Increase Your Fishing Success with Sticky Sharp Hooks

Imagine standing on the bank or sitting in a boat for all of a morning and most of an afternoon patiently eying your fishing rod as you wait for a bite from an elusive salmon or steelhead. Diehard fishermen and fisherwomen understand that on some days catching fish is just a bonus to spending time on your favorite piece of water. Going home with fish is not necessarily the only indication of a successful or enjoyable day outdoors. None of that changes the fact that as your rod starts to dance and bend with the tell-tale signs of a fish taking your offering, you become very hopeful that the fish will become hooked, and stay hooked until it can be landed. Being a successful angler is really about attention to detail. At this point, one detail becomes very important: how sharp are your hooks? When a fish does bite your presentation, sharp hooks can make the difference between a fish that you bring to hand, and a lost opportunity. If you follow this collection of tips, you will hook more of the fish that bite, and you will land more of the fish you hook.

Nothing fishing related vexes me more than someone who fishes out of a $50,000 boat, with a $300 rod and reel combo, burns through gas that probably costs upwards to four dollars a gallon, parts with $25-$75 for an annual fishing license, has several hundred dollars tied up in miscellaneous gear and tackle, but fishes with dull, cheap, or substandard hooks. My first suggestion is, considering the time and money that you expend on trying to catch fish, buy the highest quality hooks that you can afford. After all, when it comes right down to it, the hook is the primary thing keeping you connected to your fish. I have fished almost my entire life in the Pacific Northwest, and am now an avid fisherman. In my opinion, there are only two brands of hooks out there: Owner and Gamakatsu. Granted, in other regions, and even for other fishermen in this region, there are other options that some people prefer, including VMC, Mustad, Vision, and Eagle Claw. These brands, and others, may offer a quality product that you can test by trial and error for yourself. As for me? I will stick with the Owners and the Gamakatsus. Sometimes buying off-brand products is a good way to save some money, when it comes to hooks, it is a good way to waste money and time.

When a hook becomes dull from a fish, a snag, or any other object, you have two options: sharpen it, or throw it away. Multiple brands make quality hook sharpeners, and the process of using them is very easy. Although many gadgets and tools have been designed to help sharpen hooks easily, I still prefer a basic hook file. A few light brushes to the back side of the hook (outside of the bend) will usually do the trick. You can test the hook for sharpness by lightly trying to stick the point into your thumbnail and drag it across. A hook that sticks slightly instead of just scraping your thumbnail is adequately sharp. Certain hooks, like Owners, are designed in a way that is less conducive to re-sharpening. In my opinion they are sharper than any other hook out of the package, but once that sharp point is gone, it is almost impossible to restore. I will try to brush it up a few times, but if a sticky-sharp point cannot be re-attained, the hook goes into the trash. Gamakatsus, Eagle Claws, VMCs, and Mustads are all more easily sharpened. Still, if the hook gets even a slightly bent tip, I do not bother trying to file it and restore the point. Even at fifty cents a hook, throwing away marginal hooks in favor of fishing new, factory-sharp hooks is a cheap way to enhance your fishing success.

If you go to a local fishing hole or tackle store, talking to salesmen and other anglers is a quick and easy way to find out what people in your region prefer. Those premier anglers who catch the bulk of the fish have spent time learning what works best. Also, look at the hooks that fishing guides use. Even though a company may be able to convince a guide to use their hooks or product through a sponsorship, there are probably very few successful guides out there who endorse products that do anything to compromise their ability to catch fish. Their livelihood depends on catching fish and they use the products that best help them do that.

If you do not already fish with the best, sharpest hooks or you do not pay special attention to just how sharp your hooks are, now is the time to start, and start noticing the difference. Lots of little details will increase your fishing success. Sharp, quality hooks are a great foundation for being a more successful fisherman or woman.