Many hooks intended to hold dead or artificial baits have sliced shanks which create barbs for better baiting holding ability. These different shapes contribute in some cases to better hook penetration, better fly imitations or better bait holding ability. The shape of the hook shank can vary widely from merely straight to all sorts of curves, kinks, bends and offsets. * TMC Model 200R - Nymph & Dry Fly Straight eye, 3XL, Standard wire, Semidropped point, Forged, Bronze * TMC Model 300 - Streamer D/E, 6XL, Heavy wire, Forged, Bronze * Mustad Model 91715D is a O'Shaughnessy Jig Hook, 90 degree angle * Mustad Model 92155 is a Beak Baitholder hook * Lazer Sharp L2004EL is a Circle Sea, Wide Gap, Non-Offset, Ringed Eye, Light Wire * Eagle Claw 139 is a Snelled Baitholder, Offset, Down Eye, Two Slices, Medium Wire Some manufacturers just give their hooks model numbers and describe their general purpose and characteristics. In other cases, hooks are merely identified by their general purpose or have included in their name, one or more of their physical characteristics. In some cases hooks are identified by a traditional or historic name, e.g., Aberdeen, Limerick or O'Shaughnessy. Hook shapes and names are as varied as fish themselves. For all types of hooks, sizes range from 32 (the smallest) to 20/0 (the largest). For each hook type, there are ranges of acceptable sizes. Corrosion resistance, weight, strength, hooking efficiency, whether it is being used for specific types of bait, on different types of lures or for different styles of flies. Many factors contribute to ultimate hook design. Whereas Carlise or Aberdeen light wire bait hooks make use of thin wire to reduce injury to live bait but the eyes are not tapered because weight is not an issue. For example, a delicate dry fly hook is made of thin wire with a tapered eye because weight is the overriding factor. When individual hook types are designed the specific characteristics of each of these hook components are optimized relative to the hook's intended purpose. Hook types differ in shape, materials, points and barbs, and eye type and ultimately in their intended application. Within these broad categories there are wide varieties of hook types designed for different applications. At the macro level, there are bait hooks, fly hooks and lure hooks. There are a large amount of different types of fish hooks. Hook TypesĪ Salmon Fly hook as the foundation for a Green Highlander, a classic salmon fly Mustad for example produces hooks in six colors including black. Hooks are often coated with a clear lacquer, but you can find hooks coated in gold, nickel, Teflon, tin and different colors to attract fish. Corrosion resistance is not only required when hooks are used, especially in saltwater, but while they are stored. Most quality fish hooks are covered with some form of corrosion resistant surface coating.

Example: Wide gap, 2X Long Shank, Hollow Point, Turned Down Ring Eye Bait hook.Ĭontemporary hooks are manufactured from either high-carbon steel, steel alloyed with Vanadium or stainless steel depending on their use. In many cases, hooks are described by using these various parts of the hook. I am wondering if I should put them in the oven on low for a while or just go with heating and bending then heating again and cooling? I am wondering just how strong they will become.Commonly referred to parts of a fish hook are its point-the sharp end that penetrates the fish's mouth or flesh the barb-the projection extending backwards from the point that secures the fish from unhooking, the eye-the end of the hook that is connected to the fishing line or lure, the bend and shank-that portion of the hook that connects the point and the eye, and the gap-the distance between the shank and the point. I took some pliers to the eye and tried to break it with fairly hard pressure, and they still didn’t break. I then heated the other hooks up to a red glow then cooled (in air), and after they had been bent, heated them back up and quenched them as you suggested.

This made them brittle, and I noticed that they all broke in the same place - at the base of the hook. I heated the hooks with a torch then bent the eye closed tighter (so it wouldn’t catch in the weeds).

After they are bent, you can reheat and fast cool (quench in oil or water) to harden it. If you are heating it in air, put the fish hook into sand or into an insulated container so that it won't cool down too quickly. If you are heating it in a furnace, just turn the furnace off. To anneal, you want to slow cool the fish hook. That's why you should bend only annealed steel. If you heated the fish hooks up, bent them and then found that some broke when you cooled them down, it was more than likely due to the fact that you put too much (internal) stress in the material (from the bending process).

Fish hooks