Hooks

[Bowcane]

Perhaps this is best for the tying section, but since it applies to Spey here goes. Anyone do any experiments, have opinions, heard anything on black up eye hooks VS bronzed down eye inregards to hook up percentage? Could fish be attracted or spooked by one or the other? Bright day bright hook, dull day black hook? The black up eye hooks while providing a natural diving action (un-weighted) do have a rather bold hook profile, while the bronze hooks tend to have a rising action (un-weighted) and a flashy look. I've always tied my spey wet flies with the blackened hook and an curious if I'm missing fish. Swtching back and forth really isnt a good experiment because we all know that we can swing a fly a dozen times through a spot and on the thirteenth get the fish that was there all the time ignoring it. Yup, it likely doesn't matter one bit in those pea size brains of theirs but who knows!

[headscan]

http://speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=36077

 

Not exactly what you were asking, but the same concept. I use the red Gammies for my stingers and I get plenty of hook-ups on them. I've also tried the nickel ones and haven't noticed any difference. To me the colour of the fly is less important than presentation, profile, movement, and size so I guess I feel the same way about the hook colour.

[agbff]

I think its more about personal preference, and what you think goes better with the specific pattern you are tying.Swing what you've got confidence in!

[maxwell]

i havnt fished alot of black hooks but i didnt notice them spooking fish.. they might give a darker sillouete in some places but its hard too say if aggressive fish really mind.. for steelhead or salmon that are in low clear water it might be a problem but i havnt fished em enough too realy know...

[jack]

For salmon in the rivers that are murky from glacial till, I prefer black, for clear water applications I prefer bronzed. Most hooks I tie for spey are straight eye, long heavy wire. Eagle Claw 1197s are generally my "go to" for coho, pinks, chum and steel. Coastal rivers are always full of debris so I use quite a few clouser-type flies to the "eyes" tied on top, invert the hook on the way down, to reduce snagging.

j

[fwalsh]

I have used both black and bronze hooks for Atlantic salmon fishing for a number of years now . I don't feel there is any difference in my hooking success using one or the other hook types . And the rivers I fish range from the dark peat stained ones to those that are very clear .........Frank

[wtforward]

If you are on the look out for a quality Tapered Loop UE Salmon/Steelhead wet fly

hook , take a look at the Gamakatsu T10-6H. They are a fine first

class hook and are scary sharp. Same class as the TMC 7999

and the Mustad 36890 but from a finish and sharpness standpoint I think the

Gama is the clear winner. This is going to be my go to hook for a lot

of my wet patterns. But everybody has their personal favourites.

I don't sell them and have no association with them what so ever.