Dai Riki Hooks

[blakejd 0]

For me as a new fly tyer I've been pretty happy with Dai Riki for the price. Of the 300 or so flys I've tied on them I'd say I've broken perhaps 6 while crushing the barb (usually 20's or smaller) and as many trying to squeeze the eye down. For the loss of hooks that still beats the competitors. I have also noticed several hooks that have strange bends in a batch but are still usable. All in all they are a good economical choice. However, I've tied some flys recently on TMC's and agree overall they are superior but until I am happy with the majority of my flys coming off the vise as satisfactory I'll take the cheaper option.

[maddog48 0]

Just another option ... I used to use Tiemco almost exclusively. Now Wapsi Fly Company out of Mountain Home Arkansas is having a hook made for them by Daiichi. The brand is Lightning Strike and it's a steal for the price. A local shop had a pack of TMC2487 for about $5 for a 25 pack. A similar style hook in Lightning Strike 25 pack was less than $4.25. If I need a certain style hook that LS carries I'll be buying them from now on.

 

 

Mike

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

as for strength I have landed a 36 lb salmon on a size 10 egg hook without any problems

[JohnP 0]

I recently purchased a couple of packages of wet fly hooks from our sponsor, J. Stockard, that have their name on them. I have not tied on them yet, but they appear to be a good-quality hook. I paid $5.35 for 50 hooks. They have a small barb, which I appreciate, since I mash down the barbs on all my flies anyway.

 

[JSzymczyk 0]

Confusing, I would say so. I have forever used Mustad 94840, 9671, 9672, 3399 as my most popular hooks. Now I read that they will be discontinued. I have tried Tiemco and like them, so I will have to get used to their numbering system.

They are the easiest to find in 24, 26 and 28. Good Luck with what ever hooks you decide on.

 

 

A lot of folks were upset when Mustad revealed they were discontinuing the "classic" line of hooks, including me. The new designation system of the Signature hooks actually does make sense, and it is not confusing once you learn to read it, go to their website and it's all explained. The Signature fly hooks have turned out to be as good and better than any of the most expensive hooks out there, and the price really is not too horrible.

 

Site sponsor JStockard has a new line of house-brand hooks, and they look great- and they are priced great.

 

Back on topic, I think it's funny, or sad(?), when people worry about "sacrificing quality" switching from one jewelry store boutique brand of hook to another.... I'm going to have to go in the time machine and go back to the date when our perfectly fine Mustads and Eagle Claws turned into junk. Seems as if we, and our forefathers, caught boatloads of fish using flies tied on them.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I think it's funny, or sad(?), when people worry about "sacrificing quality" switching from one jewelry store boutique brand of hook to another.... I'm going to have to go in the time machine and go back to the date when our perfectly fine Mustads and Eagle Claws turned into junk. Seems as if we, and our forefathers, caught boatloads of fish using flies tied on them.

 

You're right, they were fine hooks in there day, and still are and if you watch Ebay any, when those same hooks are offered, some folks are still willing to pay a decent price for them. I have a lot of the older hooks, and will use them. However, the technology has changed, and there are better hooks out there. Frankly, the best fly hooks I've ever used were made by Partridge, before Mustad purchased them. They still made a darn good hook while Mustad owned them, and I've read they've been purchased from Mustad, and will continue making hooks, and re-introduce some of the models that Mustad discontinued. If I had to pick only one brand to use, I would use Partridge.

 

Again, IMO, Daiichi makes a better hook than Tiemco. If you want to use a better hook, you'll have to pay the price for them. I don't feel you can really go wrong with any of the more popular brands being produced today. It's just a matter of what you're willing to spend.

 

As far as hooks go, they're cheap. The cost is relative to other costs in the sport.

 

Even Tiemco hooks are not overly expensive if you compare the cost of one hook to the cost of the rest of the equipment used in fly fishing.

 

I buy a lot of Owner hooks for bass fishing, and I tie bass flies on some of them. They're expensive as hooks go, but again, IMO still relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of other equipment.

 

Eagle Claw just came out with Trokar hooks for bass fishing, which are $10 for 5 hooks, that's expensive, but again relative. Some folks are willing to spend $25 to $50 for a single lure, so why not $2 for a hook?

 

Buy what you can afford, and buy the best you can afford. All of the brands out there will work for fishing, you just have to decide what is best for your tying purposes, and buy what you need.

[Guest]

If you read some of the discussions on the Catskill boards the guys will tell you the new dry fly hooks that replace the 94840's ARE NOT the same.

 

I'm not hook picky Mustads for me and I have some Dai-Rikis and also some hooks from Togans fly shop (ebay) that are really nice, you can buy in BULK and split what you get but only have one problem with them!! They're too bright!!! I tried putting some in gun blueing and letting dry but it didn't work too good LOL!!!!!!!!

 

Several months ago I had posted about a guy on a taxidermy site who bought up an old fly shop and he got BIG TIME deal on hooks. I got several thousand from him and I think between all that we asked it looked like they were Eagle Claw's. They look good they were cheap and 2000 hooks for 22 dollars HECK YEAH!!!!!!!

 

I haven't lost any fish to broken hooks in any of the brands only to the tree's behind me when I made a poor cast. Scour ebay, look up mustad hooks a shop on there bought up a hugh batch of mustad's in the original white box's and they list them.

 

Fatman

 

 

[whatfly 0]

Back on topic, I think it's funny, or sad(?), when people worry about "sacrificing quality" switching from one jewelry store boutique brand of hook to another....

Point of order, in this case Mustad is one of the "boutique brand." Dai-Riki's are currently cheaper in most places than Mustad's Signature hooks. Of course this whole argument is pretty silly when you consider how many flies one actually ties in a year. As pointed out by others, the cost difference is pretty miniscule, especially when you take into consideration the price of everything else associated with fly fishing. And as far as the "good old days" argument about hooks, I'm pretty sure folks memories are slipping because I've used the old-style Mustad hooks and would not go back to them for any reason. Quality is really the reason why Mustad use to rule the fly tying market, and doesn't anymore...although some are more comfortable blaming some vast marketting conspiracy...

 

Now, back to the actual topic, as said the Dai-Riki's are not of the same quality as Tiemco, but they are cheaper which might matter if you are highly price sensitive. Dai-Riki also has some styles that Tiemco does not, so I use them often and just ignore the occasional bad hook. They hold fish just fine. I think the original poster will find that over time, you will end up using multiple brands because no single brand is going to make every hook style you need, unless you keep your tying very simple. I do have to say that the new Mustads are a definite step in the right direction quality-wise, and if I can just find them regularly anywhere in my area, I might consider using them more frequently.

 

And for the record, yes I've had some bad fishing experiences with cheap hooks recently, and they just aren't worth the effort. Most notably I'm lost confidence in The Fly Shop's brand, and Togen hooks...but that's another story...

 

[TitanFlies 0]

Mr. Szymczyk you're right but if we follow that rationale that "there's no need to improve on something from older years" then why aren't we all driving Model T's? They got people from point A to point B without too many problems.

 

You're also correct by saying the new Mustad hook # system is a breeze. I took the time to look it up and it works flawlessy (Alls you need to remember is the R50). And better yet, J. Stockard has 25 hooks for $3.25! Which befuddles me because if you buy two 25 packs, you're still paying less than if you were one 50 pack.

 

I don't know guys, I haven't heard 1 bad review about Mustad Signatures yet and for the price, I'm willing to gamble a little. For the $5.85 I'm spending per 25 Tiemco hooks, I could be spending $2.60 less for the same thing. If we further the point, let's say I go through 50 packs in a year, that's $130... which is like 1/16 of an health insurance premium (Or a couple nice rooster necks).