Klinkhammer hooks?

[Piker20 0]

I've noticed recently lots of emerger and low riding dries, or dries designed to have an abdomen breaking the surface tied on pupa/caddis/scud type hooks. I've also noticed fewer places seeming to stock klinkhammer style hooks. Are klinkhammer hooks still popular? Do they have a place where a curved hook can't cut it?

[shoebop 0]

good question...

[EzGoing 0]

I have the older Partridge 15BN Klinkhamer hooks developed by Hans himself. The latest design are the Daiichi 1160 or 1167 Klinkhamer hooks also recently designed by Hans for his Klinkhamer fly. See his article in the latest spring 2014 issue of Fly Tyer magazine.

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

Rumor has it that Allen may start carrying them, i am keeping my fingers crossed that they will because they are definitely hard to find and they usually keep a good supply of everything on hand and are always reasonably priced.

[williamhj 0]

I've gotten Klinkhammers from Orvis and on ebay, not had trouble finding them though haven't ordered in some months. I really like them and find they can be effective. With part of the fly under the surface it is important to not use too much materials or materials that will be easily waterlogged particularly on the abdomen and tail of the fly. Not the right tool for every job but I'm glad to have them.

[Piker20 0]

They are available if you look but a time ago they seemed to be everywhere without trying. I would be happy to see Allen carry some, especially barbless.

[Crackaig 0]

Originally Hans tied the Klinkhamer in a modified K12st from Partridge. Then came the Partridge Klinkhamer hook, which, I was told, was the result of a mistake. It was quickly followed by the Klinkhamer Extreme hook. Now Hans, apparently, doesn't use the Partridge hooks at all.

 

The K12st hook suffers from ridiculous sizing. There is no comparison between these hooks and any other in the Partridge range. They are huge. A problem I had with these hooks at first was modifying them. If I tried to anneal them (soften them at the bend point by heating and cooling slowly) they became very weak at the bend point. On one occasion I landed a grayling to find the hook had broken at the bend point, and was only held together by the dressing. If I used pliers to bend the hook, without heat treating, they often broke at the bend point. Eventually I developed the technique (and callouses from) bending them in my fingers. Grip the eye of the hook between thumb and index finger, with your thumb nail at the inside of the bend point. Push on the bend of the hook until the point touches your thumb nail. This worked because there was no hard corner where the bend is being made. A large order for Klinkhamers left me with a callous on my thumb and a grove in my thumb nail. At least I could get about 20 flies out of a pack of 25 hooks this way.

 

Then came the Klinkhamer hook. Someone misinterpreted Hans' instruction about the bend, taking it to mean more of a curve to the hook shank. This was quickly superseded by the Klinkhamer Extreme hook with the bend as Hans required it. This solved the modification problems, however the size issues remained. For my personal use size 22 was the standard, sometimes a size 20, nothing larger. If you are not familiar with this hook a size 20 is about the same size as a 14 2x long shank. I said Huge!

 

Last year I was shown the new Daiichi Klinkhamer hooks, and told that these are now what Hans uses. They resemble other hooks in sizing are made of a finer wire, and do not require modification. My thumb thanks you! Best of all the gap is more open than the Partridge hooks

 

The gap on Klinkhamers has always been a problem. There was never very much of it. If you take a straight shank hook as the starting point and look at it in comparison to the K12st and a TMC200r you see a progression in shape of hook. The 200r being more extreme a variation. If you tie a Klinkhamer on a 200r in smaller sizes, making the modification you would on a K12st, you will, or at least I did, have problems hooking any fish at all. The K12st and others are better, but the new Daiichi are better still.

 

What is still missing from the range is a barbless version.

 

(Colin, come see me!)

 

Cheers,

C.

[Piker20 0]

Will do Al. It is the Daiichi ones I have seen that made me think about this thread.

[Stippled Popper 0]

The Spring 2014 Fly Tyer Magazine has an article by Hans van Klinken on the Klinkhamer. It

confirms a number Crackaig's comments about the Klinkhamer and it's hooks.

 

No 1 in the article's images of tying steps for the fly say the fly is tied on a fine wire, wide gap,

bent shank hook. He also uses a hook with a straight eye.

[jimk 0]

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/item/HK-051160-0000/Daiichi-1160-Klinkhamer-Hook/1.html

[SilverCreek 0]

You make up your mind. Are the resulting flies different enough to result is a difference in results?

 

 

Partridge Klinkhammer hook

 

 

 

Partridge Shrimp Hook

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orvis Klinkhammer hooks

 

 

Orvis Scud Hook

 

 

 

Daiichi Klinkhammer Hook

 

 

 

Daiichi /Scud hook

 

 

 

The result is a thicker, shorter and proportionally bulkier body on the scud hooks.

 

Tied on a Klinkhammer hooks

 

 

 

 

Tied on a scud hooks

 

 

[Piker20 0]

The pics also show the main difference for me with a 'proper' klink hook, the body hangs down while the thorax sits more horizontal on/in the film. With the scud versions its more of a progressive dip below the surface.