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Hooks of yore. Mesolithic and neolithic fishing tools, Museum of Sergiev Posad in the Sergiyevo-Posadsky District [north of Moscow]. Fishing hooks, needles, and shuttles for fishing net. Bone. Mesolithic, neolithic. Photographer Лапоть. A commons image.

Hooks: make mine carbon steel

By TJ Douglas

Talk to sport fishers of the fly and ask about hooks, and you should expect qualifiers – meaning what? Billfish or panfish, saltwater or freshwater, corrosion proof vs easily rusted, expensive or inexpensive, types of wire, shiny or dull.

Perhaps forgotten is the sharpness

Some old-timers like to be able to hand sharpen, salvage a damaged hook point, and reconstitute the hook. Sorry, old timer, make mine chemically sharpened, make it out of the strongest wire and least reflective material, and stick with dedicated producers. Make mine carbon steel.

Volume buys

Concerning the ‘hooks,’ big box sporting goods stores occasionally sell outrageously cheap hook packages of 100 made in Asia that are hard to resist the price-conscious angler in us all. The strength of the wire, however, is a concern. My limited experience was too brittle and easily bent from one shipment to the next. That said, however, belies that these hooks are fine for Huckelberry Finn and friends or retired adults with a fishing pole, worms, bread balls, and lawn chairs.

Tube flies and hooks

Hooks play large in any tube fly because they can be replaced quickly or rotated in seconds, and hooked fish can lose their leveraging advantage when the tube fly slides up the leader. The advantages over hook-tied flies are too obvious to ignore.

A couple fishing on a riverbank, tying the flys to the hooks for flyfishing.

It’s the hook, not the fly. Envato images.

Most new world fly fishers seem unconvinced, without reason, that making their dry flies tube constructed is not an advantage

However, the Brits and Scandinavian neighbors have long since taken advantage of tube angling, being additionally advantaged beyond  Atlantic salmon—for example, brown trout, grayling, sea trout, zander, and carp. Even lesser tiers, like yours truly, can quickly leap to tying tube dry flies and nymphs, not just billfish and steelhead flies. 

The zander is a pikeperch, a ray-finned fish from the family Percidae, including perch. It is found in freshwater and brackish habitats in western Eurasia. It is a popular game fish and has been introduced to various localities outside its native range. 
The Sander Lucioperca is a recently finished commission work by award-winning watercolorist Thom Glace.
Adult +/- 24-pounds.

Hook materials and finishes . . .

Carbon steel hooks are strong and durable, making them popular for freshwater fishing. However, they can rust if not correctly cared for.

Stainless steel hooks are resistant to rust and corrosion, making them a popular choice for saltwater fishing. However, they are typically more expensive than carbon steel hooks.

Bronze hooks have a unique color that can make them attractive to fish. They are also corrosio†n-resistant and are a good choice for freshwater fishing.

Coated hooks feature a protective coating that helps prevent rust and corrosion. They are a good choice for both freshwater and saltwater fishing.

Barbed vs barbles

NOTE: Transitioning to tubes costs slightly more than buying a vice adaptor and some tubes and beads in a starter kit.
NOTE 2: While your local fly shop may not have the plastic tubes or know much about tubes, they will have tube starter kits. If not, tell them to ditch fly fishing and open a coffee shop.


 

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