Hooks [Archive] - Stripersandanglers Forums

plugcrazy

01-17-2010, 03:28 PM

Some info for the newbies.

EXTRA STRENGTH HOOKS: Hooks marked '2x strong' or '2x' are made from wire as thick as the next size up. A
3x hook is as thick as a hook two sizes up. These hooks are designed to provide as much strength as a hook
one or two sizes up, but where a smaller hook is required. (As an example a 2x 4/0 hook has a wire thickness
and strength of a 5/0 hook, and a 3x 4/0 hook has a wire thickness and strength of a 6/0 hook.)

Extra strength hooks are often used when live-baiting, to avoid having too much hook visible to the fish. They
are also useful on lures, where using a bigger hook would kill the action of the lure and make it less attractive to
fish. In both these scenarios the extra strength of the smaller hook, equates to a larger size hook.

LENGTH OF THE HOOK SHANK: A '2x long' hook has a shank twice as long as the standard hook of the same
size. A 3x long hook has a shank 3 times as long as the standard sized hook. 'X' long are hooks mostly found in
fly-tying hooks.

Unfortunately this standard is anything but. However most hook manufacturers do use the 'standard', but some
the one size up convention. That is a 2x long hook has a shaft the same length as the next size up hook. For
example a size 10 2x long hook will have a shaft length of a size 8 hook. (Remember sizes without the /0
increase in size as the number decreases)

The only way to overcome this confusion to check the manufacturers sizing charts.

WIDE GAPE HOOKS: A wide gape hook is one where the gape, (the gap between the hook point and hook
shaft) is wider than the standard hook. Sometimes the wide gape hook is described as '2x wide', and the hook
should have a gape twice as wide as the standard hook - but there is little standardisation in this area, even
amongst hooks from the same manufacturer. Again reference to a size chart is the only way to be sure of what
you are buying.

STANDARD HOOKS are made from wire that is bent into shape, then the point sharpened and barb added. The
wire retains its round shape throughout the hook.

FORGED HOOKS once the shape has been made, have the sides of the shank and bend flattened which makes
them much stronger than standard hooks - but a good deal more expensive. They are commonly used in big
game fishing where hook strength is vital, but many trophy hunters and competition fishers use them in salt and
fresh water fishing.

HOW BIG IS ENOUGH? First a quick lurch into trout fishing. Dyed in the wool saltwater fishermen are often
amazed at the large size of trout that can be caught on seemingly tiny hooks. Trout of 4 - 6lb and over are
routinely caught on barely-visible size 18 hooks and smaller.

The same can be true in saltwater as those who use small 'keeper' hooks will attest. Regularly, snapper are
caught on the 1/0 or 2/0 keeper hooks. It is not a huge mind jump to think of the size of a 12/0 big game hook,
hanging out of the jaw of a marlin. Size is relative.

As a general rule I judge the hook size I need to use as a function of the bait size I am using, not the size of the
fish I am targeting. The fish I am targeting determines the bait size.

If I am using a whole skipjack tuna head when chasing big snapper I will use a 10/0 to 12/0 hook, but when using
pilchards, a 4/0 or 5/0 is the norm.

It is an enlightening demonstration to tie some line to a hook, place the hook point in a piece of wood, and haul
on the line. The amount of force required to bend the hook out is usually much more than you would normally
pull through a rod with a correct drag setting.

If a hook straightens during a fight it is not usually a function of the hook size, but a function of the quality of the
hook.

KINDS OF HOOKS: Literally thousands of hook styles are available today, making the selection process
confounding for even the experienced angler. The following hook types are the most common available today.
Regardless of the hook type, you should match the size of the hook to the bait you are going to use and the size
of the species you're targeting.

BAITHOLDER HOOKS: Keeping slippery, wiggling live bait on a hook is a challenge, and manufacturers have
developed several designs to make it easier. Generally, baitholder hooks have long shafts, and there often are
barbs on the shaft to assist in keeping bait securely hooked. Baitholder hooks are also available as snells, pre-
tied to line that is looped at the end and ready to be attached with a knot, swivel or snap. When fishing for
walleye in the spring, using a live-bait presentation, snells with size 8 or 10 are common, while bass fishermen
use 1/0 to 2/0 hooks for shiners or minnows.

WORM HOOKS: This particular hook is for worms of the plastic persuasion, and a mainstay for bass fishermen.
Since bass are heavy fighters, worm hooks are built sturdy for deep penetration and durability. This type of hook
is used for Texas rigging, a technique in which the point of the hook is embedded in the body of the worm for a
weedless presentation. With the hook's point buried in the body of the worm, you can work it through heavy
vegetation where lunkers like to hide. Worm hooks are usually wide-gapped, where the space from the point of
the hook to the shank is wider than standard hooks. The advantage of using wide-gapped hooks is so worms of
different sizes can be used and the hook can be embedded easily in a natural configuration. Common sizes for
worm hooks are 2/0 to 5/0 and should be matched to the size of the plastic bait to be used and the size of bass
you expect to catch.

DOUBLE HOOKS: This hook design is similar to a treble but with only two points. Double hook are great for use
in a trailer-hook setup or for thick-bodied soft plastic baits like floating frogs.

TREBLE HOOKS: Somewhere back in hook history, a clever hook designer decided that three barbed prongs
were three times better than one. He was certainly right. The three legs of a treble hook are forged together to
form the eye. Multiple hook points provide superior hooking and holding power and are most often used on lures
such as crankbaits or bucktail jigs used for muskie or pike. Crankbaits for bass or walleye usually employ treble
hooks sized 1 to 2/0, but sizes vary with the size of the lure. Anglers targeting catfish often use treble hooks for
their improved bait- and fish-holding ability.

SIWASH HOOKS: This style of hook resembles a basic hook, but it is very hard, which aids in penetrating the
tough mouths of big fish. It's fairly short, with a straight eye alignment, a round bend and a very long point. It was
designed for saltwater baitfishing and commercial use. The Siwash hook does a great job hooking and holding
jumping species like steelhead and salmon. It's also a good hook for replacing hooks on spoons and other
single-hook lures such as buzzbaits or spinnerbaits.

ABERDEEN HOOKS: Aberdeen hooks are made of light wire with a slightly squared round bend. This style of
hook is extra wide between the point and shank, which makes it ideal for baiting with minnows, and the light wire
eliminates excessive damage when puncturing the bait. Their specially tempered wire will flex before breaking,
making them ideal for fishing brushy areas that hold panfish or crappie.

KAHLE® HOOKS: With a wider gap, this unique design places the hook farther back in a fish's mouth to greatly
reduce hooksets that tear out through the lip. The bend is offset with an up-eye, and the point is aligned with the
line so the point pulls straight in on the set.

SALTWATER HOOKS: When buying hooks for saltwater, look for long, sharp points, hard wire that will resist
bending and corrosion-resistant finishes that will stand up to the abuse of this corrosive environment and the
tough fighters that live in these waters.

WEEDLESS HOOKS: When fishing heavy cover such as tree limbs, logs, stumps, weeds and rocks, a weedless
hook can save you a lot of time, money and frustration. You'll find several different approaches to making a hook
weedless, and they all work fairly well, but remember – they're weed-less, not 100% weedproof. You'll still have
to work your bait or lure carefully.

CIRCLE HOOKS: When fishing live or dead bait for large species such as catfish, pike or muskie, a circle hook
is a good choice. Here's how this configuration works. Fish often swallow the bait and hook, especially if you take
your eyes off the rod tip for more than a few seconds. It takes a little discipline to master the technique and not
jerk the bait and hook from a fish's mouth. The right move for this particular hook is slow and deliberate. When
you get a bite using a circle hook, you gently lift the rod tip and begin reeling in line. This allows the hook to slide
backward until it penetrates at the angle where the jaw rises up to form the lip.

JIG HOOKS: Jigs are simply hooks that have been molded with lead or other heavy metals, forming various
shapes for special applications. Jigs are used for both live bait such as minnows or crawlers in walleye
presentations, or for soft plastics when fishing for crappie or bass and other species. When using plastic baits
such as twister tails, crawdads or worms, select a jig with a molded collar just behind the jighead. This collar is
provided to hold plastic baits more securely, so make sure you force the bait onto the collar.

http://www.muskegonrr.com/hooks/fishing101.html