What's your favorite hook?

Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo

Bazzer69
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Bazzer69 » Wed Jul 19, 2017 3:08 pm

I agree the TMC 900BL is a nice hook, not the strongest but let's remember most soft hackle fishing is done on streams with not so large fish and having a very strong steelhead strength hook is not needed. I prefer a nice looking fly so my choice of hook would be more based on looks!
Barry
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
User avatar
Old Hat
Posts: 4204
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:24 am
Location: Where Deet is a Cologne
Contact:

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Old Hat » Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:18 am

I think a couple of have alluded to this...we all want a quality hook in manufacturing and hooking. There are quite a few brands out there that can accomplish that task today. But, as one that has tied for many years, I also like a hook that inspires me. The hook is not just a platform to tie a pattern on or just a sharp piece of metal to hold fish to me, although these must be top quality to assure it's purpose. I like the hook to be an integral part of the pattern that I use it for, functional and aesthetic. It's a small piece of the joy I get from tying and fishing.

To partially answer why I like Tiemco over Daiichi. It's not the price point. I don't make a living at fly fishing, If I did, cost would certainly play a bigger role in the selection process. It is not as much of a hooking or quality issue either, Daiichi simply doesn't have any hook styles that "inspire" me.
I hate it when I think I'm buying organic vegetables, and when I get home I discover they are just regular donuts.
http://www.oldhatflytying.com
User avatar
gingerdun
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:00 pm
Location: Merrimac, Massachusetts

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by gingerdun » Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:36 am

Old Hat wrote: like the hook to be an integral part of the pattern that I use it for, functional and aesthetic. It's a small piece of the joy I get from tying and fishing. It's not the price point. I don't make a living at fly fishing, If I did, cost would certainly play a bigger role in the selection process. It is not as much of a hooking or quality issue either, Daiichi simply doesn't have any hook styles that "inspire" me.
Carl, As a designer, this makes sense to me. Would you be willing to give examples of hooks whose design is inspiring? Are they sometimes traditional, and sometimes modern designs?
Lance
User avatar
Old Hat
Posts: 4204
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:24 am
Location: Where Deet is a Cologne
Contact:

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Old Hat » Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:07 am

Sure I can put together a list. There are classic and modern designs that I like. Although, my preferences are certainly going to be different than others. I'll go through some and post them.
I hate it when I think I'm buying organic vegetables, and when I get home I discover they are just regular donuts.
http://www.oldhatflytying.com
Bazzer69
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Bazzer69 » Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:26 pm

Actually I’ve persevered with the old Captain Hamilton and they are pretty good, but when I smash the barb down a good number of the break. I’ve now have some of the new Partridge L3AS spider hooks which I really like, I couldn’t buy them locally so I had to order online.
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
DOUGSDEN
Posts: 2506
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:57 pm
Location: Sardis, Ohio

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by DOUGSDEN » Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:30 pm

Barry,
There are simply too many. Therefore, they are all my favorites! Some of them have very classic lines and characteristics that I like for the fish that I annoy! One thing lately that I have been insisting on is buying them barbless whenever possible or smashing the barbs down on the current stock that I have! It makes sense and it definitely makes a difference!
With thoughts from the den,
Dougsden
Fish when you can, not when you should! Anything short of this is just a disaster.
User avatar
hankaye
Posts: 6582
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:59 pm
Location: Arrey, N.M. aka 32°52'37.63"N, 107°18'54.18"W

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by hankaye » Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:28 am

Bazzer69, Howdy;

Awhile ago and then some, Ruard had posted that he heats the hook tip before mashing the barb to prevent breakage.
Perhaps if yo PM him he can tell you more.

hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
User avatar
Ruard
Posts: 1904
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:00 am
Location: Alkmaar
Contact:

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Ruard » Thu Nov 02, 2017 9:18 am

Hi Hank,

I never heathen the point of the hook, only the eye to prevent it from braking when i make the hook eye straight to the hook.

If you press down the point of the hook, you must not held the hook and the pair of tongs square of each other but on one line so you can press the barb down without breaking the point.

Greeting

Ruard
There will allways be a solution.
http://www.aflyinholland.nl
User avatar
hankaye
Posts: 6582
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:59 pm
Location: Arrey, N.M. aka 32°52'37.63"N, 107°18'54.18"W

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by hankaye » Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:11 pm

Ruard, Howdy! :D

Yes, now that you have corrected me it was the eyes you had talked about.
As the young folks aay ... my bad :oops:

Thanks for including the bit about being in-line with the hook when smashing
the barb.

hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
Bazzer69
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: What's your favorite hook?

Post by Bazzer69 » Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:57 pm

Ruard wrote:Hi Hank,

I never heathen the point of the hook, only the eye to prevent it from braking when i make the hook eye straight to the hook.

If you press down the point of the hook, you must not held the hook and the pair of tongs square of each other but on one line so you can press the barb down without breaking the point.

Greeting

Ruard
Yep, I’ve mashed down thousands of barbs in my twenty three years of guiding. I’ve never had a problem before the old Partridge Captain Hamilton hooks. Mine are just plain brittle, a result of over tempering I imagine. I did once have a batch of cheap hooks breaking, after that all my flies were tied with high quality hooks. Incidentally, most commercially tied flies are constructed on cheap hooks. No also test a few hooks to the point of destruction. Most bend and twist and never break. Not so with the old hooks. Still, most of my soft hackle fishing is for smaller fish and hook strength is not a issue
Thanks
Barry
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
Post Reply