Critique: Fly Tie Hooks

[Phil Lilley]

Tell us which you like and dislike and why-

Also speak to problems with availability, if any.

Where do you buy them? In a shop or on line?

[brittsnbirds]

Tiemco 2499 spbl, trying to find the teimco 100 in the spbl also. Hopefully 100 pack.

Pat

[Phil Lilley]

Good luck. Wapsi carries only the 25 pack in each. I carry the 2499spbl's in the shop but not the 100spbl's. I sell very few of these hooks.

[Gavin]

I carry others, but these are the ones I use most often, but I'll tie on anything that is sharp, available, and cheap in that order.

First number is Dai-Riki second is Tiemco, n/a means that I dont use that brand for that style of fly.

Standard Dry Fly 300 100

Scud/Z-midge 125 2488

Std. Nymph 60 3671

York Bend 270 200R

Emerger 310 101

Bugger Hooks 700 & 710 n/a

Bass & Clousers 810 8089

Heavy Duty Glo Ball n/a 105

Bucktails n/a 300

Soft Hackle n/a 102Y

Scud hooks..I dont like the conventional down eye hooks in 16 and smaller..the Dai Riki 125 and the TMC 2488 or 2499's hook fish a lot better. Cheers.

[Rolan Duffield]

My first choice is Dai-Riki for sharpness and strength, then TMC and Mustad. I mostly prefer the Sproat bend style of hooks. Standard Mustad hooks are generally reasonably strong hooks though not as sharp as other brands.

Always prefer to buy them in quantities of 100 per box. buying in smaller quantities really drives up the cost.

[jdmidwest]

I have always used Daiichi or Mustad. Both hold up well. 100 packs are the best if you can get them. New flytyers will go for the 25 packs to get a variety of hooks but if they tie alot will soon migrate to the 100's.

[rollcaster]

I tie almost exclusively with Mustad hooks. Never had a problem with quality or availability and you can't beat the price. Las time I checked Mustad didn't make a scud hook so for these I prefer Daiichi, Dai-Riki, and TMC in that order.

I buy in quantities of 100 and generally buy online from Feathercraft or Hook & Hackle.

[zsmith62]

I've got a little bit of everything, and its kinda hard to tell what I've got from each brand because I keep them in one of those hook boxes, so they're all mixed together by size and style, not by who makes them. However, when I tie streamers, I almost go with gamakatsu exclusively.

[flyfishmaster]

I do what Zach does, by mixing up my hooks all together by type and size. But I normal buy Daiichi & Dai-Riki for my size 16 - 26 hooks. I purchase Mustad for sizes 14 or larger. I do try my best to buy in 100 packs (it depends on my spending budget at the time of purchase).

Last year I purchase 3 - 25 packs of gamakatsu hooks in size 20, 22 & 24. I used them upper in two week and had terrible results. Out of the 75 hooks, 22 broke right at the bend on the vice. Over the last 10 years, I have only broke 4 hooks on the vice. Gamakatsu was going to replace them, but I said no I just wanted a refund.

I have also come to a conclusion over the two years, I do not like or buy any hooks with down turned eyes. It is just a personal preference.

later,

FFM

[zsmith62]

Never had any of the gamakatsus break on the vice, but that may just be me, I just like them because they seem to be sharper than any of the other brands I bought. Mustad seems about as sharp as the Gama's, but i usually just stick to the gama's. I've never bought any in the smaller sizes, but I usually switch from brand to brand everytime I go in to buy hooks. I don't really have any one real preference but maybe thats because ive never had any real big problems with any particular brand.