Have you ever been fishing and you’re constantly getting bites, but no fish? This has happened to me a lot of times and for a while I didn’t know what was going on. Then one day I was fishing and I was getting bites like crazy, but I only snagged a few. The guy fishing on the other side of the bank told me to check my hook, and it was dull. So, it got me to thinking. Are You Losing Fish Because Your Hook Isn’t Sharp? In this article that is what we will answer.
Should a hook be sharp?
One of the things many fishermen neglect is hook care. I lost fish after fish before I my hook wasn’t sharp. If you fish brush piles, gravel beds, rockpiles, log jams, bridge pilings, timber and boat docks you need to check your hooks for sharpness. A sharpening tool should be a regular part of your tackle box. If you’re on your way to fish and don’t have a sharpener go to a drug store and get a diamond-dust nail file at a drug store. It’s important to check your hooks sharpness every time you get snagged
How to test if your Hook is Sharp enough?
Here is the way I test my hooks for sharpness: Grab the shank of the hook in one hand and gently put the point on your thumbnail, don’t apply any force or pressure whatsoever. Now, try and move the hook across your thumbnail, if the point digs in then the hook is sharp.
I also use this method for my pocket knife to test it’s sharpness.
Problems a dull hook and cause
Conclusion
Sharp hooks can make your fishing trip a success or failure. The big one doesn’t have to get away when you have a sharp hook.