Be Sharp on Hook Choices

Whether fishing from boat or shore, veteran anglers are extremely picky when it comes to hook selection. They understand that although there are hundreds of hook patterns in a wide range of sizes from which to choose, each size and style has been designed with a particular task in mind.

To be sure, all hooks have similarities in that they must be able to quickly penetrate a fish’s mouth and then hold tight without bending or breaking. But shape, size, thickness, shank length, barb style and other features are determined largely by various characteristics of the specific species sought.

You wouldn’t, for instance, use a codfish hook to catch a porgy— anyone can see it would be too large for the smaller fish to inhale. Wide-gap style hooks, often favored for fluke, aren't a good choice for blackfish. The problem here is more subtle; the barb on these hooks is a little too long to quickly penetrate the tough-skinned mouth of a bulldog ‘tog. Better to go with a short-point Virginia or Octopus style hook when seeking keeper white-chins.

Another consideration in hook design is the type of bait to be used. The Virginia style hooks associated with blackfish are exceptionally strong and have a short point which easily pierces the jaws of bruiser 'tog. Just as important, however, the point on this hook is hard and will not bend when pushed through the shell of a green crab or momentarily stuck in a wreck. By comparison, a light wire sproat style hook, useless for blackfishing due to its lack of strength, might be substituted for a larger wide-gap when using live mumichugs, banded killies, or shiners for fluke. In this instance, the lighter wire allows the baitfish to glide slightly off the bottom where it should be more enticing than a dead bait dragged through the sand on a heavier hook.

The size and aggressiveness of your quarry also plays a part in hook design and selection. Strong, large and highly-suspicious species such as striped bass require sturdy hooks small enough to hide in a bunker chunk. Many favor a 6/0 - 8/0 circle hook for this application. At the other extreme, bluefish seem to prefer a large, bright gold or silver hook that flashes in the sunlight - and their sharp teeth certainly necessitate the use of a long shank or a short length of wire leader. O'Shaughnessy or gold-colored beak bait-saver hooks are the usual choices when choppers are the target.

Another point to keep in mind when selecting a hook is that choosing larger sizes can help significantly reduce the number of "short" fish you'll catch. A 2/0 wide-gap, for example, works great with summer flounder of all sizes. A size 4/0, however, isn't as easily swallowed by sub-legal fish. Switching hooks in this manner may lower your overall catch rate, but it also reduces fishing mortality by eliminating most toss-backs from the equation.

Click here to join Earth Sports and get more articles like this one every day. It's free and takes only a minute to sign up.