Buckshotdad1960

I too pour my own jig heads with hooks I buy with a mold I bought from Bass pro. In fact I altered that mold to put lead on hooks that I rebent into the shape I want. The hooks work well; the only trouble is that they don’t last as long because I have to heat them up to bend them. Reheating the wire makes them more susceptible to breaking. I don’t of course need to make hooks I just want too. Just like a man doesn’t have to climb a mountain when the ground he is standing on is perfectly fine, he climbs just because he wants too. My hooks will be different from what’s out there even if only slightly. This however is not the point. I’m just looking to try something new for the satisfaction of having done it. I’ll continue to walk this road a little further and if it dead ends I’ll turn around and come back.

You Googler!...............I'll take two! LOL Chop! Chop! You bring I buy!

Interesting, Nice to meet you Sam, your experience may come in handy on down the road. Just this afternoon I sent off for some information in China about a hook making machine. I have no idea when I can expect to hear back from them but I am exploring other leads while I wait. I’m going to try and make crappie hooks made of Aberdeen wire. The way I understand it (and I might have this wrong) is that Aberdeen wire has been tempered already and is just waiting to be bent into the shape you need. If this is true all I have to do is find out where to buy the wire, get a machine to make the hooks and set that machine up to bend the wire into the shape I want. The mold to put the lead on the hooks is another matter. I hope to hear back from you with any information you think I can use. Thank you.

Early fishhooks were crafted from bone or sharp shells, and then, as metals were discovered and designs refined, the modern hook began its evolution into the multitude of offerings available today. Looking at huge racks and row upon row of fishhooks of all sizes and configurations, even seasoned anglers can be confused when it comes to selecting hooks. With so many fish, so many hooks and so little time, how do you pick the right hook for a specific technique? Still, the concept is basically the same at both ends of the hook; it's the metal in the middle that has gone through the most gyrations. All hooks have an eye to tie your line to, a sharp tip to pierce the fish's mouth and a barb to hold it in place. Although there are a wide variety of innovations in point design, it's the shank and the bend that have changed the most. Let's take a look at the business end first. Point variations While it would seem that a sharp point is a sharp point, there are many ways to cut, hone and shape a steel wire. Given a seemingly unlimited imagination and a penchant for innovation, hook manufacturers have developed a number of designs, each with its own positive aspects. Needle point This point is aptly named because of its appearance. A close inspection will reveal that the sides of this point are round and evenly tapered. Rolled-in The theory behind this design is to reduce the pressure needed to set the hook. The point is rolled in, or aligned in a curve pointing directly toward the eye of the shank, and ultimately the fishing line, which exerts the pressure. This hook is very effective for species that jump or thrash around when brought to the net or gaff because it tends to set deeply. Hollow This point is rounded and forms a curve from the tip to the base of the barb. These hooks are good for soft-mouthed crappie and fish that need to be hooked and fought delicately. Spear The spear point is another point that is named because of its appearance, with angles that are shaped like a spear. Alignment of the point is in a straight line from the tip to the barb. Proper penetration requires a bit more pressure, and unless you bear down pretty hard you won't get penetration beyond the barb. Knife edge This hook has two flat sides forming a single edge that penetrates well and is easy to sharpen. The shank The shank is the part of the hook between the eye and the first bend. Shanks come in three basic sizes: short, regular and long. Fly-fishermen prefer short shanks for specific, small-bodied flies, but they're also used extensively for all sorts of panfish, especially species that are easily spooked. Regular shanks fall into the all-purpose category and make up the largest segment of hooks. These hooks are used for most game fish in a wide variety of presentations. Long-shank hooks are preferred for large predator species, especially those with sharp teeth, but they're also favored for aggressive feeders that tend to swallow live baits deeply. The advantage of the long shank becomes apparent when you attempt to remove one from the gullet of a hooked fish. The longer shank makes it easier to remove the hook, and this fact makes them ideal for youngsters or any beginning fisherman. The eye The eye of a hook is the direct link between hook and line, and one that causes consternation for those with failing eyesight. Tying line to smaller sizes of hooks is simplified with magnifying lenses, even for those with young eyes. The selection of hook eyes is varied, with specific designs intended for unique applications. Eyes that are offset are intended to increase penetration by pulling the barb upward on the hookset. Ringed The ringed eye design is the most common type of hook eye, and a good choice for most applications. The configuration is round, and it's uniform in shape. Ringed eyes are used on the majority of bait and lure hooks. Looped This type of eye has a nearly oval shape that extends along the shank of the hook aligned with the direction of the bend. Needle This type of hook is easily identified if you picture the eye of a sewing needle. The most common application for needle-eye hooks is for saltwater fishing, especially for large species. The eye shape makes it ideal for burying the complete hook inside live or dead bait when either trolling or using vertical presentations. Tapered This style of eye is similar to the ringed eye, but more tapered and thinner than the shank of the hook. Dry flies are the most common use for tapered-eye hooks. Hook sizes Size selection need not be confusing, once you understand that you have to think backward. The smallest hook sizes have the largest numbers such as 25, 30, 32, etc., and the largest hooks are designated with a 0, or progressive sizes of 0 such as 18/0, 19/0 and 20/0. Larger hook sizes are referred to as 20/naught and so on. Currently, 20/0 hooks are the largest, and size 32 is the smallest. Hook types Literally thousands of hook styles are available today, making the selection process confounding for even the experienced angler. The following hook types are the most common available today. Regardless of the hook type, you should match the size of the hook to the bait you are going to use and the size of the species you're targeting. Baitholder hooks Keeping slippery, wiggling live bait on a hook is a challenge, and manufacturers have developed several designs to make it easier. Generally, baitholder hooks have long shafts, and there often are barbs on the shaft to assist in keeping bait securely hooked. Baitholder hooks are also available as snells, pre-tied to line that is looped at the end and ready to be attached with a knot, swivel or snap. When fishing for walleye in the spring, using a live-bait presentation, snells with size 8 or 10 are common, while bass fishermen use 1/0 to 2/0 hooks for shiners or minnows. Worm hooks This particular hook is for worms of the plastic persuasion, and a mainstay for bass fishermen. Since bass are heavy fighters, worm hooks are built sturdy for deep penetration and durability. This type of hook is used for Texas rigging, a technique in which the point of the hook is embedded in the body of the worm for a weedless presentation. With the hook's point buried in the body of the worm, you can work it through heavy vegetation where lunkers like to hide. Worm hooks are usually wide-gapped, where the space from the point of the hook to the shank is wider than standard hooks. The advantage of using wide-gapped hooks is so worms of different sizes can be used and the hook can be embedded easily in a natural configuration. Common sizes for worm hooks are 2/0 to 5/0 and should be matched to the size of the plastic bait to be used and the size of bass you expect to catch. Double hooks This hook design is similar to a treble but with only two points. Double hook are great for use in a trailer-hook setup or for thick-bodied soft plastic baits like floating frogs. Treble hooks Somewhere back in hook history, a clever hook designer decided that three barbed prongs were three times better than one. He was certainly right. The three legs of a treble hook are forged together to form the eye. Multiple hook points provide superior hooking and holding power and are most often used on lures such as crankbaits or bucktail jigs used for muskie or pike. Crankbaits for bass or walleye usually employ treble hooks sized 1 to 2/0, but sizes vary with the size of the lure. Anglers targeting catfish often use treble hooks for their improved bait- and fish-holding ability. Siwash hooks This style of hook resembles a basic hook, but it is very hard, which aids in penetrating the tough mouths of big fish. It's fairly short, with a straight eye alignment, a round bend and a very long point. It was designed for saltwater baitfishing and commercial use. The Siwash hook does a great job hooking and holding jumping species like steelhead and salmon. It's also a good hook for replacing hooks on spoons and other single-hook lures such as buzzbaits or spinnerbaits. Aberdeen hooks Aberdeen hooks are made of light wire with a slightly squared round bend. This style of hook is extra wide between the point and shank, which makes it ideal for baiting with minnows, and the light wire eliminates excessive damage when puncturing the bait. Their specially tempered wire will flex before breaking, making them ideal for fishing brushy areas that hold panfish or crappie. Kahle® hooks With a wider gap, this unique design places the hook farther back in a fish's mouth to greatly reduce hooksets that tear out through the lip. The bend is offset with an up-eye, and the point is aligned with the line so the point pulls straight in on the set. Saltwater hooks When buying hooks for saltwater, look for long, sharp points, hard wire that will resist bending and corrosion-resistant finishes that will stand up to the abuse of this corrosive environment and the tough fighters that live in these waters. Weedless hooks When fishing heavy cover such as tree limbs, logs, stumps, weeds and rocks, a weedless hook can save you a lot of time, money and frustration. You'll find several different approaches to making a hook weedless, and they all work fairly well, but remember ? they're weed-less, not 100% weedproof. You'll still have to work your bait or lure carefully. Circle hooks When fishing live or dead bait for large species such as catfish, pike or muskie, a circle hook is a good choice. Here's how this configuration works. Fish often swallow the bait and hook, especially if you take your eyes off the rod tip for more than a few seconds. It takes a little discipline to master the technique and not jerk the bait and hook from a fish's mouth. The right move for this particular hook is slow and deliberate. When you get a bite using a circle hook, you gently lift the rod tip and begin reeling in line. This allows the hook to slide backward until it penetrates at the angle where the jaw rises up to form the lip. Jig hooks Jigs are simply hooks that have been molded with lead or other heavy metals, forming various shapes for special applications. Jigs are used for both live bait such as minnows or crawlers in walleye presentations, or for soft plastics when fishing for crappie or bass and other species. When using plastic baits such as twister tails, crawdads or worms, select a jig with a molded collar just behind the jighead. This collar is provided to hold plastic baits more securely, so make sure you force the bait onto the collar. Finishes Hooks come in just about every conceivable metal finish, and painted hooks are now very popular, serving as a visual attractant, or in the case of red hooks, simulating a wounded baitfish. Anglers can't seem to agree on the effectiveness of colored hooks, but the general consensus is that it can't hurt, and even if it helps only a little, a little help is a good thing on a slow day. That's one of the fun things about fishing ? trying new colors, types of baits and presentations ? so don't be hesitant to try new types of hooks. Experience is the best teacher, and if you're having problems getting a good hookset with one type of hook, trying another could give you a revelation that saves the day. The only really important thing to keep in mind is using a hook that is matched in size to the species you're targeting. From bream to billfish there are many different sizes of mouths and scrap beneath the scales.

Thanks Amp, I’ll bet your right. Salt water hooks may be made differently but I am only concerned with crappie jig hooks. At any rate what ever they do hast to happen fast and be kept simple, look at how many hooks they make. I know the hooks are made from wire on large spools. I’d like to know who makes their hook making machines, and know the step by step process. But that might be a close keep secrete. I mean if you can’t even find out were someone fishes around here then, well…..LOL

Thankd Chief, A little advice never hurt anyone.

Well you’re probably right, I’m sure there is more to it than just bending a wire. And I’m sure that what ever they do is done on a massive scale but I’m sure if a person learned the right HOW TO questions to ask, you could figure out how to do it on a smaller scale.

Well Ghandi, who can argue with that! LOL

I have always wondered what a person would do if they had an idea for a new hook. I’m not talking about putting it up for sell on the market, just getting it made for one to use them self. I’ve seen the hook catalogs and there are a billion hooks to choose from already. Most are sufficient. But just like we buy hooks and a mold to make our own jigs, why can’t we make our own hooks. Surly it can’t be that hard can it? I wonder if there is some sort of shop you can go to that could make the machine or tools you’ll need to make your own hooks. I think I would enjoy making my own hooks as much as guys like making their own trout flies. Has anyone ever thought about this but me?

OTF, Ok, I’ll take you off my utterly useless and retarded list! You didn’t belong on there anyway; I was just trying to be funny. So you don’t live around here and know where there is any crappie, so what! I still think you’re a pretty good guy to know anyways! Hey, I haven’t seen fishingcricket. I’m worried that he feel in the Pirhanna/crappie pond and got ate! Also, watch out for eric1978, he’s Lucifer’s son and he just got his first tattoo! 666! Mark of the beast! LOL

Aahh yes, my sarcasm. Now I see what he was saying. Ok, you got me, I’m a hillbilly basher! Well, at least as far as the hillbilly trashier are concerned. Nice job Eric1978, well aren’t you the little hall monitor! Nothing gets past you! LOL And I’m sure you couldn’t resist, that’s why no one likes you and you have no friends! LOL But hey, you get a cookie and the satisfaction of knowing I’d like to stick my boot in your *ss! LOL

Well I understand what you’re saying. However on the other hand I don’t plan on marring anybody just to get some either if you know what I mean. The conversations I’ll have and the things I’d like to know, I’ll find out on my own if I have too. My goals are short term so I don’t plan on taking on any long term debt. It’s the same way out here in the real world. People take time to warm up to you and share their knowledge on things with you. I myself am a people person and tend to go that extra mile to help someone out. I believe God intended in me being that way. You couldn’t count the kids and adults that I’ve taught to fish and helped, then sent on their way, down through the years in my life time. I’m looking for people like me and if there are none here to find then I’ll just move on to some place else where I’ll have better luck. I was born and raised in this neck of the woods. (well, two counties away) Yes, I moved away and lived in MN for twenty years chasing the money trail. But I’ve been back for ten years and have never forgotten my roots or the fact that I too am a hillbilly. Now unless you can quote me and prove me wrong I’ll stand by the statement that I am not the one you are thinking of who said anything negative about hillbillies. If anything I tried to stand up for them and shed a little truth as to how they feel. Of course I can not speak for 100% of everybody. And there are always exceptions to the rule. I ask for very little and I never take but what I give back. I have shared with others some of the places I fish. Want to catch 10lb Rainbow trout? I told a secret spot where I do it. Want large smallmouth? I told where I find them. Want to know something else? If I can help just ask me.

Cricket! I WIN! I WIN! AAAHHH hula hula hula hubba bubbaaaaa……suckemlickem

Of course! It’s all so clear to me now! Their fingers are frozen! No wonder they can’t type. The poor little things are probably just sitting there with their frozen little nubs yelling at the screen, trying to communicate but can’t get through! See that’s why I moved away from MN! It’s so cold there that people have to set there cloths on fire just to make it from the car into the house. Did you see that one guy from MN (Crappiemagnet) the other day spasms out on me? He told me he wasn’t my only friend and to stick it where the sun don’t shine! I think I’ll rename him crankymagnet instead! He probably got up and sat down naked on a metal chair. It’s hard to be nice when you have a chair stuck to your balls! LOL I can just see him now chasing his cat around trying to get a little pussy but he can't catch it because the cat can hear the chair dragging the floor! LOL Stay away from MN.

darn IT!...Get in the truck!...GET THE GUN! GET THE GUN! LOL

THE 6 TRUTHS OF LIFE! 1. YOU CAN NOT TOUCH ALL YOUR TOP TEETH WITH YOUR TONGUE. 2. ALL IDIOTS, AFTER READING THE FIRST TRUTH, WILL TRY IT! 3. AND DISCOVER THAT THE FIRST TRUTH IS A LIE! 4. YOU’RE SMILING NOW BECAUSE YOU’RE AN IDIOT! 5. NOW YOU CAN’T WAIT TO FIND AN IDIOT TO SHOW THIS TO! 6. THERE’S STILL A DUMB SMILE ON YOUR FACE! I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THIS! I’M AN IDIOT TOO AND I NEEDED COMPANY! P.S. PULL MY FINGER!

If I’m member no. 9,526 then where in the Sam hill is the rest of the members.

Hey! Us old guys are talking here! What do you mean this is going no where? You’re getting what you paid for. We’re just killing time, waiting on you guys to get back. How come you didn’t bring any of your friends with you and tell them to share with us what they know about the river? I can understand eric1978 not having much to say, he hast to keep a low profile because he’s probably wanted by the law! LOL But you Ozark trout fish, I know you’ve got friends. Where are they? And Crappie is a real planet in the aquatic constellation of Aquarium. Fished it! LOL

Fantastic! That’s what I thought. I’m just glad to hear someone else say it because I’m gonna try it!

Flysmallie, I don’t know this might be proof! LOL See, 15 year olds are easy to understand once you get the key code. Their adult wanna be’s and don’t have a clue as to what they want. It’s like walking your dog, keep a loose leash and only jerk them back if they start to jump out in front of a car. Remember in three to five years your job is done whether you want it to be or not. I know, I had trouble letting go. Keep a close eye on her and a closer eye on her friends. She’s about to enter into the drug years. Up until now it’s been easy. The hardest years are just ahead. All my kids made it but only because I made it very clear that if they wanted to do drugs I would be there to make sure that every buzz they caught would be a bummer! Yes, good kids can do drugs to. Just let your guard down and see what happens. Let me tell you a quick story that’s happening right now as we speak this very minute. Back in the summer my daughter stopped by with her girlfriend and her girl friends brother, Thomas. The girls went inside to see my wife while Thomas and I loaded a cooler full of soft drinks and some life jackets up in the car for their trip to Hootentown. Thomas and I stood outside talking while we waited for the girls to return. Thomas was a good looking, clean cut and a well mannered kid, about 25 years old. He was a great big farm boy who looked like he bench pressed tractors for fun. After about 15 minutes I decided I liked him. But there was just one thing that bugged me. My boy had told me that he had heard that when Thomas was a teenager he had smoked Meth and had to go to rehab. So I just flat out asked him if he was smoking Meth. He assured me that was all in the past and didn’t even cross his mind anymore. I said son that’s good news because let me be honest with you, if I ever heard of you smoking it around my daughter or was trying to get her to smoke some of it, you and I would be taking a little trip to the sand box! He looked down at me and said, I’m sorry sir, I don’t understand! What’s the sand box? Where’s it at? I said that’s not important, just you understand my meaning! You don’t come back from the sand box son. He threw his head back and laughed and said, I see. Then he snarled his face and bounced his chest muscles up and down a few times and said, do you really think you can put all this in the sand box old man? He didn’t know it but I had already calculated his answer and had a well choreographed response of my own. In the blink of an eye I pulled my snub nose 38 off my back, cocked the hammer and stuck it in his big face right between his big eyes and said, what do you bet me I’m not going to find that to be a problem! Now, if you ever wanted to know what size turds giants *hit, try that sometime. And you know, I never had a problem out of that boy. I was even hoping him and my daughter might get together someday. I might have gotten some great big strapping grandsons from him. But, last week, some of his old buddies from back in the day stopped by and talked him into shooting up some Meth cooked in jet fuel with them and he O. D. ed. Now he lays brain dead in the hospital and my daughter is there right now to help console her friend. She called a little bit ago and said that they did another brain scan on him to prove to his parents that he is for sure brain dead so that they can make the decision to pull the plug today. Now if that doesn’t just break your heart and show you just how vigilant you need to be with your children, even after their grown, then nothing can. My advice to you is keep every thing in perspective and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Wow, you’re kidding? How many? That buckshot must not be right in the head! Some would even say retarded! What’s your analyses on that guy?

Man, that’s way back in the day! You’re definitely a native local Wayne! We might have to check you for Indian feathers! LOL I know what you mean about the trash, we all should do our part to help keep it clean. My pet peeve is broken glass. I don’t drink but I believe if you’re going to out in the woods then you should use cans. If you throw them down and leave them then at least there’s a chance someone might pick them up and recycle them. Broken glass just sits there waiting for someone’s kid to step on it and cut their foot. This happened to my son one time. Talk about a day killer, not to mention my son was hurt and it cost me money to have him stitched up.

Good gravy! 70? Wayne that must make you one of the founding fathers! How did you get here from Plymouth Rock? LOL What do you mean by your last line?

Stone, Bull shoals at night with underwater lights? That sounds interesting! What’s that all about? Looking for crappie I hope?

No worries Ozark trout fish, I understand your situation! I have placed you on my utterly useless and retarded list! LOL We all know that anyone who lives as far north of the Ozarks as you do can’t be good for anything anyway! LOL Just don’t fall in the water because we won’t jump in to save you! Signed: ALL OF US LOL