I watched a video on you tube by Adam Penning,a guy who I find good at explaining his ideas,now this video was about his gear,in amongst it he explained the importance he gave to sharpening hooks,he has a Jag hook sharpening kit,he explained,showing you how how went about it,with before and after photos,because I worked in engineering the mechanics side of it was more than simple to understand,what was off was the fact that after a take,the hook point basically buckled nine times out of ten,requiring a new hook after every fish,your views please?
Hook sharpening....
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mikench
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I may not the sharpest angler on the bank but my hooks usually are. I use new.
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I only do it with larger hooks. I think I would do more harm than good on smaller sizes. I must say how easy it is to turn a hook point after catching it up on bankside vegetation which I frequently do.
steve2
Well-known member
I have a hook sharpener in my tackle box the last time I used it must be at least 40 years ago. Never found the need with modern hooks.
That's true. It's very rare these days to have to change a hook during a session because it has lost its point or bent out of shape. It wasn't always like that. The only fishing I do that takes a toll on hooks is legering for barbel in the Trent, and then hooks with in-turned points last better.
theartist
Well-known member
I use an old dart sharpener, use it quite often on size 18s but not much on larger hooks, be lost without it. I don't think I ever blunt it on fish it's nearly always snags, most fish have pretty soft mouths after all. I think quite a few anglers are a bit ocd when they replace hooks after each fish but it must depend on what hook and what type of fishing they are doing.
I've also seen an angler on the bank who said he always replaced hooks each fish not doing it so without trying to be mischievous (i'll name no names) I do believe there's a small minority who claim to do it every time as it makes them look meticulous in their approach.
I've also seen an angler on the bank who said he always replaced hooks each fish not doing it so without trying to be mischievous (i'll name no names) I do believe there's a small minority who claim to do it every time as it makes them look meticulous in their approach.
stillwater blue
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Bear in mind that Adam Penning will be sponsored or paid directly by Jag to make the video, it is in effect an advert.
Perhaps a buckling hook point is a result of over sharpening a hook point and removing too much material thus weakening the hook point?
Perhaps a buckling hook point is a result of over sharpening a hook point and removing too much material thus weakening the hook point?
Personally I keep a hook sharpener in my seat box and another in my fly bag, although I prefer to just change a blunt hook when coarse fishing rather than sharpening it, after all they are cheap enough.
If you think about it then match anglers seem to get on perfectly well using the same hook for many fish(?)
That said I will re-sharpen fly hooks in use as I want the sharpest possible hook all the time. For that I use a simple diamond hook sharpener which is both cheap and efficient.
If you think about it then match anglers seem to get on perfectly well using the same hook for many fish(?)
That said I will re-sharpen fly hooks in use as I want the sharpest possible hook all the time. For that I use a simple diamond hook sharpener which is both cheap and efficient.
steve2
Well-known member
I remember many years ago sitting out side our tents when carp fishing, we used tents before bivvies, sharpening hooks to fine points, if I remember right the hooks were goldstrikes which certainly did needed sharpening.
sam vimes
Well-known member
Lots of carpers want ultimate sharpness without understanding that it means thinner and more easily damaged points. There was definitely a time when you had to check (bigger carp) hooks as they came out of the packet. They weren't always sharpened to a decent standard. However, things have got markedly better over the years. I still check, but it's a shock to find a complete duffer.
I wouldn't dream of touching up a small (14 or smaller) coarse fishing hook. I might touch up a carp hook if it's not beyond redemption. However, I'd still change the hook as soon as I'd tied up a fresh rig.
I wouldn't dream of touching up a small (14 or smaller) coarse fishing hook. I might touch up a carp hook if it's not beyond redemption. However, I'd still change the hook as soon as I'd tied up a fresh rig.
The bad one
Well-known member
Occasionally I’ll touch up a bent over point, but generally I just change the hook for a new one. I have a small ¼ in square by 2 in long oil stone that I’ve had for 45 years plus. I seem to recall it was sold by ABU at the time. I know I bought it at the Petman fishing tackle section on Stamford St Ashton -U-Lyne.
As to sharpening points on metal things, it can be a bit more difficult than just giving it a rub on the stone. You can have very steep sided points that don't go over easily, long sided points that go over quite easily and inbetweeners that are a bit more robust than long sides.
It's a learnt skill to put these edges on any metal but as I’ve said once today, I was a Butcher/Slaughterman for over 20 in a previous life so honing up a point on a hook isn't that difficult.
As to sharpening points on metal things, it can be a bit more difficult than just giving it a rub on the stone. You can have very steep sided points that don't go over easily, long sided points that go over quite easily and inbetweeners that are a bit more robust than long sides.
It's a learnt skill to put these edges on any metal but as I’ve said once today, I was a Butcher/Slaughterman for over 20 in a previous life so honing up a point on a hook isn't that difficult.
Keith M
Well-known member
If my hook fails the finger nail test, or I’m starting to have a problem penetrating the skin of a maggot, or I start missing the odd bite then I replace my hook, simples.
I do carry a small hook sharpener but I haven’t needed to use it for donkeys years.
Keith
I do carry a small hook sharpener but I haven’t needed to use it for donkeys years.
Keith
The bad one
Well-known member
One of the party tricks with the cocky apprentices who though they could sharpen a knife was to send them to the oilstone and sharpen their boning knife. Then make them show you it under the big magnifying glass that we had in a side room. Never did discover why we had the glass, but it didn't half get used a lot for all sorts stuff. It was one of those enigmas that nobody really knew the answer to.
Now these kids always sharpened the knives leaving a bur on one side of the blade.
We'd then show them the bur which looked like a bent over hook and then tell them they couldn't sharpen a knife to save their lives and rubbing the blade edge on the ally table, blunting it to hell. Telling them to go away and put a proper edge on it. They must have hated us for blunting their knives, but hey it was a right of passage for them.
Now these kids always sharpened the knives leaving a bur on one side of the blade.
We'd then show them the bur which looked like a bent over hook and then tell them they couldn't sharpen a knife to save their lives and rubbing the blade edge on the ally table, blunting it to hell. Telling them to go away and put a proper edge on it. They must have hated us for blunting their knives, but hey it was a right of passage for them.
I very very rarely sharpen hooks although I do have a sharpener…a white ceramic Mustard one that was recommended to me by Lee Jackson in the tackle box a long time ago….it certainly works but lives a very sedate life in the boot of my car.
99.9% of the time If a hook does not look or feel right I will change it. Its one of the reasons I use Drennan hooks as at less than £2 a packet you don’t think twice.
The type of fishing you do will be a factor in this as if your fishing for lots of fish and bites then your probably going to worry less about ultra hook sharpness than if you fishing for 1 bite a session. The same principle applies based on whether your striking your bites or fishing self hooking rigs. A blunt hook is not great in either case but for self hookers even a slightly blunt hook really is going to cost you big time.
One other point….apart from the fact I would be surprised if someone can get a better point by sharpening than whats already on a modern chemically sharpened hook out of a packet, there is also the point (see what I did there?) ..that on modern coated hooks if you sharpen them you are taking some of the coating off of the hook point so it will basically corrode quicker once its in the water. The end result being that your probably going to lose any sharpness you gained in the first place once the hook has been left in the water for any length of time.
99.9% of the time If a hook does not look or feel right I will change it. Its one of the reasons I use Drennan hooks as at less than £2 a packet you don’t think twice.
The type of fishing you do will be a factor in this as if your fishing for lots of fish and bites then your probably going to worry less about ultra hook sharpness than if you fishing for 1 bite a session. The same principle applies based on whether your striking your bites or fishing self hooking rigs. A blunt hook is not great in either case but for self hookers even a slightly blunt hook really is going to cost you big time.
One other point….apart from the fact I would be surprised if someone can get a better point by sharpening than whats already on a modern chemically sharpened hook out of a packet, there is also the point (see what I did there?) ..that on modern coated hooks if you sharpen them you are taking some of the coating off of the hook point so it will basically corrode quicker once its in the water. The end result being that your probably going to lose any sharpness you gained in the first place once the hook has been left in the water for any length of time.
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John Aston
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Vanity and folly . In the days when I used Goldstrikes and similar coarse barbed rubbish you couldn't buy a sharp hook. Now you can't buy a blunt one. The only time I use a sharpener now is on a big lure hook , but only as a precaution , if I've been bouncing it off the bottom .
If you watch the video Penning explains totally why he does it,he also states he has no affiliation to Jag,he states after each fish he puts a new sharpened hook on,stating that it has done it's job...
this really only applies to carp style bottom fishing on hair rigs where self hooking is required,so carp,barbel,tench etc,it really is intriguing to watch...watch the video all points raised are dealt with in great length,I was interested as if all is to be believed by touch leger fans barbel don't always provide a three foot twitch(not entirely convinced on that one),so any edge is worth looking at.
this really only applies to carp style bottom fishing on hair rigs where self hooking is required,so carp,barbel,tench etc,it really is intriguing to watch...watch the video all points raised are dealt with in great length,I was interested as if all is to be believed by touch leger fans barbel don't always provide a three foot twitch(not entirely convinced on that one),so any edge is worth looking at.
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mikench
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Very sharp Philip; no flies on you!??
markcw
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I would think it would be quicker to change a hooklength than sharpen a hook. ?
You are talking as a float/coarse angler,not a carp angler,if you watch the vid you will get the reasoning,it all becomes more clear with explanation....as a float angler I strike at my bites,they are reliant on self hooking with some fish trying to shake hooks without bolting like many do....