Hook Choices

[robbie]

Possibly already on the forum somewhere, I would be keen to know what thought process goes into the choices of hooks for tying. Favourite brands? size choices? do certain patterns need certain sizes?. What makes one brand good and another poor?
ATB
Robbie

[rpsalmon]

I will use any hook that is strong enough in the bend but has a little “give” in order that the wire just doesn’t snap. I should pay a lot more attention to points and barbs but am mainly happy with old partridge hooks.

I say the old hooks because a number of the hooks that Partridge have been producing, since the Mustad take over, have been rubbish. I suspected this would happen and so bought boxes of 1,000 hooks while they had old stocks (Must have 40 boxes @ say average of £90 so must have spent about £4k!). Whether it is Wilson or LW doubles or CS8/CSST/CS12 Sea Trout trebles etc etc, I’ve got enough to last the rest of my life. There is a guy in Craigellachie (“Millington-Jeffries” who bought the remaining “old stock” from Mustad and who sells them-cheap!

I still consider salar hooks to be dodgy, still too brittle. What I can’t understand is that some are very strong while others are useless, impossible for me to comprehend how a modern company can have such inconsistency. I don’t like the curved “in-point”, I like an outpoint.

I used to use Kamasan’s but the inconsistency in manufacturing put me off. I tied some flies on Ken S hooks and I was told they are fantastic hooks, have not bothered myself as have plenty of Partridge to get through. Sprite salmon hooks are rubbish, bend very easily.

[hornet]

Loop doubles are the best i have used so far.

I agree about Salar hooks.

Brittle , unreliable and pretty expensive for a poor QA product.


Hornet

[billytheghillie]

Loop doubles are just Mustads

[billytheghillie]

how do i get in touch with millinton-jefrries rp

[rpsalmon]

Have not ordered from him for a few years, suggest you use email, he spends a lot of time in France.

Richard Millington Jefferies
Allachrow
Craigellachie
Aberlour
AB38 9SQ
T:01340 871856/831035
France T: 0033565374413
Email [e-mail]

[Speyducer]

There is not a fly hook which can't be either straightened, crushed or snapped by a fish; bent, buckled or twisted by inadvertant contact with the beach or cliffs; or blunted, rusted & decayed with time (SS hooks excepted for oxidisation).

From the strongest wire, in-pointed, out-pointed & whatever, it's really a matter of personal confidence with what you select to use.

Personally, for tube flies I go for the Loop tube doubles, and occasional barbless #4 carp specimen short shank singles.

For flies tied on double hooks, I feel most confident with the Sawada hooks, although I do tie on Partridge, VMC, and wee trout XS outpoints #10 & 12's.

For singles, it's usually either Alec Jackson's or Bartleet.

Mike

PS. didn't mention trebles, as, although they look nice, I hate tying on them, and rarely if ever use flies tied on trebles now, and don't use them ever for tube flies.

[doublehooked]

Rpsalmon
R.M. Jeffries sold hooks on e-bay a couple of years back under the name Allachrow2 and surely enough based in France, I bought a few at the time but have not seen him back for a while (I still have him in my favourites and check now and then in the hope of more hooks).

Regards
Jake.