Which hooks?

[Wiets]

I need to purchase hooks for freshwater flytying and I have no clue on the various hooks I should get - indeed, I find the range and names quite bewildering.

I would like to purchase hooks for freshwater fly fishing in the broadest spectrum - this would include streams for trout, yellows, etc. I would be grateful for help on the types of hooks and the sizes I should be looking at.

[gkieser]

Eish! Wiets the list would be long and very much of the opinion of the person that gives it to you. The huge range of hooks that you can buy is because there is such a huge range of application for these hooks.

These are my opinions:

For yellowfish, my opinion (with limited experience) would be to buy extra heavy wire hooks in scud and straight shank (my own opinion is that circles aren't the way to go). A good size range to start with would be scuds in #6 to a #16 and Straights in #12 to #16. That should cover the majority of your yellowfish tying. The two hook models I like to use for this are the Grip 14731 (Scud - 1x Heavy) and the Grip 12003 (Straight - 1x Heavy Standard shank).

For my nymphs and other submerged flies on trout streams I like the grip 14711 (Scud - 1x light wire), or the above two heavy wire models that I use for yellowfish, in sizes #12 to #18.

All the above hooks need to be debarbed if you are so inclined.

For dry flies I like light wire hooks. The Gamakatsu C12 is a very lekker light wire scud hook for flies like klinkhammers, and they are super sharp. I use these in #14s and #16s. My standard dry fly hook for straight shank patterns is the Grip 11011BL in #14 to #18.

There are some others that I use like the slightly curved long shank nymph hooks used on stimulators and stonefly nymph patterns but I can't think of the model numbers at this point in time.

The caddis shape hooks also have good applications but i find i can get away without them in my tying.

Leonard also showed me some tiny #16 dry fly circle hooks the other day and i have tied and fished with them once but could not induce a fish to take that fly so I am still waiting with interest to see how they work. The theory is that as the fish turns on the dry fly, it'll hook itself but the jury is out until I see it for myself. Sounds very interesting though!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Def Tiemco scuds 2457 #12 - 16's for Mayflies and caddis,midges the list goes on.(Nymphal stages)some emergers too.Def not dries or adults if u like.

I'm not saying Grips r bad,I prever Tiemco's because of it's superior qualities.

I would also include Mustad circle hooks.If u feel ur hookups r bad,ie loosing fish,change to scuds.Why only use the one,get scuds and circles.

If ur fishing 3 flies for yellows and the control fly is a circle,u still have 2 chances with the top dropper or point.The latter 2 will produce the most fish anyways.

The most irritating thing for me is to fish a scud control fly and getting stuck all the time.Ironically this is what u want but to walk upstream all the time to loosen ur stuck fly is messing up your honey whole right ahead of u.

Sometimes ur lucky,u can just pull or twich it loose,other times not.I just choose not to loose flies so I will go forward and loosen it.

But by using a circle hook,ur chances r less ito getting stuck. The gape of ur point fly and top dropper is much smaller anyway so don't worry to much about those ito getting stuck.I don't mind my point fly getting stuck,it means I'm in the zone and watch out,u could easily have a fish on dad.

Another pointer if ur stuck,leave ur fly for 3 -5 min.The fishies will come and chow one of the other 2.

The above advice has served me well

[gkieser]

Tiemcos are lekker. I use grips as they are the most readily available in the stores down here. I have had minimal problems with them. Can you get the Tiemco Scuds barbless or do you have to debarb them? I would much prefer buying already barbless hooks so as not to debarb them while tying.

I don't buy into the "two other flies to catch fish" theory. All my flies must be fish catchers otherwise what are they there for?

If you are hooking up on rocks all the time, you are probably fishing a bit too heavy. you don't want your flies continuously on the bottom because then you are causing drag on your other flies. It's better if they only bump a rock every now and again. You are then getting better drifts and are still in the zone. Try slightly lighter control flies.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Tiemcos are lekker. I use grips as they are the most readily available in the stores down here. I have had minimal problems with them. Can you get the Tiemco Scuds barbless or do you have to debarb them? I would much prefer buying already barbless hooks so as not to debarb them while tying.

I don't buy into the "two other flies to catch fish" theory. All my flies must be fish catchers otherwise what are they there for?

If you are hooking up on rocks all the time, you are probably fishing a bit too heavy. you don't want your flies continuously on the bottom because then you are causing drag on your other flies. It's better if they only bump a rock every now and again. You are then getting better drifts and are still in the zone. Try slightly lighter control flies.

Hi gkieser,

As far as I know they only come with the barb.

I aggree 200% with the rest of your post. I went off the topic of buying hooks,just thought I'd give my view of the 2 hooks normally used for controllers and yes,

I catch more fish on point flies and top droppers than with the controller.Even if it's the best sized,weighed,profiled,coloured,segemented caddis pattern. However,when u do catch fish on the controller,more often than not it's a biggy.

[gkieser]

or a damn muddy! me and those fish don't get on very well anymore.

[chris williams]

Tiemcos are lekker. I use grips as they are the most readily available in the stores down here. I have had minimal problems with them. Can you get the Tiemco Scuds barbless or do you have to debarb them? I would much prefer buying already barbless hooks so as not to debarb them while tying.

I don't buy into the "two other flies to catch fish" theory. All my flies must be fish catchers otherwise what are they there for?

If you are hooking up on rocks all the time, you are probably fishing a bit too heavy. you don't want your flies continuously on the bottom because then you are causing drag on your other flies. It's better if they only bump a rock every now and again. You are then getting better drifts and are still in the zone. Try slightly lighter control flies.

+++

Hi Grant, couldn't agree agree with you more, most control flies are tied far too fat and heavy creating an unnatural 'vibe' in the water and thus don't often catch too many fish. Slim and neatly-weighted (unlike me) with fine/strong tippet (that's the other thread!) for me is the way to go. As to hooks, in the old days Mustads with a good bit of sharpening were the most reliable, these days with chemically-sharpened stuff and different shapes/weights we're spoilt for choice - Tiemcos, various Japanese hooks, Mustad, Partridge etc etc

[C J]

I need to purchase hooks for freshwater flytying and I have no clue on the various hooks I should get - indeed, I find the range and names quite bewildering.

I would like to purchase hooks for freshwater fly fishing in the broadest spectrum - this would include streams for trout, yellows, etc. I would be grateful for help on the types of hooks and the sizes I should be looking at.

Wiets, size 12-16 scuds (Tiemco or Grip) is a good start for your basic caddis imitations. For nymphs I use curved long shank hooks from a 10-16. The big 10 for dragon fly imitations and the smaller 16 for may and midge nymps/larves. I like the curved hooks as it gives the fly a more natural look.

Gerrit, I eventually got that turqouis/green colour into a rock worm! Colour is exactly the same as a caddis larve!!!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Wiets, size 12-16 scuds (Tiemco or Grip) is a good start for your basic caddis imitations. For nymphs I use curved long shank hooks from a 10-16. The big 10 for dragon fly imitations and the smaller 16 for may and midge nymps/larves. I like the curved hooks as it gives the fly a more natural look.

Gerrit, I eventually got that turqouis/green colour into a rock worm! Colour is exactly the same as a caddis larve!!!

Cool,still need to find the colour ur talking about for my 1 2 3 caddis.