| In the beginning, all one needs in fishing is a hook | | | | flyhook. Many hooks can be rigged weedless, |
| and a line. But today different fishing conditions | | | | though. |
| require different tackle, and hook styles were | | | | On the other hand, the flatted hooks have flat |
| invented in reply to fit them. Yet even so, many | | | | shank ends instead of eyes, the flat part to bar |
| styles are multifunctional although developed for | | | | the snell knot from pulling out of the hook. Snelled |
| their own particular purposes. Therefore we shall | | | | flattened hooks are popular to light long-liner |
| discuss only the general styles though variations | | | | fishermen, but not to sportfishermen because the |
| for each exist in the fishing industry. | | | | thin flattened end breaks rather easily. Also the |
| Round hooks. These are the egg hooks and tuna | | | | flat end hurts one's finger when removing the |
| circle hooks. The egg hook is a small | | | | hook from the fish. |
| short-shanked hook with a turned-out or turned-in | | | | Multi-hooks. A tandem hook is a hook with a |
| eye almost exclusively used in river or lake fishing | | | | smaller no-eye one welded into it. It is used as |
| for trout using salmon egg as bait. Since salmon | | | | stinger hook: attached to the main hook with a |
| eggs bounce along the river bottom as they drift | | | | short leader, then the tandem's smaller hook is |
| with the current, egg hooks are used so as not | | | | pushed into the tail part of the (usually live) bait to |
| to impair this movement and impart an unnatural | | | | catch wary fishes that attack only the rear part |
| look to the bait eggs. | | | | of the bait. |
| Tuna hooks are almost circular hooks with just | | | | Trebles are three hooks welded into one, |
| holes in the shank-end for the eyes, and a | | | | commonly used in lures, from crankbaits through |
| curved-in point. Contrary to its name, these are | | | | trolling lures to diamond jigs. A treble hook is |
| not for tuna fishing but mostly used for | | | | usually attached to the lure via a split ring to give |
| deepwater bottom fishing. The circular | | | | it free play, although some use hook eyes. |
| configuration makes it difficult for the hooked fish | | | | Trebles can be effective also in certain fly |
| to dislodge the hook once caught due to three | | | | designs, especially those that are made to |
| barriers: the barb, the turned-in point and the | | | | resemble octopuses or squids. |
| shank end. Theoretically, circle hooks do not catch | | | | Special design hooks. These are the keel hooks, |
| the fish in the gut or throat, but in the mouth, so | | | | jig, Kahle, and offset hooks. Keel (worm) hooks, |
| that releasing them is easier. | | | | those with shanks double-bent just below the eye |
| Long shanked hooks. Mostly Limerick, Aberdeen | | | | so the point will ride upward, used primarily for |
| and similar styles, are thin-wire hooks with long | | | | saltwater flies and for soft-plastic worms in |
| shanks and dark colors, from red to black. Some | | | | freshwater fishing. Jig hooks are bent in 90 |
| have small burrs at the back of the shank to hold | | | | degrees or so just below the eye which then |
| the bait and may have turned-in or turned-out | | | | makes the point to ride up. The lead weight is |
| eye. Used primarily to catch soft-mouth fishes like | | | | molded around the shank bend, making the jig |
| river carp, but also effective for flounder and | | | | virtually weedless. |
| other flatfishes. This hook style is popular in Great | | | | A Kahle hook has a severe bend in the shank and |
| Britain and European coarse fishing. | | | | is largely used for live bait - crawfish, baitfish and |
| General purpose hooks. Exemplified by the round | | | | shrimp- as well as stink baits. The Skip Gap Worm |
| haddock, O'Shaughnessy and flatted hooks in their | | | | hook is bent a few times at the shank near the |
| varied styles. Round haddock hooks have large | | | | eye to better hold plastic baits such as worms, |
| eyes turned along the hook bend and point. | | | | grubs and newts. The bait is flipped under wood |
| Considered not as effective as others but almost | | | | piers and docks or around weeds so a good hold |
| perfect for multi-hook trolling flies, since the tinsel | | | | is imperative. |
| or fiber can be threaded through the large eye to | | | | Of a unique style is the offset hooks, which have |
| hold them more securely. Still remains popular in | | | | points bent either left or right (kirbed or |
| many areas. | | | | reversed). The offset point is believed to hook |
| The O'Shaughnessy style is deemed the best | | | | faster and surer, since the point will bite any way |
| all-purpose type, and many variations are available. | | | | the hook is mouthed by the fish. |
| This style has a small eye turned perpendicular to | | | | Actually, there are more hook designs than |
| the bend and point, and with the shank bent a | | | | hook-and-line fishing styles, so the angler is faced |
| little forward. Variations include the baitholder, with | | | | with some difficulty in selecting his hooks. Added |
| the small points at the shank to hold the soft bait; | | | | to that is the fact that many hooks designs can |
| and snelled hooks with turned-in or -out eyes, sold | | | | serve purposes other than those it was |
| with short leaders already tied. Weedless hooks | | | | developed for, if with lessened effectiveness. |
| are those with a short piece of wire from the | | | | Therefore, one must carefully consider the fishing |
| eye to the point, to ward off weeds and other | | | | he is to do to determine the hook he should |
| water debris from lodging in the hook bend or | | | | have, in order to make the best out of his |
| point. Weedless hooks are mostly used in fishing | | | | activity. |
| water with thick vegetation, either with bait or as | | | | |