Fishers often spend a lot of time discussing knots, rods, reels, boats, lines, and a number of other topics related to the art of fishing. However, there is often surprisingly little discussion about the most direct and primary connection between you, the fisher, and the fish: the hook. A sharp hook increases the chances of taking home all sorts of fish at the end of the day. A dull hook might lead to the one that got away. It’s worth taking the time, therefore, to make sure your next trip to the lake, the ocean, or even the local watering hole is one where every piece of your tackle is on your side, including your sharp hooks. To that end, this guide will give you an overview to the relatively easy process of sharpening a fish hook.
Before you do anything else, you should check the sharpness of your hook. Typically, a freshly bought hook will be very sharp, but it is always worth double checking. You can easily do so by gently running the point of your hook across your fingernail. If the point of the hook leaves a mark on the nail and digs in a little, it is sharp, and you are ready to tie the hook and go fishing. If not, you may need a hook sharpening.
To sharpen your hook, you will need some kind of file. The knife sharpening stones available in hardware stores will do. You can also go to a tackle shop and buy a retractable stone or file; the stone might be easier than the file due to the larger surface area and greater ease of holding it in your hand. However, there are different tools that will work. Just make sure that whatever file you get is course enough to do the job and durable enough to keep from falling apart inside a tackle box.
Now, onto sharpening the hook. It is a common myth that you need to sharpen past the point of the hook; this is not true. Rather, you only need to sharpen the very tip of the hook. This is the only part that will penetrate the jaw of the fish, and the sharper this part, the better. Sharpening too far past this point will reduce the strength of the hook point, which can result in a bent point and a missed fish. Aim for a short and sharp point when sharpening the hook.
First, firmly hold the hook in your hand. Next, grab your file and draw it across the barb of the hook in the direction of the hook point. This stroke should be repeated several times. Each time, be sure you are keeping the file held at the same angle, to avoid missharpening the hook. These strokes should be repeated on the other side of the hook. Finally, you will want to make some final strokes at the bottom of the hook point, in order to form a triangular hook point. Once you think the hook is sharp enough, you can test it by dragging it lightly past your fingernail as mentioned above. Do not hesitate to resharpen the hook if your first few efforts don’t work; it takes some time to develop a feel for exactly how to file the point to sharpness. Just take your time and remember to maintain the same angle of the file. It may be best to try your first sharpening attempt on a cheaper hook, to keep from damaging a more expensive one.
In the end, no one element of your gear will help you catch (or make you lose) the perfect fish. However, it’s worth making sure you don’t have any glaring weak spots in your tackle box, and it doesn’t hurt to have a set of sharp hooks with you when you set out on your next big trip to the water. Good fishing!