Tying Nymphs - curved or straight hooks?

"Karel" wrote

.. Does anybody else tie
nymphs on curved hooks and/or what is your take on this?



It just happens that on a recent month long fishing trip I "used up" various
odds and ends in my tying kit and therefore produced and fished "#18 Sawyer
PT Nymphs" on four different hooks ( all real body lengths were about the
same if not the hook size on the label). Those hooks were all Tiemco and
were models, 100BL, 100 SP-BL, 3761BL, and 2499BL. The last is a curved
short shank, heavy, model, the 3761 a standard wet, the other two dry fly
hooks. Except for the hook, I tried to make all the flies "the same"

The first thing I noticed was that tying on the 2499 was a PIA in comparison
to a shank "level" in the vise. The second thing I noticed was that the
curved wide gape hook made the hook much more prominent ( to my eye) in the
finished product, although the curve was, indeed, kinda cute. The third
thing I noticed was that the 100SP-BL seemed to catch more fish !

Note: On the straight shank hooks I bend the rear of the shank ( actually
the bend of the hook) so that the point is not parallel to the hook shank
.... this is a tiny re-alignment, hardly noticeable. This is intended to
catch the fishes mouth a bit easier, I can't remember where I got the idea
but believe it works. My theory is that the combination of this bent out
( in?) point and the SP model's extremely sharp point made it a little
harder for fish to spit out the fly, leading to more takes being sensed by
this angler ( who sucks at nymph fishing )

There was no attempt at "science" here, I simply had a few each of four
similar sized hooks of different models and a need for nymphs that size,
coupled to a dread of a 70 mile round trip to buy enough hooks to make them
all the same. But, I won't be buying any more curved hooks soon and I will
be buying more SP hooks even though I had previously somewhat written them
off in my own mind as a "sales gimmick" ( I won't pay the extra $$ and
suffer the extra weight of the 100SP-BL for dry fly use, but it may become
my nymph hook of choice ?? )

On 28 Oct, 18:38, Karel wrote:
.. Does anybody else tie
nymphs on curved hooks and/or what is your take on this?

--
Karel

Live long and fly fish
:fish:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karel's Profile:http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...php?userid=776
View this thread:http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----http://www.newsfeeds.comThe #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Nymph bodies are usually straight when they are swimming. One may use
some curved hooks for particular functions, but generally straight
hooks with the correct dressing are more successful. Some curved
hooks cause problems with presentation as well, preventing the nymph
from moving properly. Quite a few curved hooks are also very bad
hookers, many curves close the gape, and give the hook a bad angle of
penetration.

TL
MC

I just sat down to tie some GRHE and found I don't have any regular
nymph hooks in the size I want. I do have some caddis hooks in the
right size so I tied some up on those. They look fine, I sure they
will catch fish. I'll find out on Monday.


--
flyman23

:fish:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
flyman23's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...hp?userid=1043
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

I will use a curved (scud) hook for caddis larva, certain bead head
nymphs (e.g. Gabriels Trumpet Hare's ear) and, um, scuds.

I doubt it it makes any difference, but I like the way they look for a
few patterns, and they do catch their share of fish.


--
NJpatbee

::NJPB::
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NJpatbee's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...hp?userid=1776
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Karel,
I tie nymphs and wets on curved shanked hooks. My perception must be
different from there anglers. However, I don't think there's anything
wrong with tying on the hooks you think work best.

Go to my web site and look at some of my flymphs (wingless wets) tied
on curved hooks. (link below) Since there's some reason they don't let
new guys post links, you should go to: Check out pages Flies II and
Flies II. There are some there tied on curved hooks.



I suggest you continue tying on the hooks you see fit and those that
produce the best results for you and where you fish.

Mark


--
Soft-hackle

'Flymphs, Soft-hackles & Spiders' (http://tinyurl.com/2u5ak6)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soft-hackle's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...php?userid=660
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

My site address is:
www dot libstudio dot com/FS&S. Can't post links--geeze!

Mark


--
Soft-hackle

'Flymphs, Soft-hackles & Spiders' (http://tinyurl.com/2u5ak6)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soft-hackle's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...php?userid=660
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

On Sun, 4 Nov 2007 19:38:23 -0500, Soft-hackle
wrote:


My site address is:
www dot libstudio dot com/FS&S. Can't post links--geeze!

Mark

And yet you have at least two links in your sig ;-)

Here ya go: http://www.libstudio.com/FS&S

/daytripper

Thanks, daytripper,
I can not see any links at all yet.

Mark


--
Soft-hackle

'Flymphs, Soft-hackles & Spiders' (http://tinyurl.com/2u5ak6)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soft-hackle's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...php?userid=660
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

On Mon, 5 Nov 2007 10:46:21 -0500, Soft-hackle
wrote:

Thanks, daytripper,
I can not see any links at all yet.

Mark

Soft-hackle

'Flymphs, Soft-hackles & Spiders' (http://tinyurl.com/2u5ak6)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soft-hackle's Profile: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...php?userid=660
View this thread: http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...ad.php?t=12846

Weird. Can you see the links that appear in your sig, now?

/daytripper