FishingBanter - View Single Post

Scott Seidman · January 30th, 2006, 09:38 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly

wrote in
ups.com:

Larry L schrieb:

I don't nymph much but it's time to replenish my nymph hook supply
and tie up a few each of the ties I do use each season.

I notice that more and more I see nymphs tied on curved shank hooks.

My question for those of you that enjoy nymphing enough to have
developed and tested an opinion .... do these curved ties actually
fish better than the same tie/ same size/ same day and place on a
straight shank hook? Is their increased use the product of function
or simply fad?

They look cute, but I find these hooks a pain to tie on and even to
store in slit C&F type boxes .... should I bite the bullet and buy
scud hooks or stick with my straight old guy models?

Some flies, notably scuds, hydropsyche, and some other free living
caddis are best imitated with imitations tied on curved hooks, at
least to human eyes. Whether the fish take much notice is a moot
point.

For most nymphs curved hooks dont seem to make any difference to their
catching capabilities, and they also have some disadvantages.

In most cases, where a curve is deemed necessary, it is usually
possible to achieve it by using the appropriate dressing.

As a general rule, ordinary good quality hooks are more than
sufficient for practically all applications.

TL
MC

I tie a scud on a straight hook, and use a moon-shaped slice of lead
Twist-On to curve things. I like this because it gets the fly down very
fast, and its a local pattern with an interesting history.

That said, I also tie a scud on a curved hook, and some caddis on curved
hooks, and they tie much, much faster. If speed is important to you, and
you plan to tie curved patterns, go with the curved hooks. You'll use
them all anyway, and you'll save some money on materials, so it isn't a
financial decision. You'll save a ton of time.

If you want to use straight imitations, you don't need curved hooks, but
thats' a different story.

Do curved hooks catch more fish when an appropriate pattern is tied on
them?? Don't know.

--
Scott
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