Poll: Bending Hook Points OUT

[elnutsmalljaws]

I am sure my theory will be tested again with better results since Woody would not allow me to cover my hook tip.

Sorry Brother Bone, your theory is already proven BECAUSE THE HOOK COMPANIES WOULD BE SELLING HOOKS ALREADY WITH THE POINT BENT OUT IF IT WAS BETTER

[Bonefish]

Sorry Brother Bone, your theory is already proven BECAUSE THE HOOK COMPANIES WOULD BE SELLING HOOKS ALREADY WITH THE POINT BENT OUT IF IT WAS BETTER

Here are some facts about hooks to consider. Barbs were initially used not to hold the fish on once hooked but to stop the bait coming off. Barbless hooks are easier to set, and it is easier to remove the hook, easier to remove residual bait, therefore you can get bait back into the water more quickly. If you regularly catch and release fish, barbless hooks are less damaging to the fish. Not all hook sets pull the hook point into a fish in a straight-line. Hook points may enter the fish’s mouth at an angle to the point.

You should not try to sharpen chemically or laser sharpened hooks because it will blunt them. Sharpening produces heat and too much heat will reduce the temper of the hook weakening the point, leading to points bending over, or breaking off. It is important when sharpening hooks to use a slow stroke with the file or stone. Don’t remove too much metal from the point.

The following are some differences in hook points. A knife edge point is designed to cut into flesh and bone. But they do have the disadvantage of cutting out of the fish’s mouth. A needle point hook allows for good penetration, but not as good as knife edge hooks. However, needle points do not cut once in the fish’s mouth and are less likely to cut out. A barbless hook can be in any point variant. Kirbed or Reversed hook points are points that curve away at an angle to the shank. They provide a better hook-up rate as the point does not get deflected by the shank. A kirbed hook point bends out to the right looking straight-on to the shaft, and the reversed hook point bends out to the left.

Hook size should be determined by bait size, not the size of the fish targeting; however, hook strength should match the power of the fish targeting.

[elnutsmalljaws]

If heat reduces temper and temper weakens the hook point during sharpening then what does a pair of needle nose do to the hook when it is bent out as much as you bend them out? Before you answer, just like the example of me trying to do your job at UK, I would not have a clue, my 13 years managing an Aluminum Billet Plant gives me a slight advantage on the properties of Aluminum and to some degree Steel.

[Moveon]

Well this one could be a little tricky. You see not all fishermen fish weedless baits. And there are times when bending the hook's point out a bit helps to snag those fish. But as you say this will make your hook easier to get snagged. But if you are fishing for suspended fish away from snags then bending the hook out will help hook more fish. So my answer is that "IT DEPENDS" on the type of water you are fishing.

A buddy of mine who shall remain nameless, but it rhymes with BONEFISH, is convinced that by bending out the hookpoints is better than tbe way they come in a pack. He takes a perfectly new Gamakatsu hook out of the pack and bends the point out. Then when he fished a texas rig he pushes the point all tbe way thru the worm in a texpose fashion. Then wonders why he gets hung up more often

The questionis. How many of you bend your hookpoints?

[elnutsmalljaws]

Well this one could be a little tricky. You see not all fishermen fish weedless baits. And there are times when bending the hook's point out a bit helps to snag those fish. But as you say this will make your hook easier to get snagged. But if you are fishing for suspended fish away from snags then bending the hook out will help hook more fish. So my answer is that "IT DEPENDS" on the type of water you are fishing.

We were fishing a hump in Barkley that has so much junk on it that it was nicknamed "Grandma's Fuzz". Literally the difference between 5/16 and 3/8 tungsten determined whether you got hung up and had to go to the other side to get it or in the jungle enough to catch fish. Vaun and myself had almost 80 off this hump by noon the first morning while Mr Bone counted sheep snuggled in bed because he was either too smart or too dumb to not go out with Vaun and myself while it was pouring buckets and lightning was dancing all around. That is the type of water we were fishing, Texas rigged lizards thru what seemed like rose bushes