Hooks for dry flies

[Tigereye]

I just wish the companies would standardize a hook designation ie Daichi 1170, Mustad 94840, Dai-Riki 300, TMC 5210. All the same style hook more or less. A unified nomenclature would be a Godsend.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I just wish the companies would standardize a hook designation ie Daichi 1170, Mustad 94840, Dai-Riki 300, TMC 5210. All the same style hook more or less. A unified nomenclature would be a Godsend.

This is another reason I want to find a brand and stick with it.

 

[JackM]

This is another reason I want to find a brand and stick with it.

Isn't making all hooks the same number the same as naming all cars Buick LeSabre? Fishing hooks are patented. Mustad 94840 is the Patent number. Could also be copyrighted.

 

[jifigz]

Eagle Claw hooks are the only hooks made in the USA, correct?

Does anyone here use them for fly fishing?

I've always been pleased with Eagle Claw back in my pre- fly-fishing days, but Gamakatsu were better.

It would be cool if Eagle Claw started making tying hooks.....or do they?

 

[Bamboozle]

This is another reason I want to find a brand and stick with it.

That's what I did years ago after falling into the trap of buying the hook called for in the recipe and having a zillion different hooks models.

I narrowed things down to the sizes & type of flies I tie normally and I looked for hooks that met those requirements. Sometimes I am forced to use two different hook models to cover the range of sizes I tie, but that's nothing new.

This resulted in:

All regular dry fly, midge dry fly & curved dry fly covered by 4 hook models.​

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All regular nymphs, small nymphs, large nymphs covered by 3 hook models​

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Wet flies & classic wet flies covered by 2 hook models​

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One hook for soft hackles and one hook for scuds​

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And because I tie a couple of different streamer types from Woolly Buggers, Clousers, crayfish, classic and Rangeley plus a few saltwater/brackish streamers I use 8 different streamer hooks.​

This may seem like a lot but it was nothing compared to what I had before and I WILL NOT deviate from these hooks/models/brand regardless.

That discipline has kept me from having to buy more Umpqua Hook Boxes, my preferred storage solution. An added benefit is I only need a single box to store all of my dry fly hooks, one for all wet fly/nymph hooks, one for all streamer hooks and one box for the oddball stuff.

This helps keep things to a minimum at home and gives me the ability to easily transport hooks by type when I am tying on the road.

 

[Bamboozle]

I've always been pleased with Eagle Claw back in my pre- fly-fishing days, but Gamakatsu were better.

It would be cool if Eagle Claw started making tying hooks.....or do they?

They do but the selection is VERY limited...

 

[dudemanspecial]

Isn't making all hooks the same number the same as naming all cars Buick LeSabre? Fishing hooks are patented. Mustad 94840 is the Patent number. Could also be copyrighted.

I agree, and I am not complaining. I just really like Fords so I stick with them.

 

[Tigereye]

Isn't making all hooks the same number the same as naming all cars Buick LeSabre? Fishing hooks are patented. Mustad 94840 is the Patent number. Could also be copyrighted.

I look at it more like ford sedan, buick sedan, chevy sedan. Ford pickup, Chevy pick up, ram pickup. Toyota SUV, KIA SUV, Subaru SUV.

If I know the model of vehicle (hook) i want, I just need to determine brand.

 

[poopdeck]

I think alot of the mustad hooks are now made in China. This may be why they fell out of favor with some.

Everything is made in China. I think it has more to do with shiny new toys. You know, expensive designer hooks and great marketing about their sharpness.

Eagle Claw hooks are the only hooks made in the USA, correct?

Does anyone here use them for fly fishing?

I happen to tie a lot of my subsurface SMB flies on eagle claw aberdeen hooks because they bend out when snagged and then can be bent back. I lose less tackle and they still fish just fine.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

was it Charlie Meck who would write that he ties all (most) of his flies on Mustad dry fly hooks? simply changing the size changed the fly size. Need a 2x? size up the dry fly hook.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I've always been pleased with Eagle Claw back in my pre- fly-fishing days, but Gamakatsu were better.

It would be cool if Eagle Claw started making tying hooks.....or do they?

When I was a kid, Eagle Claw hooks were touted as the "hook that hangs on to fish" or some similar statement. At the time, the offset hook-point set them apart from other brands. Nobody was even thinking about barbless or catch-and-release back then. It was all about getting fish into the net, and eventually into the creel. Has Eagle Claw moved into barbless or circle hook territory - without the offset?

 

[Bamboozle]

When I was a kid, Eagle Claw hooks were touted as the "hook that hangs on to fish" or some similar statement. At the time, the offset hook-point set them apart from other brands. Nobody was even thinking about barbless or catch-and-release back then. It was all about getting fish into the net, and eventually into the creel. Has Eagle Claw moved into barbless or circle hook territory - without the offset?

Eagle Claw makes a ton of different hooks including circle hooks. My go to circle hook for decades has been the Eagle Claw L787. They also make barbless baitholder hooks. I've never used the barbless baitholders but the circle hooks aren't offset.

If you buy Eagle Claw hooks, buy the laser sharpened hooks which have a model number preceded by an "L".

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Eagle Claw makes a ton of different hooks including circle hooks. My go to circle hook for decades has been the Eagle Claw L787. They also make barbless baitholder hooks. I've never used the barbless baitholders but the circle hooks aren't offset.

If you buy Eagle Claw hooks, buy the laser sharpened hooks which have a model number preceded by an "L".

Thanks, I'll look into it. I've seen offset circle hooks (for bait-fishing) at Wal-Mart and other places which basically defeat the purpose of preventing a fish from having the point catch in its throat.

 

[Tigereye]

I use circle hooks for catfish. When the fish turns to run it catches them in the corner of the mouth almost 100%of the time.

 

[Boulders]

You only get overwhelmed by all the choices by not picking one, sticking with it and not feeling compelled to try everything new that comes down the road.

I dumbed down my choices years ago, went with Daiichi & Tiemco and never looked at another option since.

Me too

 

[whheff]

TMC or Firehole stick are my favorite hook for dry flies.

 

[Bamboozle]

Thanks, I'll look into it. I've seen offset circle hooks (for bait-fishing) at Wal-Mart and other places which basically defeat the purpose of preventing a fish from having the point catch in its throat.

I began using circle hooks when I started fishing bait for smallmouth after being absolutely blown away by the number of fish some guy I met on the Susquehanna was catching with nightcrawlers.

Because I didn't want to hurt the fish, I came up with rig using circle hooks and a small slip float and it was like indicator nymph fishing on steroids. Back in the early 2000's it wasn't hard to catch & release 100 fish (all hooked right in the mouth) during daylight hours while my fly fishing purist buddies were barely cracking 20.

The hook I used is the Eagle Claw L787 but the discontinued Teflon coated version. Those hooks are super sharp and because of the Teflon they penetrated like nobodies business. They also have bait-holding barbs which help a lot when you are trying to lob a half of a worm as far as you can.

I was lucky enough to score a bunch of the Teflon version on eBay years ago so I'm set. I use them for panfish too and you'd be surprised how even the larger sizes will hook fish with mouths smaller than the gape of the hook.

I also started using a heavy Gamakatsu circle hook for wacky rigs when fishing for largemouth bass. They are way easier on the fish and they often hook themselves.

Finally, I tie simple weighted beadhead attractor flies on circle hooks specifically for kids to use on spinning or spincasting outfits. With a circle hook, it is very easy for them to hook a fish even if they can't quite grasp the idea of when to set a hook. Often time the fish do it for them or I just say, "reel 'em in" and that does the trick.

 

[Tiogadog]

They're not cheap but for dry flies I really like the Tiemco 100sp-bl. I typically buy them when JStockard has them on sale.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

They're not cheap but for dry flies I really like the Tiemco 100sp-bl. I typically buy them when JStockard has them on sale.

I mainly use Tiemco hooks, and the Tiemco 100 is my go-to hook for makny of my dry flies, but I’ve never tried the 100sp-bl’s.

I get the bl - barbless - aspect of those hooks, and can see the 100bl-sp advantage of having a 1.5x the standard size hook gape, particularly in smaller hook sizes like 18’s and 20’s, but I’m not sure why I would want a Tiemco dry fly hook that is 1.5x heavier than their standard dry fly hook as those hooks are.

What say?

 

[Tiogadog]

I mainly use Tiemco hooks, and the Tiemco 100 is my go-to hook for makny of my dry flies, but I’ve never tried the 100sp-bl’s.

I get the bl - barbless - aspect of those hooks, and can see the 100bl-sp advantage of having a 1.5x the standard size hook gape, particularly in smaller hook sizes like 18’s and 20’s, but I’m not sure why I would want a Tiemco dry fly hook that is 1.5x heavier than their standard dry fly hook as those hooks are.

What say?

I like the barbless spear point. Regarding them being a heavier gauged wire, I actually like that when tying humpies and other hair wing dries because you can really put some extra tension on the thread wraps. I can't say I catch any more fish on them but I do enjoy tying on them.