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Valhalla 1

A question on hook eyes...

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I'm not actually a beginner, but I should have asked this question long, long ago and I'm guessing some beginners would also like to know. So...

 

I've seen hooks with up-turned eyes, down-turned eyes, and straight eyes. Are there advantages associated with each and if so, can someone tell me what they are?

 

I've always tied with down-turned eye hooks, but I recently was given about 200 assorted hooks, all with straight eyes. They are all streamer and wet fly hooks, and I plan to use them, but I thought I'd ask about the differences. Anyone able to help?

Thanks,

Dave

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Dave, I use all three styles.

 

SW, most hooks are straight eye, and i think that they would be great for your FW streamers. They probably offer the best straight line pull for hook sets IMHO, but I often use them with a loop knot anyway for better action, in which case the it probably wouldn't matter whether the eye was up or down or straight.

 

I may be wrong, but I think both up and down eyes were originally designed to be used with the Turle knot with gut leaders. I think that part of it has carried over as part of the tradition into modern hook design as part of the aesthetic.

 

Up eye is often found on salmon hooks, perhaps mostly in terms of tradition, but it also opens up the gap a bit, and might be better for dry flies using a riffling hitch to wake a fly. Some also prefer them on smaller hooks 20 and below because it opens the gap more than a straight eye or down eye. I've used hooks with up down and straight on small hooks and haven't noticed any difference-- it either happens or it doesn't, and when it doesn't it's mostly been because i was late to the party on the hook set or over zealous on the strike and broke the tippet...

 

Down eye is more or less the standard though for trout hooks-- again not sure if there is a real advantage as opposed to tradition.

 

Frankly, I've never noticed a difference in hooking percentage one way or the other and believe it just doesn't matter a whole lot. But would be interested to hear what other more knowledgeable folks have to say on the subject.

 

I'd say use those hooks.

 

Mark

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I too asked the question a while back. as for the up-eye, the riffling hitch seems to be the biggest reason. As for straight vs. down-eye - peregrines pretty much has it. The only thing I would add is if you are adding weight to a fly. Put a bead on a down-eye and the fly will usually invert, but not so on a straight eye. Also, if you are tying something like a Clouser with very light bead-chain, the weight distribution of a down-eye may inhibit the rolling over of the fly. Also, some will argue that a down-eye will provide a little better leverage to keep the hook in the fish after hooking. Moving the knot out of line with the shank will pull back on the hook and drive the barb in, holding the hook from slipping out.

 

Deeky

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Those two answers pretty much sum it up.

 

The Turle knot (not just for gut) puts the leader in straight line with the shank when tied with either a TDE or TUE. You can't tie one on a straight (ring) eye.

 

If you ever tie poppers on foam bodies that you push the hook through, you'll notice an immediate advantage to a straight eye.

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