A wide gap hook can 'rotate' out more easily. A the shank gets in the way
of rotating out on a narrower gap hook. It has to BACK out rather than
rotate out. A wide gap can do either.

As far as setting goes, amplify the effect to see it clearly. Take your
wide gap hook on really strong line, and put the tip of it against
something it doesn't want to penetrate easily. Eg, a piece of soft wood.
Pull slowly and watch the bend in the hook open up. Do the same with a
narrow gap hook of the same size. Note how much harder you have to pull to
open the bend. With a wide gap hook, the only solution to the hook's
tendency to open up is heavier wire (EG, Gamakatsu Super ine EWGs.) But
thicker wire increases the penetration resistance, so it's still harder to
set.

We've run this thing through computer modeling and real world tests till
we're sick of it. The best hook design from a standpoint of hooking fish
and staying hooked is a moderate gap with a sharp turn leading to a longer
than average length of wire between the bend and the barb.



RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing