Fishing Hooks Sizes - Don't Make My Mistake!

Fishing hooks sizes are important, and you should learn from the mistake I made buying fishing hooks on eBay. Fishing hook sizes are not standard, and I wish I had the hook sizes in inches chart (link below) when shopping for some 1/0 and 2/0 fishing hooks. Use this chart as a guide to how to pick fishing hooks to get the right size!

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The Kayak Hacks Fishing channel covers kayak, wading, shoreline, spin, and fly fishing. It features gear mods to make kayak fishing more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable. I share many tips, tricks, and "how to's" for both spin and fly fishing. These are useful regardless of whether you are fishing from a boat or on your feet. Please subscribe! Thanks!

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[SJBassin]

Thanks for that chart link. That will come in handy. I have switched from the cheap Chinese hooks to using Trokars and Laser Sharps now. Trying to support our US based companies

[newstart]

At the stores, I noticed different brands had different sizes labeled as well, so finally I just look for the size I like visually and leave the numeric's to the folks that want to go there.

[jeffjackson]

That’s why i won’t buy hooks off of Ebay. Now i use 1/0’s for channel cats so that wouldn’t matter, but it would upset me big time if i got something other than what i paid for. Good video Steve. Thanks

[lmanzanares]

Good info to know. I ran across the same at Wal-Mart between the different style of hook. Even among circle hook and straight hook of the same size the curve was different.

[andrewsmith]

And I just ordered some after watching one if your videos where you tested cheaper hooks compared to expensive hooks. I guess I will see what I get.

[gregstabryla]

The saying goes you get what you pay for. I only buy good ones, or ones I can see. Good video.

[LarryTalbot_]

Steve, even armed with all that knowledge we are still at the sellers mercy! Last year I ran into this problem, with a twist!

I usually carry a Taylor's tape on me and one in my tackle box. (Snaller a d easied to carry than a ruler). Well, long story but i broke mine. I thought it would be easy to replace. Jump on ebay a few clicks and all should be good to go. I even ordered a few extra just in case I broke another. Several weeks later I got them and couldn't figure out why everything I used them for was completely wrong. Measuring at work, playing at home, etc. Everything was coming out wrong. I thought I was losing my mind! Maybe it was time to start making reversations at the nursing home?!

Jump to the end and it turns out that the Chinese versions were a full half inch off! The tape looks the same, but unless you can compare it, you'll never notice the difference. (I could put up photos if you would like to see this). So I learned an important lesson. Don't trust Chinese measurements on anything!!!

[mauorev]

Thank you! I wish I had this information and the chart before spending a ton of money on smaller hooks..
Now those 2 measurements for 1/0 and 2/0 will be forever engraved in my brain for reference haha. Subscribed

[donb]

My guess is your supplier mislabed the hooks. Bottom line is if you buy cheap, bulk qty hooks on eBay, a size chart won't help if the supplier has the hooks in the wrong bag. What's in the bag isn't always what's on the bag.

[ker]

I have also had some of the generic hooks from Amz and Eby arrive in sizes that do not conform to any recognizable standard, like the two same listed size generic Eby J-hooks that have different measurements you showed in your video. My generic hook purchases have actually been quite serviceable in the larger sizes, but in the smaller panfish sizes I have received some hooks that seemed to be too weak for the hook size, so I stay away from the smaller sizes in unbranded hooks now.

Higher end name brand hook manufacturers seem to work to much more accurate sizing standards even in the larger sizes up to at least 5/0 in my experience, but circle hooks seem to be a very different animal to the old traditional J-hooks. I have noticed, when comparing a J-hook to a circle hook of the same listed size and same brand (Gamakatsu and Eagle Claw being two examples) a big difference in the measurement at the bend of the two different hook types/profiles for the same listed size of hook. When I compare the hooks at the bend, the circle hooks appear much larger for the same listed size of hook than the J-hooks do.

Taking into account the hook point on a circle hook being radically bent back in towards the shank of the hook compared to a J-hook profile, the two different hook types have a nearly identical actual hook gape for the same listed size of hook when measured from the hook point to the inside of the shank. I believe it could be that the manufacturers are sizing the circle hooks by this actual final gape measurement to compare it to a traditional J-hook with its straight hook point relative to the shank. This may be what makes the two hook types appear so different in size for the same listed hook size.

I noticed that the generic hooks in your video have a J-hook profile and the Gamakatsu hooks that you measured for comparison are actually circle hooks. Could some of the large difference between the J-hooks and the circle hooks in the same listed size in your video be partially due to the different hook type/profile?

For my hook sizing purposes now, when I purchase any generic hooks I measure from the inside of the hook shank opposite the point to the actual hook point and mark the hook bins in my boxes with the measurement in mm or inch (mm being easier to work with for me). I have developed a chart to compare the hook gape to known name brand hooks as a base line size for generic hook sizing and know what hook gape works the best for the baits that I prefer to use for the fish I am targeting, and the hook size range compared to the bait size and type that I use.

That has been working out well for me now for many years. Thanks for the comparison. I never fail to learn something new from your videos. Tight lines.

[floydaltonmiller]

If you are going to skimp on fishing supplies don't ever do it on hooks. Always buy the best hook you can afford.

[ndchancegeorge]

Great info. Now do you have a video explaining why you need different sizes and styles. Is it for fish size, type of fish, mouth size....or what. Now I am hooked on the reasons...help.

[Larry]

Hey Steve: For catfishing, I finally settled on Gamakatsu 5/0 and made myself a note to buy some (my Gamakatsu 6/0 that I was using were too big for my liking). Got back from the store with my new pack of Gamakatsu 5/0, crossed it off my To-Do list and when I put them in my tackle box I saw I had ALREADY bought Gamakatsu 5/0 some time ago and forgotten to take it off my To-Do list. I blame it on age (65) ha ha.

[ktg_pesojr]

Can I use a size 2 hook for bass like for 5 pounders?

[lionheart]

You've hooked me in, I've subbed 👍

[jimferdyyu]

so is the ebay hooks any good?
what hook's brand do u normally used?

[daviddura]

I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD this situation... makers, sellers, buyers, whose fault is it????  without a scalable picture I never buy

[adventureswithfrodo]

There is no stadarized hook size dementions.

[BABennett]

It goes without saying, Size DOES matter!!

[stancreech]

Not being smart man but bend them out and to the side a little bit. Regardless of that.