Fly Fishing Forum banner

What are your favorite makes of hook?

  • Tiemco

    Votes: 7 25.9%
  • Dai-Rikki

    Votes: 2 7.4%
  • Daiichi

    Votes: 9 33.3%
  • Partridge

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • Alec Jackson's

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • Mustad

    Votes: 3 11.1%
  • Gamekatsu

    Votes: 4 14.8%
  • Tubes (ok they still use hooks)

    Votes: 4 14.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 14.8%

Hooks

4K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Topher Browne 
#1 ·
I'm pasting in a response I made to someone on another site about do hooks matter. Seemed after I wrote it that aside from it just being my opion, it might be a good topic to bring up here as I know people are passionate about their hooks.

Hooks do matter and generally you get what you pay for.
There are exceptions to this. Most of my comments will
be aimed at steelhead and salmon hooks so might not
hold true for trout sizes.

Tiemco -- good hooks, nice finish, high price, good
point, will not open up on you.

Dia-Riki -- good hooks, good price, so-so finish, good
point, maybe a touch below the Tiemco in quality (some
qc problems from time to time) but a good choice for
the $$.

Diaichi -- Very good hook, somewhat pricey but worth
it. Super point, nice finish, good quality, nice
selection (hint - try the 2141 for steelhead, a wide
gaped straight eye that holds great), will not open
up.

Mustad -- Fair hook, great price, sub-par finish, poor
point (these need to be filed out of the box and I even
suggest tapering them as they are quite blunt), will not
open up.

Alec Jacksons -- Beautiful hook, pricey, beautiful
finish with options of gold, nickel and black, average
point, earlier versions tended to spring open on bigger
fish. They have a bad rap because of this but man do
they tie a pretty looking spey fly.

Partridge -- Good hook, somewhat pricey, excellent
point, good finish, some models prone to opening up.
There are a number of models and some have strengths
the others do not. The N is a sticky sharp "light" wire hook but will not open up. The 10/1 are a bartleet style spey hook that are springy as hell in some sizes. Still this is one of my favorites for small summer speys tied in size 6.

Gamekatsu -- Good hook, fairly pricey, good point, great
finish with color options, will not open up.

Or switch to tubes. You don't have to
worry about hooks much and you get to buy lots of new
stuff.

So what are your favorite hooks?

sinktip

The opinions expressed above are simply the opinion of the author and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. :p
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Tough one!

Considering we are talking specifically about steelhead and salmon fishing hooks...

I love tubes with nordics or bigger egg hooks, the larger AJ's, Gami's, etc - but if given the choice to pick one brand and all the hooks they have to offer, I went with __________. I use more hooks overall from their product line for summer, light, dry, wet, winter, etc.
 
#4 ·
Verivaas

I've been using Verivas since last year for all my regular tying.

Sometimes I'm forced to use other brands because the patterns require specific hooks to function properly - mostly RM's shrimp/crab patterns and some of those 4x long jobbers...
 
#7 ·
I don't yet tie tubes.

For most patterns, I use Tiemco. Compared to other fishing expenses, the cost of hooks is nominal. Plus, I picked up a large bunch of packages of 7999 in different sizes at $1.97 to $2.97 a pack at a closeout in 2001, so the expense dropped way down.

I have a fairly unusual application for my stock of Partridge Bartleets. They sat unused in my tying kit for many years, but I found them perfect for my typical dry pattern. The slight outpoint helps with hookups as does the long shank, the long shank keeps the short wing from fouling if the fly goes under, the hooks are light and strong, and the loop eye keeps the spun hair from spinning around the hook.

After trying Wilsons, Tiemco 7989, Bomber hooks, large trout streamer hooks, and bass bug stinger hooks, the Bartleets turned out to be perfect for this application!

--Bill
 
#8 ·
I picked Daiichi, but I mostly tie Trout flies.
This is not a simple question, but a very good one, I aslo use other brands, depending on the pattern.
I prefer Daiichii for the smaller size dries and nymphs, say 18 to 12
I often use Tiemco for sizes 10 to 6

And I occasionnally use up my old supply of Mustad's for "test" patterns and other junky flies, e.g. those that I tend to catch trees and rubber boots with......
 
#9 ·
Daiichi!!!!

I used a wide variety of hooks. I grew up using mustads, but back then I could only find them in local shops. But, I experimented with dai rikis (which aren't bad at all), tiemco's, and a few others. I settled on the daiichi. Plus, the alec jackson's are daiichi's as well. I like the heavier wire spey hooks, and his steelhead irons. I have yet to have a hook straighten out, but I use only certain sized hooks for a certain type of leader strength/rod weight. Basically the same as using a size 4 hook on a heavy salmon rod using 30# test. You'll straighten it out fast on a big chinook. But use same hook on a noodle rod using 8# test, (which I don't target kings with this rod, but have caught incidentally) held up with no problems and hook wasn't bent/straightened at all. (Was a 52# king).

But, I go strictly daiichi, unless I get a hellacious deal on decent hooks. I was able to get 2000 dai-riki salmon/steelhead hooks for just about $40 (including shipping costs) off ebay. So I've been running off them for awhile. LOL
 
#12 ·
Sparkey, you are killing me :chuckle:

Rich ties the E in the ESL in lots of colors so a display box is quite possible. Besides, last I checked, he still has never hooked himself in the umm, a shall we say backside, while in bed. :p
 
#14 ·
The only brand I use is Daiichi (with one exception) because they have the best point in the business, are very durable (i.e. hold their sharp point very well, have a great tempering, beautiful finish, and are available in a huge array or styles and sizes.

Alec Jackson's hooks are made by Daiichi, and the real sleeper Daiichi hook here in the Pacific Northwest for summer fishing is the Daiichi 2131 hool (also known as Bob Veverka's low-water or Alec Jackson's Low-water Dee). This is a beautiful low-water hook that is available in sizes #2,4,6,&8 (Alec calls the same hooks #3,5,7,&9). A strong, light wire hook that ties wonderful true low-water featherwing flies (try it on a Blue Charm, NIght Hawk, or Silver Blue for instance) that also is a superior salmon/steelhead dry fly hook for everything but Bombers (these are best tied on the Daiiche 2220 4x long streamer hook in #1,2,4,&6, and when tied on this hook look like the original Bomber that was tied on long shank, down-eye or ring-eye hooks).

The Daiichi trout hooks are both extensive and very well-made as well. And they are the only brand I use for trout flies as well.

The exception I mentioned above is the Mustad 80250 Stinger Bass bug hook. This is the only Mustad hook I use because it has a large gape, good, strong wire, nice shape, and has a straight point (unlike every other bass bug stinger hook on the market, which all have the point somewhat rolled in toward the hook shank).
 
#15 ·
"Other"

I voted for "other" only for one reason. When I run short of hooks, I am usually in the middle of tying. I check out the local shops, and usually get whatever brand they have in the size, shape and type that I need.

I guess I am too practical to be a snob about it! :devil:

BobK
 
#16 ·
I don't think "don't care" is being a snob at all. Just shows that you are easily pleased and not hung up on quality or specifics. Those will be good traits to have once the GL are rid of all those darn exotics.

:smokin: :cool: :smokin:
 
#18 · (Edited)
Spark and tip, You guys just don't understand how difficult it is to keep my reputation as a fly snob intact, thanks for bringing me back to center, it is comfortable there, you should try it sometime:hehe:

PS Spark, that's the last time I share my oatmeal rasin cookies with you!

PSS Spark, Derek says thank-you for the hat:)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top