Learn and discover about the most essential part of your tackle set: the hook. This guide covers the parts, sizes, and types of fishing hooks, all in an informative and easy way.
Meta: Learn and discover about the most essential part of your tackle set: the hook. This guide covers the parts, sizes, and types of fishing hooks, all in an informative and easy way.
For hundreds of years, fish hooks have been used by anglers to get fish from many bodies of water. What do you do when you are trying to pair the best hook to your personal setup and rig? The appropriate rig may be hard to find and this guide will help you immeasurably.
First, by definition, a fishing hook is the following: A fishing hook is best defined as a tool for actually getting the fish. In essence, the hook can stab the fish, usually the mouth, and from there the fish is ready to be brought up from the water.
Important Tips for Buying a Fishing Hook
In today's world, buying any fishing hook will not do. Why? Because there are different styles of hooks that can apply to different environments and fish types. The factors you need to look for are varied are thickness, size, sharpness and many other factors come into making a fishing hook viable. Let's learn more about this important part of your tackle.
Because purchasing a hook means you have to think about features like sharpness. Moreover, you will have to think about how well this hook will last and stay sharp. Overall, you are able to decipher if a hook is sharp enough and viable by doing a few things.
For example, you can see the effectiveness of the sharpness by placing it on your fingernail and pulling the hook; thereafter if the hook slides then the hook would not be considered sharp enough.
This is a very important component of the hook because the thickness of the wire affects your fishing experience. Moreover, a standard wire fish hook would require a thicker hook for heavyweight fishing.
A strong or thicker hook would be required for bigger fish. Light wire fishing is a hook that needs to be thin for what is called more "recreational" fishing. Also, the finishes of the hooks can come in a variety of ways from black chrome to gold and red teflon and more. For example, a hook with a slicker coating is better for hook effectiveness and penetration.
When you have a fishing hook, the size counts more than is realized. Why? Basically because the size of the hook can determine how much it can penetrate and therefore catch the fish. Basically, a hook size for bass fishing can vary from 1/0 to 6/0 while for other types of fish it can range in various sizes.
In summary, any hook size will give you enough to make deeper and more effective fish kill penetration. All in all, the hook size factor will give you an extra advantage from which you can create the most penetration, so beware of the sizes of your fishing hooks for what you need.
Types of Fishing Hooks
Anyone interested in fishing needs to be prepared for the challenges in making it a success. Being more technical about specifics will make the right hook work wonders for you. Let's look at some popular and well established fishing hooks. You will learn how each of these is used as well:
One of the popular hooks is made with the intent for catching bass, thus being popular with bass fishermen. The worm hook is intended for attaching a worm hook because these types of hooks are designed for rougher and more complete penetration.
Moreover, this type of hook is intended and preferred by certain types of fishing styles. Texas rigging showcases a way of catching fish where the hook penetrates the body of a worm for ultimate temptation in the water.
Why is it a worm hook? Well when the hook is deeply embedded in the worm the hook can comb through the seafloor and be more effective. For example, extensive vegetation can slow down or loosen other hooks, but the worm hooks are wide gapped and able to go through water in a natural way without resistance.
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In summary, it is typical for worm hooks to come in sizes of 2/0 to 5/0. Remember these types of hooks need to be matched to the size of the plastic bait to be used and the size of fish you are realistically aiming to retrieve and capture.
This type of hook is described as a shorter shank hook. Moreover, this type of hook a round shank and bend that is ideal for certain types of fishing expeditions. If you are looking for a sharp minimal hook, with little weight, then the Octopus hook is perfect.
These are unique fishing hooks that are reputable and known for its sharpness. For example, the hook is outfitted with a couple of baitholder barbs. This is important because the barbs are able to get more fish.
As one reviewer notes on Amazon, when they used this fishing hook it was noted that they had one of their better fishing days. Moreover, it was noted they were even able to get larger fish because of the sharpness.
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In summary, Octopus hooks are more intended for live baiting and for catching specific fish like Bass, Walleye, Perch, and Panfish. In general, these smaller hooks do well with less intensive and overall lighter and smaller baits like minnows or leeches.
The most versatile hooks are also of course the most common and all purpose for what you want. All in all, the bait holder hook is able to do more of a variety of tasks utilizing multiple barbs on the shank.
One of the advantages of the bait holder hook is that it will prevent bait from sliding down your hook. This is the best hook for fish like Bass, Trout, Walleye, Panfish, and Catfish.
All in all, the baitholder hooks feature long shafts and barbs on the shaft. The beauty of the baitholder hooks are that it keeps baits in place so you can hook a lot more fish in general. All purpose hooks like the bait holder hook are able to be maintained with proper maintenance and tools. Moreover, the bait holder hook of great quality is made of high carbon steel for ultimate power.
If you are curious check out this popular and affordable bait holder fishing hook below:
The available and popular bait holders are pre-tied to the line and used by attaching with a knot or swivel. In terms of sizes, the bait holder hook starts with a variety of size 8 or 10, which is more readily available. For bass fishermen, the sizes are 1/0 to 2/0 hooks for shiners or minnows.
The treble hook is a great hook because of its smart and well executed design. This hook features a three barbed prong, so in essence you have triple the power and penetration. The multi-angled prongs are able to grip and pick up more in general.
With these three legs you are able to bring together to conceive a hook for more holding power. The superior design and more sheer number of hooks and prongs mean you can increase your fish gains. Anglers really like this hook because it improves and increases your fish holding yield.
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In summary, when you have multiple hook points you are able to use bait like crankbaits or bucktail jigs. Crankbaits hooks for the treble sized one are 1 to 2/0, however sizes will vary with the size of the bait.
This type of hook is a catch and release and is special because it does not damage the fish as much as other fishing hooks. In comparison to the treble hook, it is a very smooth and precise fishing hook.
More and more popular, the Siwash hook may be more trendy but effective. Why? This is a catch and release hook that does well overall for its technique in capturing fish.
Oftentimes these types of hooks will use a superior grade of high carbon steel. This is because these types of hooks are engineered with an advanced tempering system for effectiveness and efficiency.
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The beauty of this hook is that the blade material is strong. Furthermore, the blade sharpening for this type of hook means you will always have a hook that will be precise and less messy thus causing less damage overall.
This is a very fish friendly hook because of the design and general popularity. These all purpose and effective hooks utilize a special circle design as well for capturing fish after it has swallowed the bait.
This type of hook is perfect for large and saltwater gamefish. Overall, expect a hook that will easily slide thus effectively penetrating the mouth of the fish. For example, anyone fishing would just really pull on the line and the hook slide to capture and trap the fish.
When fishing for larger fish like a Muskie or Pike, a circle hook will be the best choice. The technique of mastering capture involves patience and slow precise movements. Overall, the intent of this hook is to permit the hook to go backward thus penetrating the fish where the jaw goes up from the lip.
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In summary, the circle hook will minimize the possibility of gut-hooking a fish. All in all, the circle hook design creates a smaller gap between hook point and shank of the hook.
