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3. Streamer Hooks - Large Stremers

Hey all,

Time to chuck some big streamers, I'm talking 6-8 inch mini-brown trout.

Personally, I like the Gamakatsu B10S Stinger hooks for trailers and Mustad 3366 for the lead hook.

What are some of your favorite hooks for large articulated streamers?

Artie

B10S for sure!! I like the Gamakatsu Saltwater (not sure the model number) for my leads. They are a medium length shank, really sharp and strong. I should check out the Mustads. I'm always looking for different hook combinations for articulated streamers.

This is an old post but thought it was a good thread. If you are tying streamers with large heads Kelly Galloup uses a "Aberdeen" style hook with a straight eye. Which has a wide gap. Not many companies make this hook but Partridge is one that does. Hooks USA carries "National Universal" hooks though you have to buy in bulk but they are a faction of the cost per hook.

I've been using Mustad's C-70S-NP hooks for articulated streamers, 2's and 4's for the big guys and 4's and 6's for smaller flies. Curved hooks, straight eye, stainless and not overly expensive.

the Mustad 3366 is still a great hook, IMHO- lots of bugs and streamers over the years.

just my 2-cents,

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

Have any of you streamer devotees ever conducted a study to determine of the articulated streamer is more effective than a traditional streamer? I've been known to throw a streamer here and there but have never had the inclination to try any articulated versions. My single hook unarticulated patterns have been quite successful in catching hundreds of 19" - 26" browns.

Matt,

These guys are referring to really long streamers that can only practically be done in an articulated style. Unless you have a line on 7" hooks...:)

Matt,

I've never done an A-B comparison, and truth be told I only use the articulated jobs on big water when I'm hoping to hook something larger than the 'planters' typical of smaller trout streams in MI. I wouldn't consider myself a devotee by any means. The only other streamers I fish (occasionally) would be the single hook Black nosed Dace, bunny-strip/deer-hair head Sculpins, and Muddlers in a few of their variations. I like to spin and stack deer hair (my warm-water hair bug background here) and the Heifer Groomer and such are fun to tie and cast.

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

Good question, Matt. I'm not sure they are necessarily better at inducing strikes if that's the definition of effectiveness. The difference in movement/action seems negligible.

What is undeniable at this point is they seem far superior at hooking and holding. The problem is that once you start moving much beyond 3X long, too much leverage is provided by the shank to pry hooks loose or prevent them from setting at all as the fish turns... Limiting use to 3x long hooks creates another problem as hooks of strong wire become increasingly harder to drive home as they get larger (and more obvious to the fish). You can get by with a much smaller trailer hook for the same size fly. For example, sometimes on spring creeks/clear water ponds I've been using mini leaches strung out with size 14 hooks instead of the traditional 3x size 8 hooks I normally use. It allows me to get away with the 6X tippets and slower sink rates that these waters sometime demand.

Maine trolling fly designs have been favoring tandems for years for these reasons. Out West, I rarely see streamers longer than a couple of inches that aren't "strung out" in some fashion. Even the big nymph designs are going that way now. Tube flies and strung out Speys are all the rage for steelhead as even traditional Salmon Irons are falling out of use. Frankly, continued use (in fly tying) of large salmon irons for anadromous fish and big 6XL - 10XL hooks for streamers are more fashion statement than anything else now, though I must admit they are much prettier to look at...;)