Bending Hooks

[kennebec12 0]

Did a quick search and didn't see any obvious previous threads on this. I was wondering if anyone has bent/modified hook shanks to get a desired shape for a fly, if so did it work and was the hook still durable or did it snap on any little snag or bite? I'm thinking about modifying a couple streamer hooks to see if I can get slightly different swimming actions. Also thinking about trying to modify a dry fly (maybe a 14 3xl) so that the shank has kind of a downward curve (with the midpoint being the lowest), thought being that when it rests on the water the tail is aimed slightly upward rather than going into the water (yes I know I could just tie an extended body). Or maybe somewhere out there they sell these and I haven't come across them yet.

[Jaydub 0]

I have bent hooks to give them a curve. I have not had one break. I think if you're gentle, don't make a sharp bend and bend it once, you'll be OK.

[mikechell 0]

truly depends on the hook. I have some hooks that, when snagged, straighten out. I just bend them back and keep fishing. I can do this about 10 times before it finally snaps and I have to tie on a new one.

I also have some hooks ... the first time I tried to bend them in any way, snapped.

 

If you have a hook, and you try to bend it, you should be able to tell if it is one that is hardened with a temper (bendable to some degree) or without a temper (brittle, no bending allowed).

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I've been bending hooks for many years - usually Mustad 34007 since I'm a saltwater tyer... As noted above some hooks can't be bent at all without risking them breaking -particularly those carefully crafted, premium Japanese hooks. Do a bit of experimenting and you'll quickly learn which ones can be bent and which will break before (or shortly after) bending. Here's a few pics of some of the "bendback" patterns that I've been doing for shops and guides...

[ditz2 0]

Bend away....It all depends on the metallurgy and the heat treating and possibly the plating. What Capt. Bob and MIke says. Most hooks can be bent. It is just a matter of degree. For years I have used Aberdeen hooks for my panfish rubber spiders. If they get snagged I just pull them until the hook straightens and comes free and then I rebend the hook and keep on fishing.

[flytire 0]

Also thinking about trying to modify a dry fly (maybe a 14 3xl) so that the shank has kind of a downward curve (with the midpoint being the lowest),

 

GOOGLE "tiemco 400t fly hook"

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Those are wet fly/swimming nymph hooks flytire, wouldn't that sink a dryfly?

[flytire 0]

not according to the full description of the hook

 

TMC 400T Swimming Nymph Hook, straight eye upswept shank, 1X fine, forged, bronze

 

did you notice the "1xfine"

 

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/040504fotw.php

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern580.html

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Sorry flytire, I did not see that.

[kennebec12 0]

Thanks all. Flytire, those 400T's are similar to what I had in mind but they are discontinued (probably why I hadn't come across them), checked out a couple sites and they were out of stock, know of anywhere that might still have them in stock?

[SilverCreek 0]

I bend the hook on top to the shape underneath to tie this USD (upside down) Squirrel Bugger so the hook point rides up.

 

 

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

Kennebec12,

As a general rule you can bend any hook with heavy wire. Streamers, Wets, Nymphs and such - no problem. (no extreme bends)

 

Dry fly hooks - well that's another animal. My experience says it doesn't work out well. One reason is generally people bend a curve into a hook by bringing the hook eye closer to the point of the hook. The shank length on a dry fly hook (standard hook) is only 1X and because of that the gap is small to start with. But even if you bend a reverse curve and open the hook gap by bending the eye away from the point you're taking a chance bending fine or extra-fine hook wire.

 

Check the shank length on your Nymph hooks and Wet hooks I think you'll find most of them are at least 2X so the gap issue doesn't come to play. Same with streamers - most of them are 3X and longer - bends don't matter much from a gap standpoint.

[netabrookie 0]

Daiichi 1770 swimming nymph hooks straight eye, 1x-fine 3x long could be an option?

[vicrider 0]

For years we bent the eye on the Mustad 84 hook with a straight eye to an up eye. We'd heat the wire in a torch on the table 'til it just got a glow, then bend it up. This probably weakened the eye I'm sure but without heating you'd often break them. We didn't worry about a weak eye because we ran the mono thru the eye and snelled the hook, then popped up the snell to put some yarn in there for steelhead fishing. The Mustad #84 in a size 4 caught many hundreds of steelhead between the guys I fished with on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Only hook we used for them or the salmon that came later thru stocking in MN and MI.

 

I also bent a lot of jig hooks from 60 degree to 90 degree or vice versa for various molds and purposed and heated them to bend them and never had a failure but those were encased in lead so didn't allow the bent to flex. My jigs have taken Lakers up to 30#s and never broke an eye on them.

[fshrmanms 0]

I bend some like the curved nymph hook I use if tying a klinkhammer. if you have to bend one that requires a tool I would recommend using wire forming pliers that have the round jaw; as the hook is less likely to break if you don't score the metal.