Fishing hook sizes: 2 questions: 1. why is it that companies that make fishing hooks all have their own different idea of sizes? I pull up a size chart on the internet (Gamakatsu...

sun bum Loc: Sarasota, FL

2 questions:
1. why is it that companies that make fishing hooks all have their own different idea of sizes? I pull up a size chart on the internet (Gamakatsu, HSIM, generic) and I get 3 different sizes of what a 1.0 size hook is??
2. why do the sizes of hooks get smaller from 1 to 14, but get larger from 1/0 to 14/0??
or do I just not get it???

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Steve57 wrote:

2 questions:
1. why is it that companies that make fishing hooks all have their own different idea of sizes? I pull up a size chart on the internet (Gamakatsu, HSIM, generic) and I get 3 different sizes of what a 1.0 size hook is??
2. why do the sizes of hooks get smaller from 1 to 14, but get larger from 1/0 to 14/0??
or do I just not get it???

Good Mornin' Steve, a pretty hard question for this early in the morning. Personally, I have not given it much thought and I have just accepted hooks as they are. Being that there is a size chart, hooks should be somewhat standard sized. That size is determined by a formula by the hook's shank and the hook's shaft, combined with the length of the shank. (MHO)

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

From what I understand, hook sizes are based on the length of the hook and the width of the gap. The numbers vary by the length of the shaft. A sz 6 is one eyelength longer than a 5 and shorter than a 7. 4 extra long is 4 eye lengths longer than normal etc. I'm guessing there is a standard ratio of gap to length, but with all the different variations of wire thickness, eye size and all the other tweaks there seem to be more exceptions than rules. I'd go with Fly and say it is what it is.

sun bum Loc: Sarasota, FL

You guys are tooooo funny! Is it the length, width, shank, shaft, eyelength... I think you work for the hook making companies, two different ones :), and what about the second question? It's all good, just messin' wit u!

EastCoast

Ah, the craziness of hook sizes which makes it difficult to buy online and get what you really want.

From my experience, hooks have the uncanny ability to change by morphing into something else. What I see in the shop is not what I see when I open the plastic wrap (does the wrap enlarge what I see?). Then it looks different in my garage when packing to go out as compared to what it looks like on the beach. Yikes!

For those old enough to remember, or those that read old Superman comics, I feel like I live in "Bizzaro World".
.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Steve57 wrote:

You guys are tooooo funny! Is it the length, width, shank, shaft, eyelength... I think you work for the hook making companies, two different ones :), and what about the second question? It's all good, just messin' wit u!

I have some size 22s in my fly tying hook box, they are going to stay there too, I can't tye them that small anymore. How about you Fly, can you still tye the little Trico spinner, size 22.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

EastCoast wrote:

Ah, the craziness of hook sizes which makes it dif... (show quote)

Gave up on buying on line, too many small hooks

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

flyguy wrote:

I have some size 22s in my fly tying hook box, they are going to stay there too, I can't tye them that small anymore. How about you Fly, can you still tye the little Trico spinner, size 22.

Back a few years I tied some royal wolfs in a size 26. That's the smallest I ever tried. They came out good. The smallest I tied and used was size 22 CDC midges that I fished on Tulpehocken Creek in January. Did not catch fish. Did manage a quick swim that day.

EastCoast

.
If you can catch both big and small fish with a small hook, but only big fish with a big hook, then isn't it reasonable to err on the side of a smaller hook when tying/selecting a hook?

(Readers, stand by for the "depends" arguments...

)
.

Egghead

EastCoast wrote:

.
If you can catch both big and small fish with a small hook, but only big fish with a big hook, then isn't it reasonable to err on the side of a smaller hook when tying/selecting a hook?

(Readers, stand by for the "depends" arguments...

)
.

No. Just use big hooks. Catch big fish and be happy.lol

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Just me but I rather catch more fish any size than very few big fish. But a BIG fish once in a while is fun.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Flytier wrote:

Back a few years I tied some royal wolfs in a size 26. That's the smallest I ever tried. They came out good. The smallest I tied and used was size 22 CDC midges that I fished on Tulpehocken Creek in January. Did not catch fish. Did manage a quick swim that day.

Not a good thing!

Egghead

flyguy wrote:

Not a good thing!

Swimming is good exercise lol.even if u accidentally break a big hole in the ice and go swimming unintentionally still good exercise.lol. but cold.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

At least you had a survival suit on. I was wearing a sweat shirt and parka, with my neoprene waders. I was wading a creek and I was standing on a flat rock. Funny thing about flat rocks, they all have a sharp edge somewhere. I got my foot a shade more than half off it and went down. Fortunately I didn't drop the rod. The water temp was 32 and the air 24 at two in the pm. I managed to fish for another hour before my arm went numb from the cold. Had an hour ride back home in the truck and I needed it to get warm on the way.

Egghead

Your right about the suit,lol. My feet got cold but my body stayed warm I won't go out on the ice or in my boat this time if year without it on either. Glad your ok.