With all the focus, strategies, choices, and tips concerning location for trout fishing as well as the debate over certain rods and reels, it is easy to forget how important trout fishing hooks are.
The debate over which hooks are the best has been around for as long as most anglers can remember, yet the question still remains.
What are the best hooks for trout fishing?
When it comes to trout fishing it is often the little and simple things that make the biggest difference. If you do not take enough time to think about your hooks you could end up losing some pretty big bites over the course of the day. This is certainly the case when using live bait, as you need to hide the hook as much as possible if you want to attract fish.
There are 3 very important aspects to consider when selecting trout fishing hooks. While there are a number of different variations and brands, if you make sure your hooks have these 3 aspects in common then you are going to be well prepared to hook into some beauties.
Trout Fishing Hook Sizes
When going after trout you always want to use the smallest hooks possible. For the majority of the time this means using 8’s or 10’s, and usually nothing larger than a 6. Trout are very adept at noticing differences or things that are out of place so you need the hook to be as hidden as possible. Some trout fishing experts even swear by hooks that are sized 12 or 14. Although, you might need to have a child around to work with these tiny hooks.
Fishing with Sharp Hooks
If you want to have the most success when trout fishing then you need to ensure your hooks are as sharp as possible. While brand new hooks are incredibly sharp they will dull after time. It is wise to keep a hook sharpener on hand or frequently change your hooks. If you like to drift fish and bounce your bait along the bottom of a river then you are definitely going to need to change your hooks as often as possible.
It has been said that over half of the bites we miss out on can be attributed to dull hooks. If that isn’t a statistic that inspires you to get out and purchase brand new hooks, what will?
Configuring your Trout Fishing Hooks
When you are dealing with live bait you have to make sure that your hooks are configured properly. One of the best configurations to use is a set of gang hooks. Hooks that are configured in this way can be impressively effective, especially when you are using worms to lure out some trout. If you don’t want to purchase a set of gang hooks, then another popular configuration is to use a #10 hook tied right in front of a small treble hook. This can work wonders if you are using Powerbait and not live worms.
The fact is that trout fishing hooks are incredibly important if you want to have the most success possible. There may not be any magic secret or special touch when it comes to trout fishing, but that is why it is often the little things that matter. Find hooks that have all of these characteristics in common and you will be ready to take the next step towards mastering the art of hooking into trout.
Trout fishing is all about fun, but it is hard to have fun when nothing is biting all day long.
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My grandfather always said “sharp hooks” are SUPER important… esp with trout. Nice piece BTW 🙂