bending hooks

[DDRRedneck500]

so around where i live fishing isnt very big and so the stores dont carry a lot of fishing supplies. few supplies means few hooks. so when i go shopping for hooks i have very few options, the main ones being plain shanks and aberdeens. there a very few others to choose from so in order to get hooks for certain flies i have to either order them from cabelas which is expensive, or bend them to how i want them. is there anything wrong with bending them? when i fish i use about 6-8 pound test line so i usually dont have a whole lot of pressure on the hook and my *custom* hooks seem to work well for everything ive tried so far and i can bend them into scud hooks, octopus hooks, and really anything neccesary so i just wanted to make sure if theres anything wrong with doing that.
thanks for any help

[sagefisher]

Personally, I have always resisted the urge to bend hooks, but then I have easy access to a wide variety of hooks so the need isn't really there.

Metal is often bent but then it is hardened again. After that treatment, when you bend the metal it will weaken it. The amount that you have weakened the metal may not be a factor depending on the original strength of the metal. For example, If it was 100 pounds and by bending the metal once you weakened it to say 80 pounds, as long as you only need 50 pounds of strength, it doesn't matter.

That is like tying an 80% knot in a 10 pound line, now the line is really only rated at 8 pounds, but if you only needed 5 pounds, it is all right.

I would give one word of caution. Bend the metal only once and only in one direction. If you bend it and decide you bent it too much so bend it back a little, you will really weaken the metal. Toss it away and bend a new hook. Just once and not to any huge degree or angle. The more you bend it the greater the loss of strength.

I have talked to some pro fly tyers who have indicated they bend hooks often, to achieve a particular look to a certain fly. Like I said, I have just always resisted the urge to do so.

Another way to look at it, since you have been bending it all along, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Since you have been bending the hooks and they have not broken on you, then continue to do what you are doing.

However, if there is one particular style of hook you find that you need then I would suggest you do an internet search and find a supplier who will sell you a few hundred of them, then you won't have to bend a hook to achieve that style.

Larry

[Flyrodde]

There are a number of quality internet stores other than cabela's that are both cheaper in price and in shipping. Check out the sponser page and then do some searches on your own.

Never had a problem with bending hooks for trout. But when you get into larger stronger fish, try not to bend your hooks. IF they do bend on a snag or a fish switch flies.

[William Fitzgerald]

Some times i bend up a down eye hook to a straight eye. I found only Eagle Claw will bend without breaking. BILL

[RG/AR]

DDR, if you're bending them without a problem, what's the problem?

[Kerry]

Gary LaFontaine originally bent hooks for the Dancing Caddis, until he found Swedish Dry Fly hooks, so I would think it will serve you well. The hook points seem to be of a harder temper and tend to snap off a little easier if you play with it, but otherwise you should be okay and as RG/AR says, if it's working it should work.

[Joe Valencic]

A seasoned fly tier enlightened me to a pair of round nosed pliers that should be used to bend wire hooks, They do not put any kink in the wire, thus reducing the likelyhood of breakage.



I got my pair at a flea market for $4.95.

Joe

[modocdan]

Hey DDr.... These guys sell hooks online, too..
Gamakatsu.com
sportgear.com Also loonoutdoors.com has some neat stuff. happy fishin'.............ModocDan

[Humber Brad]

I've done it, but I always think of paperclips when I do it. It doesn't take too many bends before a paper clip just cracks off, so there must be a weakening of the metal. I would assume it is the same for hooks, probably worse, considering they seem to be more rigid/less malleable.
I prefer avoiding it, but I will sometimes do it if I want to try a new pattern with a different hook. If I like it, then I'll buy the proper hooks for a full batch.

[diamonddawg]

Shop eBay and see what' available. Some may not care for it but I?ve bought many, many items from eBay and the few problems that did develop were quickly resolved (of course with any mail order site or company the possibility of problem exists). Try to stick to the eBay stores, they?ve been around awhile and want you to come back. Most of the eBay stores will combine the product that you order from them and ship them all at once, then discount the total shipping cost.