Hook color

[joeyd71]

Hey all,

I took the Fly Fishing class at Penn State last semester and loved it (as I expected to). It's been a rough couple months over here, so it was a nice way to escape the TV cameras.

Anyways, I just picked up a new vise (vice?) and supplies and I just have a question about the hooks. I think I will be tying mainly nymphs. I read online that gold hooks usually work out better than other hooks.

What are your thoughts/experiences with gold hooks?

Thanks in advance

 

[JackM]

I prefer the bronze colored ones as they seem to blend in better. There are times when flash might excite trout, but I also think sometimes it will signal that something is wrong. For brightly colored things (streamers particularly), then a gold hook could blend in so to speak with the other fancy materials, but on a natural nymph, I avoid it. Egg patterns I have purchased used red hooks and looked fine. Bottom line, probably doesn't matter, but given a choice, I go natural with natural-looking flies.

 

[troutpoop]

I started using whatever hooks were available but soon gravitated towards one brand, not color.
In my experience I have not noticed much of a difference when fishing different hook colors. The fish is still attempting to eat a bug with a piece of metal sticking out of its butt no matter how they are tied.

 

[BMarx]

Its all about the brand. Some are better than others. Some are sharper, some are stronger, some are cheaper, some are more expensive.

You could paint it flourecent black and I doubt it would matter.

Whatever you read, was fooling you.

 

[wgmiller]

I really have to wonder if this is one of those things that matters more to us than it does the fish. I mean if the fish can't make out the profile of the sharpened piece of steel protruding from its "meal", does the color of the hook really matter???

 

[MKern]

Color of the hook is probably last on the list of factors that influence trout.

I would think the fact of the hook and the telphone cable coming out of a ring on the flies head would be way more of an influence.

 

[wgmiller]

Wasn't there a big "fad" in the bass fishing world with red hooks?

 

[jayL]

A red bare hook on the bighorn will keep pace with a san Juan worm some days from what I have gathered.

Otherwise, I don't place much emphasis on it. I do like black hooks when I can find them, but that's purely a matter of taste.

 

[BMarx]

Midge larva?

 

[jayL]

Nah, large red hooks. Worms.

I'm sure small ones work as midges larva too.

 

[lv2nymph]

I would not worry about the color so much, bronze is just fine and readily available. Think more about the configuration of the hooks to what you are looking to tie. I prefer hooks that are chemically sharpened, have small barbs( makes it easy to pinch down ),and have lots of useable shapes, I've been using Daiichi for a many years and have been pleased.

 

[joeyd71]

Thanks for all the responses. You guys are great at replying. Whenever I post here I get far more replies than any other forum I belong to (automotive, computer, etc.)

Another question then- I know I should support my local fly shop, but they aren't open year round. Do you guys buy supplies or hooks online? If so, where from?

 

[lv2nymph]

I get my hooks from JW Trout.He is not local here, but he is local in Baldwinsville, Ny. In other words not your chain store kind. www.JWTrout.com Right neighborly kind a guy.

 

[pwk5017]

Hooks are typically pretty stable in terms of price. The price of the top brands does not fluctuate much, if at all, from fly shops to online retailers. I like to buy at my shop, because I like to see what a 2Xgap looks in person etc. It can be difficult for me to visualize some of the hook types when you include 2x shank, gap etc. With all those additions to the hook, a size 14 can look like a 12 or 10. I have only been tying for a year though, so this might be due to inexperience. I am sure after awhile you just know the hook model # you love for a particular pattern, so then I can see why you would try to scour the web for a cheaper price.

 

[BMarx]

TCO Fly Shop

Flyfishesparadiseonline.com

Performance flies

And on and on and on...


"Google it"

 

[muskratnymph1]

Tmc 2499 spbl and dohikus have become my hooks of choice, not because of the color, but hooking quality. I definately don't want a gold hook, but i like the darker colored ones for asthetic purposes. I will pay top dollar for good hooks.