Hooks...

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StudentofTheStream

StudentofTheStream

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I was wondering if anyone has used the chemically sharpened hooks that are manufactured by The Fly Shop out in Redding California. I have seen several advertisements in Fly Fisherman magazine but have never used them nor do I know anyone that has. I typically go with TMC or Dai-Riki hooks but if these are comparable I wouldn't mind giving them a shot. Any info on these is appreciated.
 
Orvis hooks are chemically sharpened, but I can't tell the difference between them and other hooks. I'd say give it a shot and see if you can tell a difference, but don't buy hooks from Orvis. I despise all of their products, and the only reason I even buy their tying materials is out of convinience (there is an Orvis store 1 mile from my apartment).
 
Hmmmm, SOMEONE"S not an "Orvis Fan", obviously!?
Anyway, SUPPOSEDLY, the "Chemically Sharpened" hooks, are sharper and give, "quicker, faster, penetration" because unlike other sharpening methods, that leave grooves and nicks in hooks points.
However every time I've seen this difference it's always shown "under a microscope", and if it takes that close of an inspection to tell the difference, I clearly don't see the point!?! (Great,pun, huh?).
For my fishing and tying, I've always preferred the Teimco #900 BL series hooks, plain and simple. They're as sharp are I need a hook, they're black, which I also like, the wire is strong and they're barbless.
Besides, the "Chemical Sharpening" is only as good as it lasts, until you take a file and "touch up" a hook, after nicking a rock or some, other, hard object and need to redress the point!!
Just my opinion anyway.
 
Tiemco hooks have performed very well for me, I see no reason to change. :cool:
 
you would be suprized who makes their hooks...HINT same as who makes orvis...
 
I have broken VERY few hooks in 25 years of fly fishing...I use whatever hook is the cheapest or most convenient to buy at the time. E-bay can be your friend.
 
I'm not picky about hooks at all. I prefer to buy mustad or tiemco, but whatever's there works. I prefer barbless too, but a pair of pliers fixes that fine for me if I can't get them.

Tom has it right once again.
 
Most mfgs. use the chem. process, its cheaper and the point isn't as thin as a ground/formed point. The most critical issue is heat treating, i've had some hooks so soft they pulled out of the fish and some so brittle they broke in the vice. There realy isn't much difference between the top three hook mfgs. it boils down to the confidence thing. Orvis is a great Company who stands behind their product with the best dealer network i know of. Be three hundred miles from home and break your rod, and see if any of the others will replace it in shop no questions asked and help you find some great fishing spots to boot.
 
I can't speak on Orvis hooks as I have never tied with them nor do any fly shops in my area carry their hooks. I do tend to shy away from Mustad hooks anymore as I got tired of buying 100 packs of hooks and having 6-10 hooks with unclosed eyes. I haven't had that problem with any other hook manufacturer though their hooks tend to be more expensive than mustad. I might give these Fly Shop hooks a shot and see how they turn out. Thanks for the input.
 
Student,

I have not used the “Fly Shop” hooks, but I have purchased hooks from the “Fish Guy” (link attached). The hooks he sells are supposedly made by Tiemco and are of good quality. They seem to be as sharp and durable as TMC, and are a lot cheaper.

I’ve used TMC, Orvis, Daiichi, and Mustad, as well as the aforementioned off brand, and the only hook don’t recommend is Mustad. Good luck.

http://www.thefishguy.net/hooks.htm
 
I had the fly guy hooks, the dimesions are not right and some of the wire is to light, I know use and carry Saber hooks...100% gauentee..................
 
I always recommend buying local, or buying from someone you know – give Sandfly a call and check out his hooks – I will next time.

As far as the “Fish Guys” hooks, I put them in my hook box along with my TMC’s and I cannot tell the difference between them...most importantly the fish don’t seem to mind.
 
I've seen the Fly Shop hooks in their catalog, but I'm disinclined to do business with them because of their heavy involvement in privatized water.

Call me quirky...


When I buy or consider buying hooks, it's always a struggle between my desire for reliability and quality and my deep and abiding cheapness.

I generally don't use Mustad hooks for dry flies for trout any more with the exception of the bigger 94831's for hoppers and 94840's for bigger terrestrials. However, all my bass and pike flies are tied on Mustads and I'm satisfied with the way they perform.

I like the Orvis Big Eye hooks more each year. But this is probably for the same reason that without my glasses, I have to stand on a chair to read the newspaper laid out of the floor.

I've been tying about half of my smaller dry flies lately on Cabela's Model 4 hooks, straight eye and (seems to me) a little longer in the shank. They're a pretty good hook, IMO. I suspect they are either Dai-Riki or Dai-Ichi, but do not know. The Cabelas scud hooks also seem to be pretty good.
The other half of my dries and most of the trout-sized nymphs are tied on Dai-Rikis. I've been lucky enough to get in with a small group of guys on bulk buys on these. They seem to be a pretty good hook

I've had really bad experiences with Bass Pro Shop (White River) chemically sharpened hooks. Virtually no temper and they pull out very easily.

Overall, I think a lot of the mud being thrown at Mustad is a little overblown. I've had some that had a brittle temper and others with a higher percentage of unclosed eyes, etc. But the next batch will be as good or better than any other hook I've used. So, maybe its a thing where Lars from QC has a three beer lunch every once in a while in Oslo and misses a few bad bathches now and then...
 
RleeP,

Good info about hooks. I wasn’t aware of any controversy with the “Fish Guy” shop.

I still have a few Mustad hooks left in my hook box. I tied with them when I first started out. My experience with Mustad has been similar to yours, plus a few other things – brittle temper (too many break when bending down barb or on snags), too many opened or closed eyes, not being as sharp as the other hooks, and rust. I can actually spot the Mustad hooks in my fly box by the rust spot left by the hook. I understand that their “Signature” series is equal to the top-of-the line hooks, but I believe their cost is equal to the other top brands. If I were limited to one brand to tie with, it would be Tiemco - for both variety of styles and quality.

Thanks again for the info.
 
I'll put in a second vote for Orvis big eye's for small dries; I swear less trying to thread them.
 
I like the Orvis Big Eye hooks more each year. But this is probably for the same reason that without my glasses, I have to stand on a chair to read the newspaper laid out of the floor.

I forget who, but one of the big hook companies makes a "big eye" hook. Ask about it in your local flyshop. It's a bit less expensive than the Orvis hooks.
 
You can be sure that neither Orvis or that fly shop in California is manufacturing hooks. They are buying and then re-selling hooks made by someone else.

There aren't many hook manufacturers in the world. Mustad makes hooks in Norway. I think nearly all the other hooks are made in Japan and even there I don't think there are many different factories (maybe 2 or so), but they get sold under a lot of different brand names.

I think Mustad hooks are inferior to the Japanese hooks, but I buy the Mustads because they're cheap. Interestingly one of the famous fly tyers, the one in Colorado, I can't think of his name, wrote a column recently in one of the magazines that the good old Mustad 94840 is the perfect dry fly hook. He ties for his customer with the Japanese hooks because that's what they want, but he thinks the Mustad 94840 is a better hook.
 
The Daiichi 1110 series looks like the Orvis big eye. Even the prices are the same ($4.75 per 25, for sizes smaller than 18).
 
troutbert, you are correct, Orvis builds rods and has a reel mfg. in Great Britton . Everything else is either built to their specs or made with their logo on it. I dont know of any Fishing Mfg. who does it all, its all about retail cost and margins, and overeas is cheaper. It would be a logistical nightmare to mfgr,package,market,and ship everything your costomers demand.
 
Just so you know Orvis closed the British Fly Reels Shop in Great Britain and has now gone to Asia for their reel manufacturing. Yes, they still make their premium rods in Manchester, VT.
 
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