chart. A short, fat shad and a long, slim worm can ask quite different things of the same hook.
The out-turned eye is another dropshot-focused detail, although the eye alone won’t sort your presentation for you. Knot choice, how you dress it and the direction the hook faces all matter. With a conventional Palomar-style dropshot setup, passing the long tag back through the eye from the point side helps the hook stand out correctly. Wet and tighten the knot carefully, then check everything under gentle tension. That ten-second check is dead handy before you start blaming the lure for sitting at a funny angle beside the margins.
Where this kind of hook makes sense is controlled fishing around features: the edge of a canal shelf, a clear pocket beside weed, or the outside of a perch-holding structure. You can keep the weight relatively still and give the bait small movements instead of dragging it straight out of the spot. That’s general dropshot advice, not something unique to Drennan. The hook’s part is to carry the bait neatly and leave an accessible point. Finding the fish and getting the lure height right are still very much your jobs.
You’re not tied to plastics, either. These hooks can also be used with worms and fish baits, which gives you another option when a swim looks promising but the lure isn’t getting much interest. Keep any bait change within the venue’s rules, and avoid piling on so much bait that you bury the point. A worm’s movement can be useful without loads of rod work. Equally, don’t assume natural bait is automatically the answer on a quiet day; location, depth and how long you leave the bait there still count.
The micro-barb needs a proper mention because small doesn’t mean barbless. If your water requires barbless hooks, these aren’t compliant straight from the packet. Some fisheries accept crushed barbs and some don’t, so check rather than chance it, mate. Carry suitable unhooking tools and keep handling tidy whatever pattern you choose. Also remember that a perch setup isn’t automatically safe for pike: where pike are a realistic prospect, bite protection needs thought. These hooks don’t remove that responsibility simply because perch are the intended target.
Overall, the appeal is that you’re getting a clearly defined hook for a clearly defined job. Four sizes give you room to match different bait profiles, while ten per packet lets you carry replacements for points damaged around hard features. We can’t judge point life, bending resistance or finish consistency without hands-on use, and there’s no verified price here to call them a bargain. On design alone, though, they’re a sensible shortlist option for perch anglers who want a straightforward dropshot hook and are happy fishing a micro-barbed pattern.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Available sizes
- 1, 2, 4 and 6
- Packet quantity
- 10 hooks
- Material
- Super high-carbon steel
- Hook pattern
- Wide gape, sharp needle point and out-turned eye
- Barb
- Micro-barbed
- Intended baits
- 4–10 cm soft lures; also worms and fish baits
Specs checked with Drennan, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Keep the point clear and the bait doing its thing
The useful bit here is the space inside the wide gape. With a small soft lure nicked through its nose, you want enough hook showing to take hold without loading the lure up with unnecessary metal.
That makes sensible sizing the main decision. A chunky little shad can need more clearance than a longer, skinny worm-style lure, so length alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
The hook itself
Closer look: clearance matters more than going big
The wide gape gives the bait room, while the needle point is intended to take hold cleanly. That’s a useful combination for nose-hooked plastics, but resist choosing an oversized hook just for extra clearance. Too much hook can burden a small lure. Start with the actual bait in your hand and check how much of the bend and point remains unobstructed.
Super high-carbon steel describes the construction; it doesn’t tell us exactly how much force the hook will withstand. There’s no basis here for assigning a breaking strain or claiming exceptional durability. Check the point after snagging or contacting hard structure, and replace any hook that’s damaged or no longer properly sharp.
Worth knowing. The 4–10 cm lure guidance covers the range, not every possible hook-and-lure pairing. Match the hook to the lure’s head thickness and shape as well as its length.
Your fishing
Who it suits: perch anglers who like working a spot
These make most sense if you deliberately fish a dropshot rig rather than simply want a hook for any lure job. Think short, controlled casts, a weight you can keep in touch with, and a bait worked around likely perch features. Beginners get a purpose-made pattern; experienced anglers get four sizes to match their preferred plastics.
They’re less compelling if most of your fishing involves pulling lures through dense weed. With the point exposed, snagging remains a real trade-off. Nor would we choose them just because the E-SOX name sounds predator-ready: your target species, bait, trace and venue rules still need to line up.
Quick bank-side answers
FAQs in full: sizes, barbs and bait choices
What sizes are available? You’ve got 1, 2, 4 and 6, with ten hooks per packet. Within this selection, size 1 is the biggest and size 6 the smallest. There’s no need to carry every size immediately; pick around the baits you actually use rather than buying the lot on the off chance.
Are they barbless? No. These are micro-barbed hooks, and a tiny barb still counts as a barb. If your fishery permits crushed barbs, follow its requirements carefully. If it insists on purpose-made barbless hooks, choose another pattern. It’s an easy rule to check before you leave home.
Can you fish worms or fish baits on them? Yes, alongside the intended 4–10 cm soft lures. Keep the hook point exposed and the gape reasonably clear. Check bait restrictions first, particularly for fish baits, and make sure the rest of your tackle is appropriate for any predators likely to turn up.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Purpose-made dropshot pattern with an out-turned eye.
- Wide gape gives useful clearance around the bait.
- Four sizes let you match different lure profiles.
- Works with soft lures, worms and fish baits.
Worth knowing
- Micro-barbed, so not suitable as supplied where barbless hooks are required.
- An exposed-point presentation can pick up weed or snag in cover.
- Not a dedicated weedless pattern for burying the point in a soft lure.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01What sizes do Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks come in?
What sizes do Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks come in?
Sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6, with 10 hooks per packet. Size 1 is the largest of those options; size 6 is the smallest.
02Are they barbless?
Are they barbless?
No, they’re micro-barbed. Check your venue’s rules, including whether crushed barbs are accepted, before using them.
03Can you use worms instead of soft lures?
Can you use worms instead of soft lures?
Yes. They’re suitable for worms and fish baits as well as 4–10 cm soft lures. Match the hook to the bait’s thickness and leave the point clear.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a sensible little hook for a dedicated perch setup. The strongest reasons to choose it are purpose-made dropshot pattern with an out-turned eye. and wide gape gives useful clearance around the bait.; the main trade-off is micro-barbed, so not suitable as supplied where barbless hooks are required..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Purpose-made dropshot pattern with an out-turned eye.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Perch anglers building a dedicated dropshot setup: The pattern is designed for the job, with sizes to cover different small lure profiles.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “Micro-barbed, so not suitable as supplied where barbless hooks are required.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks
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Owner reports
Own this? Help the next angler.
Quick multiple-choice reports from people who say they own the Drennan E-SOX Dropshot Hooks. Not verified purchases, and kept separate from our score.
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