| At first glance, and well maybe even at second | | | | manufacturers naturally use larger wire diameter |
| glance fly tying hook sizes can be confusing. They | | | | for larger hooks. But this can be modified and is. |
| have not only the size number attached to them | | | | If a hook is size 12 2x heavy. That means the |
| but then they have all those x numbers following | | | | hook is 2 times the thickness that normally would |
| them. So they come out reading size 12, 1x short, | | | | be used for size 12. These hooks are helpful when |
| 1x fine. Or size 8, 2x long 2x heavy. To the | | | | going after very large trout or steelhead, or other |
| beginner it is hard to discern what hook should be | | | | large game fish, or if one likes to use unusually |
| used for what style fly. Or further how to obtain | | | | large tippet. In short if your fish is going to be on |
| a decent hook inventory without buying fifty | | | | the hook for a long time, there is a chance the |
| different hook styles. | | | | hook will straighten out, then one might like extra |
| I tied flies commercially for years, and worked | | | | strong hooks. |
| into a basic hook inventory that consisted of dry | | | | One other word about wire gauge is dry fly |
| fly hooks, nymph hooks, scud hooks, streamer | | | | hooks are made of lighter gauge wire, to aid in |
| hooks, and a few specialty hooks. For each style | | | | floatation. Nymph hooks are made of heavier |
| I kept various sizes of each style. For the | | | | gauge, as they tumble into rocks, sticks etc. and |
| hobbyist, one needs to write down the flies one | | | | ability to float is not a factor. |
| would like to tie. And the sizes you like, and then | | | | A couple of other notes about hooks. Scud hooks |
| proceed from there as your budget allows. | | | | are curved and short, for tying of course, scuds, |
| To help you distinguish the style of fly hooks, | | | | but also caddis pupa, midges, sow bugs, and even |
| most if not all fly hook manufacturers label their | | | | egg style patterns. Streamer hooks are extra |
| hooks as to the basic style. For example dry fly | | | | long, at least 4x and up to 6x, for buggers, |
| hooks. A Mustad 94840, is a basic dry fly hook, | | | | muddlers, and the whole rich library of streamer |
| likewise a Tiemco 100, as is a Daiichi 1180. They | | | | patterns, used for all types of game fish. |
| also have a basic size 10,12,14,16, etc. It seems | | | | Saltwater hooks are coated in stainless, so they |
| perhaps a bit misleading that the lower number | | | | don't rust in the ocean. And there are a bunch of |
| denotes a larger size, but that is how the system | | | | other specialty hooks for very specific uses. |
| goes. The size also only measures the gape, | | | | The controversy of using chemically sharpened |
| between the hook point the hook shank, it | | | | hooks or not has been brewing for quite |
| actually means nothing for the hook length, which | | | | sometime now. If you not familiar with this, you |
| is where many fly tyers and fly fisherman get | | | | will soon be. Mustad hooks have caught more fish |
| confused. | | | | than all other hook manufacturers combined, and |
| While most dry fly hooks are what is called | | | | they are not chemically sharpened. If you do not |
| 'standard length'. Nymph hooks can be standard or | | | | know how to hand hone a hook, you should learn. |
| 1x long, 2x long and on up, or even 1x short, 2x | | | | For even if you buy chemically sharpened hooks, |
| short on down. What the number before the 'x' | | | | they become dull, just as Mustad hooks do, from |
| means, is they are actually 1 hooks size longer or | | | | snags, fish, tree limbs, etc. If you do buy Mustad |
| shorter shank than standard. For example a size | | | | hooks, before use, run a file a couple of times on |
| 14 1x long nymph hook, is actually the same hook | | | | them to give them a refined point. The chemically |
| length as a standard size 12. Every tier and fly | | | | sharpened bunch has now even raised the bar, |
| supplier has their own preferences, so a size 14 | | | | with an extra fine point, that costs an exorbitant |
| Hare's Ear, might actually be tied on a 1x long | | | | amount to buy. I just wonder when the madness |
| hook or a 2x long hooks, thereby appearing like a | | | | will end, and how all those fish got caught in the |
| larger fly to the fly angler. To repeat the size | | | | previous two hundred years of fly fishing. But the |
| actually only refers to the gape of the hook, | | | | chemically sharpened crowd has many respected |
| between the hook point and the hook shank and | | | | fly designers and fisherman that won't use |
| has nothing to do with the size of the fly. | | | | anything else, and some don't even have a |
| There is help however, almost all standard dry | | | | financial stake in their success. |
| flies are tied on standard hooks. The exceptions | | | | So there you have it a hopefully simplified |
| being Stimulator or Salmonfly type flies, Hoppers, | | | | explanation of the fly tying hook world and it |
| Damsels, and other long bodied flies. These would | | | | nuances. There are many fine hook charts online, |
| come under the specialty hooks mentioned earlier. | | | | that can aid in selecting the right hooks. But it is |
| Long curved shank hooks actually are used for | | | | also nice to know what want one is reading when |
| both dry flies and nymphs although their wire is a | | | | looking at the hook labels. And to this extent I |
| little thin for my liking for nymphs. | | | | hope this article has helped. |
| The second x is the wire gauge. Hook | | | | |