Tarpon Hook ? ?
- This topic has 26 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated Feb 7, 2012 at 9:42 am by
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OK, so I have been trolling around trying to understand these things, and obviously try and find the best one, but I suppose there is a lot of personal preference in the choice.
So I ask 2 questions. In your mind…
1. What makes a good tarpon hook?
2. Which hook do you considered the best tarpon hook?Zack, next time you interview a tarpon type guide, please ask them to explain the hook story, including the sharpening process, and if that is still necessary?? And their preference in hooks…
I’m no Tarpon guy but the Tiemco 600 SP is a bone piercing hook from hell. If I were going to tie Tarpon flies that is the only hook I would use straight out of the box. It’s the only hook I’ll use for Striper and Muskie flies.
Tarpon hooks should be very strong with a relatively long shank (unless you are using tube flies, which is a different issue altogether). I use either a Gamakatsu SC-15, size 3/0 or a SL11-3H 4/0.
Gamakatsu SC15, 2HS! (or Owner SSW)
Here in the states, where the fishing pressure is high and the fish are selective, we use 1/0 or even 1’s. Bigger is not always better. The KEY is to keep the hook point sharp. Bring a diamond sharpener with you at all times and constantly keep the hook sharp (especially after hooking a fish or even if you ding the side of the boat with the fly).
What makes a good Tarpon hook? Sharp sharp sharp and good ability to penetrate the hard mouth. Stick em Jackie!
My favorite tarpon hooks are Gami SC15 or SC17, Owner Aki or even Owner mosquito for babies, or Tiemco SP600. It all depends on the fly. Most of my small baitfish are tied on the SC 15. I fish the Aki or Owner for bigger fish and bigger patterns including deep water clousers. If there is any chance of touching bottom or a coral head I fish the Aki. The SP600 is an amazing hook but if you touch bottom the point curls. For EVERY hook except the SP600, I take my little diamond hook hone and “nip” the point so it bends just a little away from the shank and then I sharpen it. This prevents the tarpon from dulling it for you and makes for lots more hookups.
I totally agree that bigger is not always better. Sometimes I fish big fish on a size 1 or even 2 (don’t land too many on a 2 :o) ), but mostly I am using 2/0 up to 4/0 for deep fish.
“The SP600 is an amazing hook but if you touch bottom the point curls.”
I’d have to politely disagree with that. I fish more days a year than I care to admit in limestone laden rivers and am constantly dragging these hooks into solid rocks. I’ve NEVER, not one time, curled a point on an SP. Super Point is the whole idea behind these hooks. They never need sharpening.
Bob I’ve got flies in my box that I tied two years ago. Keep in mind that I’m not in the salt though.
At least try them you’ll be impressed but they are a bit costly. Bill Butts recommended them to me a while back. We were talking about Striper and how I was getting alot of missed eats, and I thought it was my hook, which was a Gama stinger 3/0 or 4/0. My catch ratio went from about 50% to about 90% when I switched. It made a believer out of me and everyone else that I’ve recommended them to since.Ask Jarrod about how sharp they stay. I got to watch blood shoot out of his thumbnail one day when he tried to lip a decent Striper. The fish shook his head which caused the point of the hook to hit Jarrod’s thumbnail. It penetrated the nail and left a neat little hole for the blood to come out. Ouch!
Note to Mike regarding this “I’d have to politely disagree with that. I fish more days a year than I care to admit in limestone laden rivers and am constantly dragging these hooks into solid rocks. I’ve NEVER, not one time, curled a point on an SP. Super Point is the whole idea behind these hooks. They never need sharpening.”
I fished tarpon about 30 days last year in Belize. Since the question was about tarpon hooks that was what my response was about. I can tell you that when I hook the coral bottom with a 3/0 or 4/0 SP the point of the hook bends or curls. It does not happen with the Aki. PEACE! 🙂
Mike, on I use the 600sp on big clousers, with the biggest heavy eyes I can get and I am using on a line with a 550 gr sink tip.
The SC15 is a really good hook. I’ve started using the SL12 and like them.
I wouldn’t give a nickle for a Tiemco saltwater hook. They are over tempered and I’ve heard of (and have personally had) several break in vise and on fish.
The Owner hooks would be way cooler if they were silver and not black.
OK, so it’s still like an open ended question, but we are getting there.
No go with the TMC 600sp, we had 3 of them break on our last tour. Not the hook, you need 2 tractors to do that, but the cutting point breaking off when they tried to penetrate that hard mouth.
We like the Aki, but there’s that cutting blade again, we’re gonna test them this week, perspex seems to be the thing to pull it on.
Got samples of the other hooks mentioned. I think the SC15 is the business for the bunny’s and sempa’s, like the SC17 for the swimming shrimps and small crabs.
So the next questions…
Both Bill Bishop’s, High Rollers, and Donald Larmouth & Rob Fordyce’s, Tarpon on Fly, say that the hook should be sharpened by creating a triangular shaped point, with three cutting edges.
What do you guys think??Both Bill Bishop’s, High Rollers, and Donald Larmouth & Rob Fordyce’s, Tarpon on Fly, say that the hook should be sharpened by creating a triangular shaped point, with three cutting edges.
What do you guys think??Mike, when I started Tarpon fishing I thought the guys were obsessed with the hooks.
Neal, isn’t there someone at the Fish Hawk who seriously respected in the tarpon community??
We’re going to mail a few people and see what comes back.
Yep. Gary Merriman. I was told by a very, very famous tarpon angler/guide that he was probably one of the top 10 in the world. I know he’s caught a lot and really cuts through all the tech bs to tell you what works and what doesn’t.
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