Re: Sharpening Hooks

[WPCTWBUG]

I agree with the flat steel file and use the small Luhr Jensen style. You have to be careful with this file because if you apply too much pressure or use the wrong angle you can ruin a small hook. I am a fanatical hook sharpener and in my experience few fisherman can recognize a dull hook or sharpen a hook properly. I check hooks for sharpness constantly by dragging it across my thumbnail. If it hangs when pulled by the eye it's sharp. Better hooks usually start out sharp nowadays, but occasionally even brand new Gamakatsu's(spelling?) can be dull. You don't know unless you check. When I'm nymph or steelhead fishing I check the hook after every hang-up, even minor ones. Occasionally I get a little careless about checking hooks and the fish tell me my hooks are dull by coming off despite a good strike. In my experience, the most common cause of lost fish right after hookup is dull hooks. It's hard to check sharpness on hooks size 18 and under. If I lose 2 fish in a row right after a hookup I replace the fly.

I am amazed at the number of veteran fisherman who don't take sharp hooks seriously. I have fished with guides for steelhead, trout, marlin, sailfish, tarpon and bonefish and most didn't even have a hook sharpener. Certainly sharp hooks are most important with hard mouthed fish like steelhead or tarpon, but unless you prefer long releases, I suggest you can increase you landing success 30% or more by keeping your hooks sharp. Incidentally almost every fisherman I talk to will tell me his hooks are sharp. How does he know? Typical answers are it's a new fly or he hasn't had any hang-ups or with a dry he hasn't hit anything on the backcast. When I check their fly the hook is almost always dull.

Incidentally a buddy and I floated the Yakima Wednesday and fishing was surprisingly slow and bugs were few and far between. The river is running just a little too high to fish some of the better spots. There was almost no surface activity during the time I fished, from 10AM to 7PM and there was zero fishing pressure, now I know why.
Tight lines and sharp hooks!
Terry Whitworth