OK, so you may not realize it, but your boat is much more than just a simple pleasure craft. It’s also a great tool for participating in one of the most enjoyable and ancient of sports: fishing.

Now, if you haven’t been fishing since you were a kid, you might be surprised to see just how different fishing gear is now. Over the past couple of decades, gear has changed quite a bit and offers you many more choices. Of course, sometimes a regular fishhook, a weight, a bobber and an earthworm will do more good than the most interesting looking tackle.

So, get your boat insurance paid up and get out on the water. Here are some basics you need to know about fish hooks before you set out on the water:

Hook Sizes

As a general rule, you’re going to want to use as small a fish hook as possible. A smaller hook helps the bait to look more natural. It’ll also penetrate the fish quicker than a large hook when you strike.

What makes this difficult is that there isn’t necessarily a standard when it comes to hook sizes. Some sizes use a whole number. In those cases, the hook with the larger number tends to be smaller. Those types of hooks are measured on a scale of 1 to 32.

Other hooks are sized with a fraction type. You might find a 7/0 hook size, referred to as a “Seven Aught.” In that kind of a sizing scheme, the larger number is actually  larger hook.

Hook Sharpness

You should always test the hook to see how sharp it is, as well. A sharp hook will invariably do a better job at catching fish than a dull hook will. You can test the hook by dragging the point across your fingernail. If the hook lightly scratches the nail, you should be good. If you need to sharpen the hook, you can use a hook file or a sharpening stone.

You can also purchase hooks that have been chemically sharpened. These are made of high-grade steel, and then given a chemical bath to give the hook a sharper point. A chemically sharpened hook is, of course, much more costly than a standard hook, but it also saves you plenty of time and trouble.

Hook Anatomy

There are several parts of the fishhook you should be familiar with. There is the point, which is the sharp end that penetrates the mouth of the fish. The barb is a projection that extends from the point toward the back of the hook. It’s purpose is to keep the fish on the hook. The eye is the part of the hook that you attaché to the fishing line. The bend and shank is the part of the fishhook that connects the eye to the point. Finally, there is the distance between the point and the shank, referred to as the gap.

Photo via Kissimmee – The Heart of Florida