The Look on the Hook

[Soft-hackle 0]

Hi all,

I'm wondering what you think of this hook for wingless wets. Comments on the look and the hook are welcome.

 

 

 

Mark

[dwiltshire 0]

Sweet soft hackles Mark!

 

As always, beautifully tied. I really like these hooks. What are they?

[RoyalWulff 0]

Hey Mark,

 

I definatly think the pattern on the top compliments the hook more. I am not sure about the bottom at all. I like the look of the bend. But the hook looks a little oversized. As in a kid trying on his fathers raglin.

 

Eye of the hook looks a little large on the fly on top. I like the idea of the straight eye hook, but I just cant get into it. I know that down eye hooks are only recent, but I am so use to them that I like their look.

 

Beautiful ties though. You have such a great style of tying, I love them!

 

Phil

[Soft-hackle 0]

Thanks, guys.

 

Phil, perhaps the upper eye looks larger because the fly itself is slightly tipped. You may be right, however. Looking at them in front of me, they don't look that big in comparison to the fly. I'm not use to straight-eye hooks either.

 

Mark

[ILikeFish 0]

personally, i like the eye to point down... but those look very nice

[RoyalWulff 0]

Hey Mark,

 

 

They do look great!

 

You are right, now that I look at it, it is because the fly is turned a little. My mistake. I really like the bend of the hook, and the shank looks pretty good too! I dont know how I feel about the straight eye though.

 

I do however really like the finish of the hook! Something I find is difficult to do. Hook finishes often repell me.

 

So Mark, are you going to let the cat out of the bag? We are all dying to know what hook this is.

 

By the way, how do you like the mustad 3906b for softies?

 

Phil

[dwiltshire 0]

I know what you mean about the down eye - but a couple of years back I started to tie hot head nymphs (small bead) on straight eyes and really liked them... Haven't used them for other pattern yet...

 

Just preference I suppose.

[Soft-hackle 0]

Would like some more commentary on them before posting the brand and number. Then, I'll let everyone know what they are. One thing nice-they are surely not overly expensive. An online friend sent me a sampling of these. He is starting to tie on them himself and we are going to compare our fishing experiences.

 

Mark

[letumgo 0]

I really like the look of the hook with both of the flies, Mark. I think they will work nicely in the smaller sizes (say 12's and smaller), since the hook eye will not obstruct the gap during the hook set. I just bought some up-eyed Mustad (94842) to try them out. I saw the Mustad hook in the Soft Hackle book and it looks like the up-eye design works nicely for an intermediate pattern when fishing a brace of flies. I'm interested to know what hook your using (I'll check back to see the others feedback and what make/model/size hook you used).

[sulfernut 0]

Soft Hackle!! That looks an awful lot like a Mustad #3366,the best kept secret in fly tying hooks!

 

Let me know if I got it right,and I'll tell you about a prediction I made last year!!

 

Sulfernut

 

 

[Soft-hackle 0]

Sulfernut,

You are correct. They are Mustad 3366 hooks. Why are they a secret? Price? They range between $3 - $4 per 100. Not bad! The hooks were sent to me by Chris Stewart to try. Now, If I've let the cat out of the bag--I apologize to Chris and all the others that have kept the secret. I share what I know with others.

 

The only drawback is the smallest size they come in is size 14. The Leisenring spider is a size 12, the Olive soft-hackle is size 14.

 

I regularly use Mustad 3399A for most of my wets and wingless wets. They are a standard wire and are also reasonably priced. The 3906 and 3906B are both good wet fly hooks. The B is a bit longer in the shank. They are heavy wire hooks and good for getting deeper, but at roughly $9.00/100, are somewhat more expensive.

 

Is your prediction the price will go up on the 3366s if the number of purchases go up?

 

Your turn, Sulfernut,

 

Mark

[Soft-hackle 0]

PS

 

Ray,

I want to try some up eye hooks, myself. Hidy use to tie his flymphs on up-eye hooks.

 

Mark

[Ribs1 0]

Sulfernut,

You are correct. They are Mustad 3366 hooks. Why are they a secret? Price? They range between $3 - $4 per 100. Not bad! The hooks were sent to me by Chris Stewart to try. Now, If I've let the cat out of the bag--I apologize to Chris and all the others that have kept the secret. I share what I know with others.

 

The only drawback is the smallest size they come in is size 14. The Leisenring spider is a size 12, the Olive soft-hackle is size 14.

 

I regularly use Mustad 3399A for most of my wets and wingless wets. They are a standard wire and are also reasonably priced. The 3906 and 3906B are both good wet fly hooks. The B is a bit longer in the shank. They are heavy wire hooks and good for getting deeper, but at roughly $9.00/100, are somewhat more expensive.

 

Is your prediction the price will go up on the 3366s if the number of purchases go up?

 

Your turn, Sulfernut,

 

Mark

 

The price on those 3366 is unlikely to go up if the number of purchases go up. In fact, the higher the production, generally the lower the cost. In the case of this hook, they are cross marketed to bait fisherman and are one of the highest production of all mustad hooks.

 

These hooks are so cheap that I try to find as many uses for them as possible.

 

 

[Soft-hackle 0]

Thanks for the insight, Ribs. If that's the case, why keep them a secret? Better to share.

 

Mark

[ILikeFish 0]

i got a 100 pack for 2.50 at a flyshop around here