Hook size Guide

[Old Smoothound]

Hi All,

whoever asked the question on hook sizes,this is as promised, courtesy of Sea Angler January 2003.

Hook size Bait type Species Snood

10/8 Fish strip,bread Garfish, Mackie under 10lb
Maddies Mullet

6 Bread, Maddies Garfish, Flounder 15lb
Fish strips Mackerel, Mullet

4 white Rag, maddies Dab, Sole, flounder -20lb
Small rag lugworm Whiting, Pout

2 Lug, rag, fish strip Pouting, flounder 20lb
Sandeel, squid strip Codling Dab

1 shellfish, peeler Pollock, Wrasse 20lb
white rag school bass, Bream

1/0 + lug tipped squid Flounder, Pollock 25lb+
Peeler, multi worm Coalfish, Wrasse
Shellfish, King rag Dogfish, Codling, Bass

3/0+ Whole squid, large fillet Cod, Pollock, Huss 30lb
Multi lug/rag, Bass, Conger
Whole peeler

6/0 2 squid, cuttle fish Tope, Bass, Conger 50lb
Edible peeler Bass, Conger 80lb
Mackerel, head, flapper

If you use this as a guide you won’t go far wrong. Obviously it is dependent on whether you are shore fishing or Boat fishing as to which species and their size potential.

I hope this helps.

[Ben]

thats strange, i usualy go at least 1 size bigger than what it should be used with bait and usualy have my line to light as well
i cant get my mind around how a size 10 hook could fit bait n stil hook a fish

[Simon TorbayFishing]

That is the thing with hooks. We all use what we think works best. As a guide for newbie fisherman that's spot one. Well done smoothy!

[Cricket_Fire]

I ahve a question... Does it say the size of the hooks on the package? Sorry, but I'm very new to this. Been fishing for a while, but never looked into it much, and am now realizing how many more fish I could be catching

Thanks.

[Old Smoothound]

Yes it should state the hook size on the packet. If it does not ask the store assistant to tell you what size it is.

Oh and welcome to the forum

[Cricket_Fire]

Originally Posted by Old Smoothound

Yes it should state the hook size on the packet. If it does not ask the store assistant to tell you what size it is.

Oh and welcome to the forum

Thanks man. 'm looking to actually catch something this year! Last year was my absolute best year of fishing, and I caught:
-6lb pike
-3lb koho salmon
-some various tiny sunfish and bass (not even 1lb)

I personally feel if I learn more about fishing, I might catch more. And it'll take a while, every thread I've read so far, I've learned something I didn't know before!


I think I'm gonna buy some hooks soon anyways, mine are all rusted, and stinky (not fish stink either !), so I'll have to get a bit of all of them!

[Cricket_Fire]

A few questions:

1)Which thing is the bait?
2)Which is the things you typically catch?
3)What does Snood mean?
4)Why does it say a weight in the description, is that the line?
5)Are all of the things said in the description bait you should use? If so, what fish a typically caught on each?


Thank you. You're bringing me a little bit closer to knowing what the hell I'm doing

[duncan]

The first line gives you Hook size, then Bait type, then target Species and finally the recomended Snood. The last is the line attached to the hook and is given as a breaking strain / strength. I think it is reasonable to say these are the lightest (weakest) you should be using in normal fishing for these species in the sea. It takes a lot of experience (practice) to be able to tie all your knots without seriously weakening the line too.
The second line gives a further bait and target species for that size of hook.

and the conclusion youhave drawn in (5) is spot on.

Good luck

[big guy]

could i just add a further little piece to this tread, about hook patterns.

long shank- used for worm baits and easier to unhook fish.

short shank- used for live baits, head hooking rag/ snakes, fish strip.

crab hook- similar to the short shank but with a wider gap.

cicle hooks- used mainly by boat anglers for live sandeel/ joeys.

trebles- used with spinners, plugs, pirks and sometimes with whole fish/ live baits

lead heads- weighted hooks where jelly worms are hooked so no aditional lead is needed.

[breathe the o2]

Cheers for all the advive lads! But heres another question.Can you buy a treble hook for spinners but not buy the whole spinner because I have a load of spinners that have rusty hooks but the spinners themselves are still in perfect competion? Cheers