In the 1650s, the English hook-maker Charles Kirby invented the 'Kirby bend,' a distinctive fishhook with an offset point that significantly improved hooking and retention rates. This innovation, developed in Redditch, England, revolutionized angling and commercial fishing, making it easier to catch fish and reducing the number of lost catches. The Kirby bend remains one of the most widely used hook designs worldwide, a testament to its effectiveness. Kirby's work helped establish Redditch as a center for fishing tackle manufacturing.

The Kirby bend was praised in the angling literature of the 17th century, including Izaak Walton's 'The Compleat Angler,' which noted its superiority over earlier hook designs. The invention also appears in the poetry of the period, where it is used as a metaphor for the art of deception and the skill of the angler. Kirby's hook became a symbol of the ingenuity and craftsmanship of English tackle makers.