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