I went through a phase, I call it the Ed Ward phase, where I tied string leaches, flies that took more than one hook to tie, anything to make them big. After a while, it dawned on me that I wasn't catching more fish with these, and I sure as hell didn't enjoy casting them, so I went back to more normal stuff.
Unorthodox Hooks
I hope I spelled that right. 
But I was wondering if anyone out there ties their flies on something other then the standard Tiemco 7999 and its imitations and cousins i.e. Alec Jackson Spey.
I have been tying flies lately on Dai-Riki (not Dai-Icki or however its spelled) #810. They are 1x strong straight-eye bass hook. They swim small shrimp patterns and little marabous great plus they are strong hook that has yet to bust off at the end when fishing amongts the rocks or the every once in a while dropped backcast. I am excited to tie some Spades and other compact low water flies on them as they sink like a rock and may prove to fish very nicely on a floating line when the fish just wont come up to the surface and I dont want to switch over to a tip to get down to the fish.
Plus I cant forget the Gamakatsu 90 degree bend hooks that I occasionaly tie my flies on also. : D
So what unorthodox hooks do you all tie on...if you do?
But I was wondering if anyone out there ties their flies on something other then the standard Tiemco 7999 and its imitations and cousins i.e. Alec Jackson Spey.I have been tying flies lately on Dai-Riki (not Dai-Icki or however its spelled) #810. They are 1x strong straight-eye bass hook. They swim small shrimp patterns and little marabous great plus they are strong hook that has yet to bust off at the end when fishing amongts the rocks or the every once in a while dropped backcast.
I am excited to tie some Spades and other compact low water flies on them as they sink like a rock and may prove to fish very nicely on a floating line when the fish just wont come up to the surface and I dont want to switch over to a tip to get down to the fish.Plus I cant forget the Gamakatsu 90 degree bend hooks that I occasionaly tie my flies on also.
: DSo what unorthodox hooks do you all tie on...if you do?
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Okay, you may be sorry you got me started on this...It's a topic that is of much interest to me. Like most of us, I tie my "pretty" flies on Alec Jacksons and Partridges, but when it comes to landing fish, the short point and sweeping design that are so beautiful to the eye seem to work against the angler. Three hooks I really like, which probably fit your term of "unorthodox" are the Tiemco 8089 bass bug hook, the Gamakatsu 07110 Offset Shank Worm hook, and the Tiemco 5262. I started fishing the 8089 when I was guiding in Alaska and needed something that would stick and hold the lightning-quick silvers. This hook greatly increased our landing rate, and it's light weight gives marabou spiders an incredible action. I still use this hook for winter marabous, and although the primary drawback appears to be it's light wire construction, I have landed Alaskan kings to 43 lbs. and Washington steelhead to 28 lbs. on it. The guys at the lodge used to say that if a fish got near the hook, you had him to the boat. The Gammy 07110 is a lightwire hook designed for bass fishing with plastic worms. It rides point up, and is great for bouncing off rocks when fishing deep in shallow winter lies. My favorite, by far, though, is the 5262. This hook is nothing short of amazing as far as landing steelhead. Yes, it's ugly. In fact, we usually refer to it as "the little crappie hook." But the "perfect" bend seems to have some magical quality for landing fish. Since I started fishing it last June, I have experienced a major increase in fish to the hand--It's gone 25 for 32, or close to 80% in the past year! With my old AJ's and Tiemco "Steelhead" hooks, I was closer to 50% landing ratio. I know, it's hard to get past it's appearance, but landing fish counts for something, doesn't it? I mostly fish this hook in 2's and 4's, but will go down to a 6 for summer fishing, and in really dirty water when I need a big fly, I will fish it's longer shanked cousin, the 5263. Both the number 6 and the long 5263 have a slightly lower landing ratio. I just wish they made it in a number 1. Okay, that's my two cents on the issue--I look forward to seeing what others are fishing. And if you got bored a long time ago, I apologize for going on and on about something as mundane as hooks. What can I say? I'm a nut for hooks.
Peace,
Skookum
Peace,
Skookum
Great topic NrthFrk!
Dylan -
I've fished the 8089's for caddis patterns and liked them a lot, don't know why I didn't buy more when the pack ran out. They definitely stick the take and ride nice and high.
Thanks for the thorough review, I'll be looking into the other hook styles you mention especially the 5262.
Great stuff!
Dylan -
I've fished the 8089's for caddis patterns and liked them a lot, don't know why I didn't buy more when the pack ran out. They definitely stick the take and ride nice and high.
Thanks for the thorough review, I'll be looking into the other hook styles you mention especially the 5262.
Great stuff!
This takes me back to the late 70s when some friends were using bass hooks with their eggs and sandshrimp. Hookup percentage was good, but I think when winter came on, and we went to heavier gear, the lighter wire hooks didnt hold up.
As for flyfishing, it all sounds interesting.
Questions though? What color do they come in?
Are they an offset bend like other bass hooks? And are they available? thanks.
As for flyfishing, it all sounds interesting.
Questions though? What color do they come in?
Are they an offset bend like other bass hooks? And are they available? thanks.
Here's one
Tiemco 200r makes a great reduced muddler/caddis wet. Real popular in northern california for Hazel style purple muddlers. The straight ring-eye makes for a nice change of pace from the upturned eye. Better hooksets? Some say yes! Cheaper? You betcha!
Tiemco 200r makes a great reduced muddler/caddis wet. Real popular in northern california for Hazel style purple muddlers. The straight ring-eye makes for a nice change of pace from the upturned eye. Better hooksets? Some say yes! Cheaper? You betcha!
Skyrise--
The Tiemco 8089 is a ring-eyed, wide gap, lightwire hook with no offset at all. It comes in #2, #6 and #10, all of which are significantly larger than other hooks of those numbers. For example, the #10 has a gap about equal to that of a standard #2, and the #6 is about a 1/0. I don't know why they size 'em like that. They are available in brass and nickel plate, though the nickel plated ones are hard to find. Most flyshops (like Kauffman's) carry the 8089, though only in brass, and not usually in the steelhead section. Until I discovered the 5262, this was my favorite hook, and I still use them for silver flies and spun marabou spiders. The action on this hook with a spun marabou/schlappen head fly is incredible. Hope this helps.
The Tiemco 8089 is a ring-eyed, wide gap, lightwire hook with no offset at all. It comes in #2, #6 and #10, all of which are significantly larger than other hooks of those numbers. For example, the #10 has a gap about equal to that of a standard #2, and the #6 is about a 1/0. I don't know why they size 'em like that. They are available in brass and nickel plate, though the nickel plated ones are hard to find. Most flyshops (like Kauffman's) carry the 8089, though only in brass, and not usually in the steelhead section. Until I discovered the 5262, this was my favorite hook, and I still use them for silver flies and spun marabou spiders. The action on this hook with a spun marabou/schlappen head fly is incredible. Hope this helps.
Oops, just realized you were probably talking about the Gammy plastic worm hook. This hook has a crimp in the shank just behind the ring eye that makes most of the straight part of the shank ride below the eye and the point. There is no offset to this particular model, so it swims a fly fine, just upside down, so you have to tie the fly upside down. Keeps the point off the rocks very well. I've only seen it in bronze, and I buy them off the shelf at Outdoor Emporium here in Seattle. I think it's similar to what they used to call "keel" hooks for upside down streamers. This is a very light-wire hook, which tends to be my preference for easy hook sets and good penetration. If I need to get it down deep, I use a bit of lead wire, lead eyes or a beadhead, or just count on my tip to do the work. Hope this is of more help than my last post.
The bass hooks I am talking about are actually a bass bug hook. They are straight eye 1x strong hook.
Thanks for the info guys! Ryan, do guys stock any of these hooks at the store? thanks again.
Any problems with LDRs due to the "springiness" of the 8089 or other light wire hooks? I tied these as dries on the Thompson for a while and kept losing fish. I've pretty much given up on the Alec Jackson Speys in all sizes for the same reason.
We've got the 5262 Tiemcos and the 810 Dai-Rikki. I dont think we have the Tiemco 8089 but me might.
Well, old "O-R-E gon guy's perspesctive. The most effective hooks I've found (regardless of manufacture) are thin wire hooks that you can weight the he.. out of. The wt. gets them down where the fish are, the thin wire sets the hook 90+% of the time. Nymphing, no problem, the hook usually sets it's self so an indicator is really "beside the point."
Life could be better, but not much. Salmon run on the Rogue is slowing down (but we're getting close to the 30,000 mark so, so what) and Mr. Summer Run is starting to show.
Life just got better.
Fred
Life could be better, but not much. Salmon run on the Rogue is slowing down (but we're getting close to the 30,000 mark so, so what) and Mr. Summer Run is starting to show.
Life just got better.
Fred
If you need a sharper hook or want a lighter wire for penetration try the Gamagatsu (sp?) straight shank rubber worm hook. This is a great hook for muddlers or any fly you want to skate.. You will not find a sharper hook anywhere. and they have a large gap so they are great for hooking fish too. I don't know the number but you can find them at Gi Joes when all the fly shops are closed:O)
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