I tied a hair bug on a hook like the top one in this picture rather than on the kind I usually use which is the bottom one in the picture. I tied it last winter but just fished it last Tuesday. I drew several strikes to the bug but either did not hook up at all or had the fish on only briefly. I believe the problem was the shape of the hook but I really don’t understand why. Any ideas?
I think the shape and the width of gap may be the problem. The top hook looks like an Aberdeen, which I use a lot for bream flies with no problems, the bottom looks like something designed for bass.
rainbow,
The top hook has a narrower gape then the bottom which is a ‘stinger’ hook style. Maybe there just isn’t enough hooking space remaining on the top hook after you’ve applied the hair?
Allan
I think the replies you have received are “right on”, but, I wanted to “throw” out some thoughts I have. I try and not tie anything on a very long hook shank. The reason is what you experienced and that is that the fish get off during the fight. I have given some thought on this and feel that most of the time, a trout is hooked just inside their lip and during the fight, they become “unhooked” because they use the extra length of the hook shank as a “lever” and this pops the hook out. If you use a little shorter hook shank, most of the hook shank is within their mouth and all that comes in contact during the fight is the tippet and not the hook shank. Not sure I explained this too well. I guess I feel that when they turn during the fight and the long hook shank comes in contact with the corner of their mouth, it acts as a lever that will help unhook the fish.
Just thoughts and nothing more…
Right on too Warren.
Some patterns just work better on longer shank hooks. Crease flies on 2xl hooks for example. I try to use the shortest hook possible for for the application. To help reduce the impacts of the lever action I get the hook as sharp as possible and crush the barb. I want the hook to penetrate to the bend. The barb can impair penetration and a hook that has only penetrated to the barb and not beyond will come out easier through that lever action.
When tying hair bugs on narrow gape hooks I try to keep all of spun or stacked hair on the front half of the hook. This will help prevent the hair from obstructing the gape and at least improve initial hook up success. A lot of commercially made hair bugs and cork or foam poppers in smaller sizes do not hook fish well because the body obstructs the the hook gape, reducing hook up success.
The smallest hook that I have found with the proportions that I like is the Tiemco 8089 in a size 12, which is really much larger than your typical dry or nymph style size 12 hook. It seems few shops carry this hook. I had my local shop special order a couple of 100ct boxes for me. I wish Tiemco produced the 8089 in smaller sizes.
You can do 2 things to it trim more hair off the toward the back flat and the other thing is to slightly open the hook gap with a plier. Using a hook with larger gap is the key to get good hook ups especially with bass.
Personally, I HATE hooks with up-turned eyes…
Yes, I know that lots of fish are caught on such hooks every year, but in my experience with several of these “up-turned eye” style hooks (i.e. usually in smaller sizes or with longer length shanks), they often resulted in poorer hook-ups than straight or down-turned eyed hooks.
I bet that if you used a hook of similar gap and shank length, but with a straight ordown-turned eye, that your poor hooking problems would disappear.
Just my two cents…
Bowfin47
thanks, guys. I don’t think the problem is in the gape as I measured the gape on this fly and one tied on a stinger hook. the stinger hook has a gape of 12/32"’ while this fly has a gape of 11/32". On both flies I use a section of palmered hackle over the tie in for the tail to leave the point exposed. I think the difference has to do with the angle of the point to the bottom of the fly. The tip of the stinger hook points toward the hook eye while the tip on this fly points a few degrees below a line parallel to the shank. I am going to try bending the point a bit to one side and if that doesn’t work I will probably toss the fly unless someone comes up with another idea. I am not going to tie any more hair bugs on these hooks.
Rainbowchaser;
I think if you post a pic of the fly, you would easily find an answer to your question.
Here is the fly with the hook already bent out a bit but I think it is very hard to make out the hook shape:
Well by the looks of it looks good. I am thinking that they were short striking but you could bend the hook side offset a lill bit. It pretty common to get a lot of blow ups from bass. It sucks sometime tho and feels like you missing them. Keep fishing it and your luck will be on your side. Good luck!