Whats the difference? Why would I use an up eye hook instead of a down eye and vice versa?
heres what mustad says
I don’t have an answer for this; however I am interested to see what people think. Mustad did not answer this question in the above link.
I use Striaght shank hook’s only in dry’s and wet’s.
I have to adhere to the K.I.S.S principle…I Get Real Cornfuzed Easy:rolleyes:
I remember reading somewhere a while back that an up-eyed hook was useful for diving deerhair flies because the eye orientation pulled the fly under when the line was stripped.
I have yet to experiment with the idea, but it seems like it might have some effect. I tie most of mine on straight eye hooks, but maybe I’ll try a few on different models and see how they differ in the water.
I read someplace a long time ago that the gap between the eye and the point of the hook increases with an up eye. So, when you tie on anything smaller than a size 20 change over to an up eye hook because of the smaller gap. I switch over on my 22s to 28s. Supposed to increase your hook setting ability. Just something I read that seemed to make sense.
Beaver
Which hook you use for a particular pattern depends on lots of things.
The type of knot you use…as an example: for many years, dry flies were tied on down eye hooks and the tyers left some space behind the eye to accomodate a Turle knot…that way the ‘pull’ was straight long the shank.
The attitude you want the fly to assume in the water. A down eye hook on a bead head fly will usualy ride hook point up (helpful in reducing snags)…etc. If you want a fly to ride high in the water column, an up eye hook will help facilitate this…as it will assist with flies you want to ‘skate’ on the surface.
You can tie a ‘larger’ or ‘bulkier’ fly without infringing on the hook gap as much if you use a straight eye or up eyed hook. Whether or not this matters is up to you.
A lot of it is just ‘tradition’ or ‘what’s handy’. I’m not all that convinced that it matters much.
Buddy
Considering that down eye are the most prelavent hook style, it is the most common type I use. Other than that, there are some consideration for tradition, so for example I use up looped eye hooks for steelhead patterns, which does serve some purpose when employing a riffle hitch. The only other consideration is straight eye or even up eye hooks give you a bit more gape on smaller flies (<#18) and that can be useful in some situations.
While there are endless arguments about hooking ability and even presentation on the part of the straight/up eye camp, I personally do not find their position credible, except perhaps for smaller flies.
Way back in the 1890s, hook variety was much more limited and most eyed hooks were d/e and were used for wet flies and bait. About this time the dry fly obsession was really in full swing, if you mail ordered upeyed hooks they would be light wired dry fly hooks.
I personally believe all other arguments are after the event moot points.
You can get light wire hooks in any configuration you want nowadays.
Make your choice.
I’m with Beaver on this one
I use up eyes for small stuff to maximize the gape… Almost all salmon fly hooks have looped up eyes and I use them by the hundreds every year.
Straight eyes are needed for articulated stuff or when tied into other gear and most especially when used on patterns that crowd the eye. Deer hair bugs, muddlers and woolhead sculpins come to mind.
Down eyes are what is available for most stuff…
But I am still lost on the vertical, straight eyes… 
art
Good morning.
Up or down.
I was taught about, well almost 50 years ago by a rather old fella, then
that,
Dry fly hooks will be UP turned eyed
Wet flies will be tied on a down turned hook.
All flies will be ties to the leader with a Turle knot…‘that way the ‘pull’ was straight long the shank’…thanks Buddy.
This will ensure a straight pull that will AND DOES produce a better hook-up rate.
Upturn, dry fly
Something to think about, when you try to copy nature to trick a fish into eating some fur and feathers tied on a chunk of steel.
You send as much time as possible to build the perfect fly.
and then you tie a knot to your leader that hangs out the front of the said fly that looks like …something hanging down from a male dog !
The old fellas from long ago were smarter than most of todays fly fishers.
BECAUSE
they hid the knot, they tied the knot onto the steel shank of the hook with a Turle knot, when this happened there is no knot hanging out the front of the fly, just a straight section of leader material.
This way of attaching flies was a left over idea from long ago, when fly hooks did not have eyes, the leader section was tied into the construction of the fly.
PLEASE, tie on a #…what ever, first with a common knot that hangs out the front, and then the Turle or improved Turle knot, at that moment you will see and understand the difference.
Wet fly, a far better straight line pull and again no knot hanging out the front like a dog’s xxxxxxx.
Kind regards,
UB
ps, some old guys still tie flies onto their leaders with a Turle knot.
I like how some patterns look with up-eye hooks but I wouldn’t waste one on a fly I
din’t like…but needed to tye to catch fish…down eye hooks are good enough for
any ole fly and straight eye looks great on
some other flies. Like John Scott mentioned,
I get excited when I see a puddle in the street…wait, maybe that was Joni.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Oooh, Oooh! I know this one…
Straight eyes are for regular fish.
Up-Turned eyes are for Salmon
Down-Turned Eyes are for regular fish, when you might want to use a Turl-Loop.
and Parallel hooks are for fish with big mouths, like bass.