Jig Hooks with barbs

[TimRobinsin]

A customer who had read Aaron Jaspers' article published this month in Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing guide came in and asked me about barbed jig hooks. Seems he could find barbless but none barbed. any of you guys know where to find some barbed jig hooks?

as a side note I had the conversation with him about the benefits of barbless hooks but he said he was tying these flies for friends who wanted barbed hooks. I tried my best to persuade him to go barbless but it fell on deaf ears.

 

[Chaz]

Probably wouldn't want to use barbed if you're concerned about release, jigs are usually taken deep.

 

[freestylefisher]

Chaz I am going to respectfully disagree with you I have found that jigs are actually not taken near as deep as egg patterns nymphs or dry flies due to thier shape the hook ends up in the roof of the fishes mouth just about every time

 

[JeffK]

Jig hooks - meant for jigs - with barbs go down to about a size 10. I tie buggers, craft fur streamers, large nymphs, crayfish patterns and other bottom bouncers on these to minimize hanging on the bottom. The hook shank is short, so they tie a touch smaller. Places like Bass Pro, Cabelas, and Janns Netcraft have these, but you may have to look in the luremaking rather than fly tying section.

The smaller jig style hooks made for flies are different and go down to a 16. The only ones I found at the show were Czech hooks that were barbless - but the long point certainly hooks and holds well.

You do not have to put a beadhead on a jig hook! A bead is commonly used and will give you a jigging action. Lead wraps on the shank will keep the fly oriented properly and give it a balanced sliding action - which is better in most cases IMHO. You can even go without weight and the hook will ride up. With normal hooks I tie in the round since nymphs spin IMHO. Tied on a jig hook the light side will definately stay down.

A great PMD nymph from out West uses a 16 jig hook. It is simply burnt orange thread, a mallard flank tail, and a proper color dubbed budy. Very simple and it killed end of season fish on the Truckee after they had seen it all. Can't wait to try it for sulphurs.

 

[JeffK]

Here's a great source for jig hooks down to size 12 - with barbs. These are $3 to $4 a 100; fly hooks are hard to find at $5 per 25.

http://www.captainhookswarehouse.com/index.cfm?page=products&view=1

I haven't dealt with him in a few years, but the selection and prices for jig hooks is hard to beat and I always got good service. You get them in a simple plastic bag, but who wants to pay for packaging and advertizing.

 

[freestylefisher]

That's a great website and good hook prices thanks

 

[JeffK]

This thread prompted me to replenish my supplies of 6 to 12 jig hooks so I ordered a bunch of VMC and KAZUO jig hooks from captainhooks. Got them yesterday and was pleased with the quality and the deliver. Tied some wool head sculpins on the 6 jig hooks and did OK at the Little Lehigh with them with air temps in the teens and 38F water.

 

[blueheron]

It's unethical to use barbed jig hooks, what are you guys thinking?

 

[JeffK]

What makes barbs on jigs any worse than barbs on any other hooks?

That said, I am a believer in smashing down the barbs on any hook. Safer, easier to set the hook, and easier to get it out.

In the spirit of full disclosure I have been a jig tier for decades as well as a fly tier and that led me years ago to trying jig hooks for trout flies. Jig hooks used to be poorer quality than fly hooks but that has changed and the modern ones have the tiniest of barbs - like a better fly hook. Originally I tied crayfish, sculpins and mini streamers (after micro jigs that were popular years ago) on jig hooks and I used popular smallmouth and crappie jig patterns as a start. Then I tried more classic trout patterns like buggers, Mickey Finns and Black Nosed dace and have tied up plenty for jigging lakers and rainbows in the Finger lakes. Used small jigs for deep sparkle pupa to give them a jigging action similar to emerging caddis and have been going to nymphs on jig hooks lately. This is just to say I've caught probably at least 1000 trout on jig hooks over the last 20 years. I really think jig hooks snag fish less than regular hooks - especially compared to a two nymph rig with the point tied to the bend of the first fly. They are also easier to pull out IMHO since you typically hook the fish in the roof of the mouth and the bend in the front of the hook gives you a good purchase to hold the hook. Of course bend the barbs down for easiest unhooking.

By far the least foul or gut hooking pattern I have ever used is a circle hook with no offset. They work like magic. However, I have only been able to get them to work reliably with hooks in the 6 to 8 range which eliminates most trout fly sizes. I have circle hooks down to a size 14, but the the gap is too small to get a good purchase on a trout's jaw in my experience. However, I see nothing unethical in using jig hooks. Foul hooking isn't a problem and they usually come out of the jaw easily.

 

[blueheron]

Sorry , I was just kidding.

 

[lv2nymph]

Connection not made. If it means anything I knew where you were coming from.

 

[troutbert]

JeffK wrote:
Here's a great source for jig hooks down to size 12 - with barbs. These are $3 to $4 a 100; fly hooks are hard to find at $5 per 25.

http://www.captainhookswarehouse.com/index.cfm?page=products&view=1

I haven't dealt with him in a few years, but the selection and prices for jig hooks is hard to beat and I always got good service. You get them in a simple plastic bag, but who wants to pay for packaging and advertizing.

At that website, he lists a lot of different jig hooks. Which style do you recommend, for nymphs and for streamers?

 

[JeffK]

I usually use the standard 90 degree bend hooks in a black finish, although I am playing around with gold ones and a sickle hook. These have a standard length shank - sort of like a wet fly hook - so need to go a size or 2 larger to get the hook shank for most nymph or streamer patterns. Therefore, my streamers are on 2 to 6 hooks, and the size 6 ones are like a size 10 streamer. For streamers it is nice to get a longer shank hook if they are available. Avoid short shank hooks. While I usually use the standard 90 degree bend, the 90 degree bend is actually optimized for a vertical presentation - although they work stripping them. The 60 degree bend is designed for a more horizontal presentation, and they are nice if in the size you need. The Czech hooks for fly tying have a 60 degree bend. (the site doesn't seem to have a degree sign and uses %)

I just got a batch from different vendors - all seemed to be good
quality and better than in the past

Favorite flies of mine are black and root beer buggers (tied with cree hackle and a brown over orange tail) and a simple sculpin of a rabbit strip tied like a zonker on the rear half of the shank and a trimmed wool head on the front. Wrap lead wire on the shank for weight. Vary weight for conditions and can add double layer under the head. Shenks minnows/sculpins and Douple sculpins are good - but tying a wool head is simpler for me than the deer hair head for the sculpin. Like two tone craft fur with a piece of flash for the lateral line. You can go fancy and match local baitfish, but I've settled down to simpler patterns.