Bass Enthusiast - Hook Parts

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Hook Parts

The parts of the hook are broke down so bass anglers can understand the different characteristics of hooks.

Parts of a Hook

Just like any other piece of equipment there are many different parts of a hook. The reason there are so many different part is that manufactures can have the ability to change an attribute in order to get the result they desire. Also as different type of fish responds to different types of bait, hooks need to be adjusted accordingly.

Hook Eye

There are two major types of eyes which are used in bass fishing hooks. They are the ball eye and the tapered eye. A Ball Eye hook consists of a round eye which is constructed from a piece of straight wire. Most anglers will tell you this is the most popular hook set up due to its ease of use and its availability at tackle shops. The other type eye which is used in a hook is the Tapered Eye. A Tapered Eye looks similar to the Ball eye, with one main difference; the wire is tapered where it meets the shank.

Manufacturers have also created 3 types of angles which are added to the eye in order to respond to certain situations. The first type is called the Turned-Up Eye. A hook which has a Turned-Up Eye is angled away from the hook point in order to give the hook additional clearance between the shank and the point. The next type of angled hook is called the Ringed Eye. The key attribute of a Ringed Eye is that the eye is the most inline with the hook. The Final type of angled hook is called the Turned-Down Eye. When an angler is using this type of hook, the eye is angled towards the point to give the angler more penetration into the fish when it strikes.

Hook Shank

The shank is straight part of the hook which connects the eye with the bend of the hook. The length and size of shanks which are included in hooks which are designed for bait fishing do not vary as much than hooks which are designed for other types of fishing. When an angler is fishing for freshwater fish using live bait, the hooks as well as the length of the shank are shorter while salt water shanks tend to be longer in order to accommodate the larger size of bait and fish which are caught.

There are two main types’ shanks which are used for bass fishing; the Standard Shank and the Long Shank. The key feature of a Standard Shank is that no matter what the size of the shank there is a fixed ratio of gap width to the length of the shank. However with a Long Shank, the length of the shank can be as long as a hook which is two sizes larger.

Hook Bends

The shape of a bend is largely dictated by the overall intended use. Any experienced bass enthusiast will tell you that a smoothly rounded bend usually is stronger than one that is angled sharply. There are three different types of hook bends that are the most common; the Aberdeen, Kirby, and Cincinnati Bass. The Aberdeen has a very wide bend with a long shank. The format of this hook makes it a perfect bait hook when going after most types of fish. The composition of the Kirby is similar to the Aberdeen, but it is slightly less rounded than the Aberdeen. Finally the Cincinnati Bass has a slightly curved shank and a straight point.

Hook Points

Hook points usually vary in pattern and the type of manufacturer. Hooks usually have the same properties such as a point on a knife-edge as their jobs are pretty similar in nature. Common hook points which are used by bass fisherman include the Barbless, and Beaked. The Barbless hook has a point that does not have a barb (hence the name), allowing a fisherman an easier time when unhooking as well as when going weedless. The Beaked point on the other hand is a chemically sharpened strong point which makes penetration in the fish easier.