Just getting started in fly tying? Selecting the right hook doesn't have to be hard. Fly tying hooks are measured by their length, ...
Fly tying hooks are measured by their length, strength and by the gap in the bend. They are all compared to a hook of a "standard" size.
 |
| Daiichi 1270 |
This can change based on the other measurements. A 1x long hook adds one size (one even number smaller) to the length, so a #8 "standard" hook has the same length as a #10 hook that is 1x long, but they will have different gap sizes.
Hooks that are 2x or 3x long are common. They are often stronger than standard hooks. The wire is 1x strong (one wire size larger) on most wet/nymph hooks and streamer hooks.
A Daiichi 1280 is a 2x long dry fly hook. It has the same length and gap as a Daiichi 1710, (2x long nymph hook), but the 1710 has a 1x strong wire. The strong wire makes it better for nymphs that take more abuse on rocks, and for when you hook that monster of the deep.
 |
| Daiichi 1280 |
Standard wire strength hooks are fine for dry flies and most nymphs, but why use those when 1x strong hooks are available? 1x strong hooks are heavier as there is more mass to them. It is increasingly harder to create buoyancy with heavier hooks, so most tyers will not use them for dry flies unless they are using a lot of hackle or hair or foam to create flotation.
Some dry fly hooks are 1x fine wire, which makes them super light and easy to float, but they have a tendency to be brittle or fragile. Those are more likely to be used with really sparse patterns that have little extra material to keep the fly floating. I am thinking of a CDC Comparadun. That is much easier to float when tied on a 1x fine hook. The trade-off is that the potential to break a hook is higher with fine wire hooks.
 |
| Daiichi 1180 |
Beyond length, wire strength and gap; there are differing styles of eyelets on a fly. Upturned, down turned, straight, 90 degree, 60 degree and more. Most basic trout flies have a down turned eye. You can see that most of the hooks in these pictures, as well as what we sell on our site have a down turned eye. Upturned eyes are commonly found on Salmon/Steelhead flies that are often "riffle hitched".
It is uncommon to see upturned eyes on trout flies, but straight eye hooks are used occasionally. Straight eyes are often used on really small flies where there might not be much room to get the tippet through the eye after it is all tied up, but that is not always the case. Many stimulators are tied with a straight eye hook. The angle of the eye does help determine how the fly rides in the water, but that is not important for this article, nor does it make a huge difference most of the time.
 |
| Straight Shank Hook |
There are also different bends in the hook. There are Round Bends, Perfect Bends, Sproat Bends, Limerick Bends, O'Shaughnessy Bends, Aberdeen Bends and a bunch of other ways to bend a hook. Most basic trout patterns will have a Round Bend or a Sproat Bend, but flies like the Stimulator are often tied on a York Bend hook. The Round Bend is considered by most to be the easiest to get a large size range of brass/tungsten beads onto, and is most commonly found along with the Sproat Bend on trout flies.
 |
| Curved Shank Hook |
Here are some popular hooks and the flies that are typically tied on them. Note that we are using Daiichi hooks as a reference. You can see the equivalent hooks form other popular brands below:
 |
| Daiichi 1550 |
Daiichi 1280: 2x long, 1x fine wire strength, downturned eye. The hook for tying long-bodies dries like stonefly patterns, drakes, hoppers, damselflies and more. This hook is 1x fine wire, so it is easier to float if you are not using foam or other buoyant materials. Otherwise, use a stronger hook.
Daiichi 1270: A 3x long, straight eye hook with a York Bend, this hook is the typical hook used for stimulators, It is a great hook for those long-bodied nymphs and dries that look good with a curved hook. We also like these for BH San Juan Worms, and a variety of chironomid patterns. It has a standard strength wire, so they are not as strong as others.
 |
| Daiichi 1730 |
Daiichi 1730: A 3x long, 1x strong hook with a downturned eye and a bent shank. There is a bent point about halfway down the shank that gives long stonefly nymphs that hunched over look that is a little more juicy than the straight shank If you want to tie big stonefly nymphs, this is a great hook, but not at all necessary if you are trying to save money on your first purchase of nice hooks.
Daiichi 1550: Typically used for wet flies or soft hackles, this is a "standard" hook with a Sproat Bend and a downturned eye. The Sproat bend gives it a really classic look that stands out with classic wet flies, and is what most of our wets are tied on. This nymph hook can also be used for nymphs like a Copper John, Hare's Ear or Pheasant Tail, although most tyers will use a 1x long, 1x strong hook like the 1560.
 |
| Daiichi 1560 |
Daiichi 1120: 2x strong with a downturned eye and a curved shank, this hook is used for most of our curved nymphs like Brassies, and Scuds. Because it is 2x strong, we also use it on some Steelhead Nymphs like the Candy Stone, and Steelhead Hammer, as well as some of our egg patterns.
Daiichi 1710: This 2x long, 1x strong hook is the go-to hook for longer nymphs like the 52 Buick, Muskrat, Steelhead Stones and Doc Spratley. These are used a lot in damsel fly nymphs and any type of longer nymph that you can tie. Classic nymphs are often tied on these for a long body alternative, and flies like our BH Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail come with this long hook.
 |
| Daiichi 2220 |
Daiichi 2220: 4x long, 1x strong, this is the hook for streamers. We tie most of our streamers on this hook, including Zonkers, Woolly Buggers and Muddler Minnows. Streamer hooks come in sizes up to 7x long, but this is the most common hooks used for meaty flies.
 |
| Daiichi 4647 |
So if I was starting to build a tying kit from scratch, I would start with Daiich 1560 for most of my nymphs, Daiich 1170 for most dries, and Daiich 1720 for small streamers and big nymphs. A frugal fly tyer could easily get by for a while on just those three hooks.
What brand hooks to buy?
We are big fans of Daiichi. For the most part, we think they make the most consistent, highest quality hook. That is what we prefer our tiers use, and what we use at home and in the shop to tie.
Japanese hooks are unequivocally the best on the market. If your package of hooks says "Made In Japan" on it, then chances are good that it is a high-quality hook. Daiichi hooks are made in Japan, as well as a few other top end brands.
That being said, there are some cool newer hook brands that are making a good product other than Daiichi. Varivas is a big brand in Europe, and they make some good hooks that stay sharp! Their hooks don't tend to fit traditional styles and shapes, so many of their hooks are going to give your flies a different look. The jig-style hooks are very popular.
Firehole Sticks are coming onto the scene with some interesting hooks. Like Varivas, their most popular hook is their jig-style #516 hook. These are made in China. Cascade Crest also makes some hooks that are cheaper options to the Daiichi.
We highly recommend going with a quality hook. I spent a lot of time guiding and watching as customers lost more fish than they should have due to the poor quality Dai-Rikis that I had been using. Just go with the nicer hook. The price difference is completely negligible, but it makes a ton of difference.
What sizes do I need?
At the onset of fly-tying, you might not know what sizes of hooks/flies are used. For a basic reference, I would say that #12-#14 nymphs and dries are going to be a good place to start. The bigger hooks (#12 nymph is pretty big) are going to be easier to learn on, and a #12 is still a very fishy size. Once nymphs and dries creep upwards to the #10 or #8 size, they are less useful in a lot of trout streams. #16-#18 hooks are good sizes for small trout dries and nymphs, but the smaller hooks are harder to tie on, especially in the beginning.
For streamers like woolly buggers, a #8-#10 are going to be easy to tie on and still very fishy. There are times when a big #4 woolly bugger is useful, but a #8 or #10 is going to be used more often for most anglers.
-Fishing, usually not catching
