hookset
12-17-2008, 07:37 PM
How To Sharpen Fishing Hooks
By Ronnie Garrison (http://stripersandanglers.com/mbiopage.htm), About.com
Until a few years ago hooks were not real sharp when you bought them. Many bass and other fish have been lost due to dull hooks. Hooks, especially for worm fishing, needed to be sharpened before using them.
Newer hooks come very sharp but after using them a few casts you often need to hone the point again. You can use a variety of tools to do this.
Keep your hooks sharp and land more fish.
I keep a small triangle shaped file in my boat to sharpen hooks. The picture shows a big flat file to make it easier to see. A file is the best way to sharpen a new hook or if one your are using is very dull. There are many kinds of battery powered hook sharpening devices on the market. I keep a small, inexpensive one in my boat for touching up the point of a hook. The one shown uses one AA battery and spins a small cone shaped stone that is protected by the point cover. You can quickly touch up the point of a hook that has dulled on a rock.
To sharpen a hook you want to make a triangle shaped point so it will cut into the fish's jaw. Start by filing the back or outside of the point flat.
To make a triangle point file one side of the inside of the hook point at a 45 degree angle to the flat back. This is the start of the cutting side of the point.
File the other side of the hook point at the same angle as the last one to form a triangle cutting point. You can put the hook in a fly tying vice or hold it in your hand. Smaller hooks are hard to hold and sharpen
On the water you often want to touch up the point of the hook to make it needle sharp. It is quicker to touch it up than tying on a new hook, and much cheaper. A file or stone is best for this but in an emergency you can use a nail clipper file or emery board. Just file around the point to take off burrs and sharpen it up. You often need to do this when fishing around rocks.
Test your hook sharpness by dragging it lightly across your thumbnail. If it slides it is not sharp enough. If it catches with very light pressure, or scratches your nail when you slide it will very little pressure, it is sharp.
By Ronnie Garrison (http://stripersandanglers.com/mbiopage.htm), About.com
Until a few years ago hooks were not real sharp when you bought them. Many bass and other fish have been lost due to dull hooks. Hooks, especially for worm fishing, needed to be sharpened before using them.
Newer hooks come very sharp but after using them a few casts you often need to hone the point again. You can use a variety of tools to do this.
Keep your hooks sharp and land more fish.
I keep a small triangle shaped file in my boat to sharpen hooks. The picture shows a big flat file to make it easier to see. A file is the best way to sharpen a new hook or if one your are using is very dull. There are many kinds of battery powered hook sharpening devices on the market. I keep a small, inexpensive one in my boat for touching up the point of a hook. The one shown uses one AA battery and spins a small cone shaped stone that is protected by the point cover. You can quickly touch up the point of a hook that has dulled on a rock.
To sharpen a hook you want to make a triangle shaped point so it will cut into the fish's jaw. Start by filing the back or outside of the point flat.
To make a triangle point file one side of the inside of the hook point at a 45 degree angle to the flat back. This is the start of the cutting side of the point.
File the other side of the hook point at the same angle as the last one to form a triangle cutting point. You can put the hook in a fly tying vice or hold it in your hand. Smaller hooks are hard to hold and sharpen
On the water you often want to touch up the point of the hook to make it needle sharp. It is quicker to touch it up than tying on a new hook, and much cheaper. A file or stone is best for this but in an emergency you can use a nail clipper file or emery board. Just file around the point to take off burrs and sharpen it up. You often need to do this when fishing around rocks.
Test your hook sharpness by dragging it lightly across your thumbnail. If it slides it is not sharp enough. If it catches with very light pressure, or scratches your nail when you slide it will very little pressure, it is sharp.