The Ultimate Guide To Fly Tying Hooks

If you’re going to invest the time and materials into tying a fly, you want it to perform at its best— whether that is effective fishing or perfect looks — and that starts with the hook. It’s the backbone of every successful fly. The type of hook you choose sets the stage for your fly’s effectiveness, influencing not only the tying design proportions but also how it behaves in the water and ultimately hooks fish. Every hook has a purpose, from the subtle curves of an emerger hook to the stout durability of a saltwater hook built for tying flies for Giant Trevally.

Fly tying hooks have a few notable defining characteristics: construction material, style, gauge and size. There are quite a few styles, sizes, and materials available, and your choice of hooks will vary significantly based on the fly pattern you're tying, the target species you’re aiming to catch, and the fishing conditions you’ll encounter. If you’re starting out, or upskilling your tying with new, challenging patterns it can all feel a bit daunting. Fear not — this guide will explain everything you need to know about fly tying hooks, helping you make confident choices when you SHOP FLY TYING HOOKS.

Each part of a hook influences how your fly looks, moves, and performs in the water. Understanding these components is essential for creating flies that are durable, effective, and tailored to specific target species fishing conditions.

• The Bend: Is the curved portion of the hook that is secured in the vise. Different hook bends—such as round, sproat, or wide-gape—affect how your fly keels and moves in the water and how effectively it hooks fish.
• The Gape: The distance between the shank and the point. A wider gape is better for larger fish or bulkier fly patterns, while a narrower gape is suited for smaller, delicate flies.
• The Wire: Refers to the thickness of the hook. Thin-wire hooks are lightweight and perfect for delicate dry flies that need to float, while thicker wire hooks offer the strength needed for bigger fish like salmon or steelhead.
• The Finish: Whether bronze, black nickel, or stainless steel—affects its overall performance for specific fish species, helps prevent rust, and enhances its visual appeal.

From the angle of the eye to the curve of the shank, every detail of a hook is designed with a purpose in mind. Let’s examine some of the most popular types of fly tying hooks and how they influence your fly designs and performance.

The eye of a hook isn’t just where you knot your tippet —it influences how the fly sits in the water.

• Straight Eye: Often used for streamers and wet flies because they allow for a straight pull through the water. This style is ideal for imitating bait fish or other swimming prey.
• Downturned Eye: Used for dry flies and nymphs. This design helps the fly lie flatter on the water's surface or sink naturally when underwater. They also create a more compact fly design, perfect for imitating small insects.

The shank shape has a huge impact on the appearance and functionality of your fly.

• Straight Shank: The classic choice for most fly patterns, from nymphs to streamers. It provides a clean and simple base for tying and works well for flies designed to have a linear profile, like a Woolly Bugger.

• Curved Shank: A favorite for emerger and scud patterns as they mimic the natural curve of an insect's body, giving your fly a lifelike appearance. In the salt they are often used for crustacean patterns such as shrimp and crab flies.

• Barbed Hooks: These hooks feature a small projection below the point to help keep fish securely hooked. They’re ideal for situations where losing a catch could be frustrating. However, they can make it harder to release fish without injury.
• Barbless Hooks: Designed for lower-impact catch-and-release fishing, barbless hooks are easier to remove, reducing harm to the fish. While they require more skill to keep fish hooked, many anglers appreciate the added challenge and their conservation benefits. A debarbed hook is also far easier to remove from yourself (or your fishing partner) if you happen to send a wayward cast on a windy, rocking driftboat.

The gape—the space (and shape) between the hook shank and the point—determines how a fly keels in the water and how a hook sets into a fish’s mouth.

• Wide-Gape Hooks: These hooks are great for bulkier flies like bass bugs or saltwater baitfish imitations. The wider gap ensures there’s enough room to hook larger fish and helps the fly keel well.
• Narrow-Gape Hooks: Ideal for delicate patterns like midges and small dry flies, a narrow gap keeps the fly subtle and lightweight.

Hook sizes are represented by numbers on a single scale, which works in two directions. On the smaller side, the higher the number, the smaller the hook—for example, a size 18 is much smaller than a size 4. On the larger side of the scale, sizes are denoted with a "/0" (pronounced “aught”), such as 1/0, 2/0, or 6/0, where larger numbers indicate larger hooks. These hooks are ideal for tying beefy flies used to target big game fish like bass, pike, or saltwater species.

Why does size matter? Different hook sizes correspond to different fly patterns and target species. Tiny hooks, such as sizes 18–22, are ideal for delicate dry flies and micro nymphs meant to imitate small insects like midges or mayflies - common prey for freshwater trout. Medium-sized hooks, around sizes 8–14, are more versatile and suitable for a variety of patterns like streamers, wet flies, or classic dry flies. Larger hooks, like sizes 2–6 or 1/0 and up, are typically used for flies that imitate bigger prey, such as baitfish or large terrestrials, making them perfect for targeting salmon, bass, and saltwater species.

Choosing the right fly tying hook sizes for your fly patterns can make a big difference in your fly’s performance and appearance. Hooks shape how your fly behaves in the water, and the key to a successful fly is balance. A hook that’s too large can overwhelm your materials, while one that’s too small might not provide enough surface area to anchor your fly securely.

Mastering the art of fly tying starts with understanding the importance of the right hook. By knowing the nuances of shape, size, material, and purpose, you set the foundation for crafting flies that are not only visually compelling but also effective on the water.