Sharpen Hooks ??

[JohnScott]

As a trout fisherman, it's never seemed necessary to me to sharpen hooks, even after a given fly has caught fishies on multiple outings. I fish moving water almost exclusively, regularly catching trouts ranging from 4-5" brookies to browns over 20" with a large majority being bows, cutts, and browns in the 10" to 18" range.

Just wondering if others make it a habit to sharpen their hooks, and if there are different approaches taken by folks chasing different species, or bigger trouts ??

John

[Normand]

havent sharpened a hook in 28 years of tying/fly fishing. out of the box, into the vise and then into the fish. if i bend or break a point, time for a new fly

i do remember getting mustads with bent points, but i guess the quality control has gotten better

[Clay]

I don't sharpen new hooks in typical trout sizes, muskie hooks all get sharpened right out of the box. I like my hooks like I like my broadheads - damn sharp. I also carry a diamond file with me and after fishing for a little while the hooks become dull and I sharpen most hooks often in size 16 and larger. Very small hooks are not an issue based on wire size alone they will penetrate. Different strokes for different people, but for me, sharpening hooks is a way of life.

[maodiver]

with modern hooks the way they are, I wouldn't sharpen one, unless I was going after some hard-mouthed species. Sure as God made little green apples, I would over sharpen and weaken an already sharp hook

[Eric-WD]

I check my hook on my thumb nail, if it slides I sharpen it.

I use a metal nail file it only takes a second. I also sharpen them while fishing if I feel that it has had a opportunity to get dull such as hung up or banged on rocks.

Eric

[Big Bad Wulff]

Larger hooks(1.0-4.0) need to be sharpened. The small hooks for fly fishing seem to be pretty sharp out of the "box".

[Colston Newton]

I don't often bother with smaller hooks, but sharpen the big ones regularly.

[modocdan]

I nearly never sharpen hooks. I lose 'em, or break 'em on rocks first.... I do have a very cool hook hone I got from my uncle 40+ years ago, and I keep it in my pouch, but I can count on one hand the times I've used it on a hook. When I do lose fish, which is often enough, I really don't think it's because the hooks ain't sharp.............ModocDan

[quivira kid]

I lose 'em or the fly is too tore up to worry about sharpening, as a rule.

[Panman]

I carry a small sharpening stone (1 x 3) in my pocket. Only takes a second to restore a hook point that has been damaged in the rocks. Also helps when I forget to sharped my pocket knife & want to make quick work of a mess of eater fish.

Tim