In recent years, the fly-tying world has been evolving at an incredibly fast pace. The hunt for predatory fish such as muskies, pike or even sharks is a glaring example of things that were not done a few years ago. Taking advantage of this new demand, hook makers are now developing a wide variety of models to suit the needs of the fly tiers chasing big fishes. For a beginner, and even for the more advanced fly tier, choosing the right hook can be a real puzzle. Here, we will solve it altogether.
When we invest time and money into tying a large fly, we want it to be as good as possible. In my opinion, the most current error people make is in choosing the right size of hook. Keeping a good gap between the shank, crowded with big material, and the point is essential. A hook with too small of a gap will reduce your hook set possibilities and won’t balance your fly very well, which could cause the fly to spin on itself when stripped. This could result in spinning your fly line and reducing its durability and castability. Keep in mind that your hook plays a great role with the fly stability underwater being the keel that will balance the whole fly. It has to be heavy to keep the fly upright, but also to stop a big fish that will try to swim away with it after the bite. The length of the shank is also a parameter you should take into consideration for flies that have a larger head such as Buford. The longer the shank, the more your hook point will be exposed and ready to sting the jaws of the first predator to bite it.
It is up to each fly tyer to make his tests and to identify the models of hooks that will suit his creations. If you're beginning to tie large flies and want a good guideline, here are a couple of examples of good hooks that are well used to tie those types of creations. If you want a compromise between solidity and weight, the ‘’CS86X’’ series from Partridge of Redditch is a good choice. It is ideal for pike fishing. If you are targeting larger fishes (50+ inches musky) or want to tie flies that will be able to target any large fish on the planet, the ‘’SL12S’’ from Gamakatsu would be my first pick.
Always think about crimping the barb and have fun tying!
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