Okay, I’m trying to organize some hooks. What’s the difference in a Mustad 3906B and 3399A? I’m going to search online, but figured I’d ask here to start out with!
3906 is standard length, 1x strong
3606B is 1x long, 1x strong
3399A is 2x long, 1x strong
Maybe?
The 3906 has a tapered eye. The 3399 has a balled eye. They are pretty much the same hook other than that. I’m not sure what the letters are all about.
So I’m guessing the 3399A and the 3906B are both 1x long then… Anybody care to confirm?
One is 1X long and the other is 2X long. The 3399A should be about 1 eye-length longer than the 3906B, which is 1 eye-length longer than the 3906.
Mustad’s site is not real clear on the Classic hooks. I am reading it that the 3399A has a smaller head than the 3399. That is in the Classic Series.
If you look at the Signature series, the S70-3399 is 2x heavy while the S60-3399A is 1x heavy. Both are standard length. The S80-3906 is 3x heavy, standard length while the S82-3906B is 3x heavy and 2x long
Hi,
I’ve used both hooks listed. 3906B-standard eye, 1x long, heavy wire, sproat bend. I consider it bordering on a nymph hook, but it can be used for wets. 3399A a ball eye, is standard length, medium or standard wire, sproat bend. It’s a good wet fly hook.
This fly is tied on a 3399A:
Starling and Hare #12
Mark
I honestly have trouble seeing the difference in the eyes… Might just be a pun there… But this should show the differences cleanly.
All size 14 3906, 3906B, 3399A from the top.
The difference in the gaps is part of why Mustad went to a new system with all of the hooks using the same standard. There is a significant difference in gap between the three hooks, that is not an illusion.
art
Hap shows it exactly…they all go up in length 1 eye-length at a time… The 3399A is 2 eye-lengths longer than the 3906 (2X Long).
Hap-
Thank you thank you thank you! That’s awesome! I didn’t have all 3 in the same size, so I couldn’t do that.
I use the OLD 3339 all the time and I’m almost 1000% positive that the hook pictured in the middle is a 3399A, NOT a 3906B. Maybe Dr. Fish can confirm?
One of the differences between the old 3906/3906B and old 3399/3399A is the shape of the bend at the barb. Both are sproat bends but on the 3399, the point curves upward toward the shank while the 3906/3906B have points that are almost parallel to the shank. The look of that upward curving hook point is one of the reasons the old 3399 is favored by classic wet fly tyers. I bought over 4000 of the old version right after the conversion for that very reason; they just LOOK better.
The NEW Signature version of the 3399 the S70-3399 has a shape that more closely approximates the shape of the 3906 as shown here:
Mustad 3906: Nymph, Standard Wire, Standard Length, Turn-Down Eye, Spoat Bend, Bronze Finish.
Mustad 3906B: Nymph, 1-XH Wire, 1-XL Length, Turn-Down Eye, Sproat Bend, Bronze Finish.
Mustad 3399: Nymph, Standard Wire, Standard Length, Turn-Down Eye, Sproat Bend, Bronze Finsh.
Mustad 3399A: Nymph, Standard Wire, Standard Length, Turn-Down Eye (either undersized or needle eye, Spoat Bend, Bronze Finsh.
Parnelli
Other brands that are similar.
Mustad 3906: Daiichi 1550, Dai-Riki 075, Eagle Claw 1057, Gamkatsu L10-2H, Hayabua 373, Kamasan B175, Orvis 1641, Partridge G3A or J1A or CS7MW, Varuvas 98r, VMC 8526.
Mustad 3906B: Daiichi 1560, Dai-Riki 060 or 300, Damasan B170, Orvis 1671, Partridge SH2, VMC 8527.
Mustad 3399: Daiichi 2546, Gamakatsu S12S-1F or S10S or SS15, Orivs 9034, Partridge CS41 or CS51, VMC 9752.
Mustad 3399A: Same as the above lising for Mustad 3399.
The problem is…the 3609 & the 3399 series hooks are each a different series hook. So there is no direct comparison.
The 3609B is 1XL or 1 eye length longer than the 3609.
When comparing the 3399A to the 3609…the only noticeable difference is that it is 2 eye lengths longer. The 3399 series is also standard wire which makes it more compatable to dry fly applications than the 3609 series hooks.
In looking at the hooks in hand, with very few holes between sizes 8 and 18 it appears the gap differences are continued across the three series. The 3906B is wider and the 3399 is narrower when compared to the 3906.
The wire in the 3399 is finer than in the other two.
Again, the new system is supposed to address these issues and new specification designations are different from the old for those reasons.
art
Looking at the slight difference in those three hooks tells me a great deal.
I could tie the same fly on any of them and catch fish.
To my mind, they are basically interchangeable wet fly/nymph hooks.
So, when looking online for hook deals, I’ll buy the ones I can get the most of for the best price.
Thanks guys.
Buddy
Remember Mustad has recently changed their hook lines. The old or classic hooks might be slightly different than their Signature series. I’d have to agree with Steven’s listings. The 3906B is/was definitely heavier and longer than the 3399A. The 3906 is heavier than the 3399A or 3399. It may be slightly shorter, but not by much. All these hooks are sproat bend. The 3906 and 3906B were originally ring eyed. The 3399 and 3399A were originally ball eyed.
It is rather confusing.
Mark
For my own use I tied at least a couple hundred scuds each year on the 3906B, sizes 12-16, bent to hump slightly down pretty well forward. I would not do that with the 3399.
This thread is gonna get printed out and put in my 3-ring binder. Some fantastic side-by-side comparison and whatnot. Thanks for the clarification, guys!
For what its worth I can tell you the 3399A is slightly longer than a 3399,the 3399A up my way is used a lot for butt bugs like the green machine.That is the hook W.W. Doak in New Brunswick uses for their butt bugs.
I’m with Mark Libertone (Softhackle). I like the 3399 for wets, and prefer it to the 3906. I’ve heard some say there is no real difference but to me there is. Without getting into specs and eye lengths, for me the real difference is at the eye. The 3906 seemingly has a tiny “ramp” where the shank leads down to the eye, and the 3399 doesn’t, and I like a wet fly hook that doesn’t. The 3906B I always thought of as a nymph hook, and it’s longer. The slight ramp down to the eye is quite problematical for me, and my thread always seems to go down there and get caught in the eye. Maybe it’s simply the shape of the eye, I don’t know, but there is a decided difference, at least for me.
Eric