Using the right hook is indispensible to anglers

We have been discussing the amount of fishing items available to any angler in a sporting goods store. There are thousands of such items.

Adding to these items is the fishing hook. Anglers need hooks to catch fish.

There are stories about anglers using a safety pin on the end of a fishing line at the end of a fishing pole to catch fish.

Such an arrangement has not been seen by this angler. Can’t believe it would happen, but in a survival situation would give it a try. The survival kits in my possession, military and otherwise, have all contained what we commonly call fish hooks.

The number, size and shapes of hooks available would surprise most people. There is a difference between saltwater hooks and freshwater hooks. We are dealing with freshwater hooks today. Unfortunately, there are differences in hook sizes between hook producers.

Generally, hook sizes decrease as the number increases. Therefore, a number 4 hook is smaller than a number 2 hook. A number 12 hook is smaller than a number 10 hook.

The smallest hook available to a fly tier is a number 32. Number 18 hooks have been in my fly-tying vise. A number 24 sounds as if it is too small to handle, meaning tie a fly using such a hook.

Can’t imagine using a size 32 to tie a fly. The person tying such a fly would surely need a magnifying glass of some sort. Would be interesting to watch such a feat. If tying the fly would be difficult, imagine tying the resulting fly onto the end of a small enough fishing line. The smallest fishing fly used on my fly rods are down to size 18.

The sizes used most by this angler have been 4, 6 and 8, used to hold a worm. This worm may be behind a spinner or a Ford Fender. This is a type of flasher with two blades which spin and flash to attract fish. The worm is attached to a hook at the end of leader, which is behind the flasher with the worm attached.

My hook sizes vary, such as the hook used to hold a worm and the single-egg hook. This hook is designed to hold one salmon egg.

A selection of hooks would be appropriate to give an avid angler, including snelled hooks. These are hooks with the leader already attached. Although an angler is able to tie a snell knot to a hook, it is much easier to purchase them already tied in this manner.

Next: Final gift-giving ideas for the outdoors-minded people in your life.