Hooks are the oldest type of tackle used for fishing. Browse any tackle store, and you'll find a wide range of hooks that can confuse even experienced anglers and competitors. They're available in a large variety of shapes, sizes, materials, colours and configurations, and are made by manufacturers around the world for different types of fishing. Every year, new hook designs hit the market, so keeping up with the latest innovations is also important. However, sometimes, you don't need the latest or most advanced hook. You should make your choice based on the target fish, technique, type of water and tackle. For instance, if you're fishing for bass in a stained lake with soft plastic worms and and a 10kg test line, you'll need a larger hook than you would if you used a 3kg test and tube lure for stream smallmouths. Fishing hooks used for pike, muskies, stripers, oversized largemouths and catfish are bulkier and beefier than hooks used for panfish, trout, walleyes and smallmouths. The reel, rod and line you use can also impact your choice. If the hook is made with poor wire or is too small, it won't hold well and it can straighten during battle.
A good example of how certain hooks are suited to certain lure designs and fishing styles are standard weedless bass flipping jigs. Most of these jigs are made with heavy wire in order to withstand the tug-of-war that between the large bass and the angler. You'll have to muscle out the fish, and doing so requires a non-stretch braided line and rugged rod. The bite of these hooks is deep and wide, allowing heavy wires to be driven into the maws of largemouths. Additionally, these hooks also feature trailer plastics that can ball or wad during hook sets, so they must have a sufficient shank length and a wide game so the barb and the point can go through gobs of plastic right into a fish's mouth.
J-Hooks
J-hooks are one of the most popular types of fishing hooks. As their name implies, they're J-shaped and need to be set up and bury the barb in the fish. This hook shape has been used for thousands of years, and is still extremely popular today, mostly for lure and bait fishing. The most popular J-hook design is the sprout-design, which usually has a straight, long shank with a few barbs to help hold bait to the wire. It's available in a variety of sizes and wire diameters, making it suitable for a wide range of fish. This design is the go-to model for many fishermen, especially beginners.
Circle Hooks
This hook was made popular a few years ago by Japanese anglers who used an almost circular stout wire to hang bait on the line. When the fish takes the bait off the circle hook and turns away, the hook is automatically set. In most cases, the hook will turn and bury itself in the corner of the fish's mouth, allowing for easy hook removal and sure barbing of fish. Circle hooks are a great choice for a large range of bait fishing, especially when large wire hooks and big baits are required for larger fish like pike, stripers and catfish.
Offset-Shank Hooks
These hooks are available in circle and J-hook designs, and they feature a shank that's offset or bent in its wire plane. These hooks are designed so they rotate in a fish's mouth to bar it. The "Shiner" or "Kahle" hook is a popular offset hook design with live bait anglers. Other models, however, are meant for soft plastic lures and rigging. Examples of such models are the "Messler" and "Cam-Action".
Weedless Hooks
The majority of these hooks feature straight-shank sprout designs, typically with a wire hook point protector. These hooks are made of stout wire and are designed for use on pike, muskies, bass and other weed-living fish. Weedless hooks can be rigged and used with dead or live bait, as well as with soft plastic lures.
No matter what type of hook you decide to go for, you need to match it to the bait size. This isn't difficult, but it does require some calculation. Usually, hooks used with large baits (suckers, eels, shiners) for stout fish (stripers, pike) and heavy tackle should be hefty and big. On the other hand, hooks used with fragile, small baits and lighter lines for crappies and other fish of smaller size should be made of fine wire. Any time larger baits are used for larger fish, you need to make sure the hook has a large enough shank, bend and gape to accommodate the bait. This also allows hook bars and points to drive into the fish's mouth more efficiently. The hook should be big enough to penetrate chunky fish, and you should also make sure you employ enough stout to accomplish this.
