Are All Hooks Created Equal?

By Ian 

  For most of us, the last thing we pay attention to is our terminal tackle. That's right, our hooks, our lines, our weights. That's a mistake. Your terminal tackle is very, very important. However, one thing, the hook, is especially overlooked in the tackle shop. That's a really big mistake. Here's why:

1. Sharpness. Bass have very hard and bony mouths, an evolutionary trait that allows them to eat creatures with sharp fins (bluegill, perch), or spines and claws (crayfish). You need to really set the hook to get the hook to penetrate the mouth. However, a dull hook isn't going to pierce the mouth. Maybe with crappie (whom's nickname is     "paper mouth") you can get away with less than sharp hooks, but with bass, you need to set one good hookset with one sharp hook. You can buy the most best soft plastics, with the best rod and reel, but if the hook ain't sharp, you ain't going catch any fish. The fish's mouth just isn't pierced.

Above: Storage matters too. Store your hooks in rust-free tackle boxes. Trust me, you hooks with stay sharper and instant longer. 

2. Bending. What's more frustrating to hook a nice fish, with a nice hooks, but then the fish comes off, and you find that the hook is straightened out? The curve of the hook, which helps prevent the fish from throwing it off, is now straightened during the fight, and allows the fish to escape. Your hooks must be rigid. Not only will you lose more fish with bendy hooks, you will also lose more money replacing bent hooks. 

3. Rust. Rusty hooks are just a pain. They're dull, and weak and easily broken. You just can't fish with them, for the reasons that they won't penetrate the fishes' mouths or will just break. The rust dust also makes a mess in your tackle box. Trust me, don't use rusty hooks. I'm speaking from experience here. Bad hooks will rust like crazy.

  So now you know about the problems with bad hooks. A good hook is sharp, stays sharp, doesn't rust, or bend. Pros, such as Kevin VanDam (KVD), obsess over their hooks, and there is a reason for that. In addition to get some kind of hook sharpener, or get a whetstone to sharpen your hooks as they get dull. To see if a hook is sharp enough, stick it into your thumbnail and try to drag it from there. If it moves and leaves a small mark, it's dull. A good sharp hook should stay in your fingernail. 

If you have any questions, feel free to go to "Contact Us" and shoot us an email.

Tight lines,

​Ian