Hook sharpening - a question

[J.A. Veil]

The first point of contact between an angler and a fish is the hook. Hooks start out pretty sharp, but can grow duller after some time. I wish I could tell you that I always test my hook points before starting to fish, but that would not be true. I typically begin fishing with the same hook that was already on the line, and keep it there until it breaks off, or the plastic tail gets worn and need replacing. Occasionally, I find that I am getting bites but the fish do not stay hooked up long. Usually then the lightbulb goes on, and I think to sharpen hooks.

Once you decide to sharpen your hook, you need to have a sharpening device. You can use a metal file, a diamond-coated file, or a sharpening stone. The photo below shows three varieties I have on the fishing shelves in my garage. The one I use most often is the elongated rod with an orange handle. It has two grooves in so I can place the hook in the groove and slide it. The other two are made of an abrasive whet stone material. The one with a triangular cross section also has a groove. The flat one has no groove. I carry a small chunk of the flat style in my PFD for emergency touching up of hook points while on the water.

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The final issue, which is the subject of my question to this group, is in which direction do you file the point? There is not a consensus on this question. This afternoon, I spent some time looking at online videos that offer tips on how to sharpen a hook. Slightly more than half of those videos suggest filing from the barb toward the point (blue arrow on photo). Others suggest filing from the point back toward the barb (yellow arrow on the photo), as this does not leave a fine ridge at the point.

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Both methods recommend filing multiple edges of the hook so that all sides of the sharpened point are sharp enough to allow easier penetration of the fish’s jaw. Once you have finished sharpening, you should drag the hook point lightly across your thumbnail. If the hook digs in or leaves a trail, it is sharp. If not, you need more sharpening. [Note: the hook in the photo is new from the pack. Yesterday I tied some bucktail on it. I did not make any effort to sharpen this hook or pinch down the barbs before taking the photo -- I will do that before putting the hook into service as a replacement for a treble hook on a metal jig or a popper]

Regardless of which direction you choose to file, I believe that sharpening your hooks is an advantage over not sharpening. Will you get a better edge sharpening toward the point or back away from the point? I don’t know.

If you have an opinion on this topic, please reply and state your reasons.

[bignose]

As a former shop teacher, and wood sculptor, I spent a lot of time sharpening knives and carving chisels.
When you sharpen a blade tool, the sharpening stone remains still and you move the blade. These are usually sharpened by pushing the blade's cutting surface forwards against the stone. Only the final honing on a leather strop is done by pulling, that is to polish the edge.

When you sharpen a hook, usually the hook is stationary, and the sharpening stone moves. I would sharpen a hook in the direction you have illustrated with the blue arrow, away from the barb and towards the point.

This prevents bending the point over and possibly poking yourself with the point of the hook. Only on very large, 8/0 hooks or larger, would I possibly sharpen towards the barb, and that would be with the hook clamped in a vise.

BTW, I seldom sharpen my hooks.
I usually lose my lures before they get dull. Lol

That's why I make my own lures!

[Mark]

John, Stu -- This is an excellent topic to raise on a cold winter day when few if any Snagged Line members are on the water locally.

I am a stickler about sharpening hooks. Before I make my first cast with any lure or fly, I sharpen the hook. When I hit any obstruction with my cast such as a rock, a dock piling, deadfall, etc,, I sharpen the hook. When a fish comes unbuttoned, I sharpen the hook. And, in due time on an outing, after numerous catches I habitually sharpen my hook.

I takes only a minute to sharpen a hook and I believe it is time well spent to ensure more fish in your kayak and far fewer long-distance releases.

Also, I sharpen brand new hooks, whether they are on flies I tied, lures I made or fresh from a package. New hooks are not as sharp as you think. Most of my hooks are bronzed. They may lose their edge just by exposure to air. Add dampness to the equation and that will expedite their degeneration. I use stainless steel hooks on occasion, and I am equally as diligent with them.

I have tried numerous files. Some with grooves like the round file in John's photo. I also have used the small grey brick-like hook file sold in tackle shops. They each work well. But I was looking for a file easier to hold. I purchased the file in the photo below last summer on Amazon. It's not a designated hook file but it works for that purpose very well. Including the handle, it is 6 inches long. Therefore, it is easy to manipulate while being small enough to store in a pocket in my PFD.

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I keep the file still while sharpening a hook in the initial phase and then I finish off the edge by moving the file over the hook. You can see scratches in the handle that occur during the finishing process. I always sharpen away from the point -- even though I have seen guidance which suggests the reverse. And I sharpen the right side of the hook, the left, and then the top and bottom. In other words, I hit all sides.

Some anglers may think the point of any hook, even a dull one, will penetrate the soft mouth tissue of most fish. Indeed, it will for most of the species we pursue in our kayaks. But what happens when you hook a fish? It may shake its head violently, it may jump from the water, it may wrap your line around deadfall or subaquatic vegetation. Those are the instances when a dull hook is likely to fail you. So, if you want a solid hookup that allows you to actually get your catch into your boat, you will pay more attention to your hook points. Habitual sharpening takes only a few minutes on each outing. Yet, I guarantee it will result in more catches.

[dsaavedra]

I don't think it matters as long as you pay attention to what you're doing - making sure not to roll the point over and making sure each edge you're grinding down meets neatly at the same point. Oh and making sure not to jab your fingers with the hook while you're working.

Like Stu I rarely sharpen my hooks - I usually lose them before it becomes an issue. Most of the hooks I use are black nickel and they come extremely sharp from the package and stay sharp. I do have some cheaper jigs (Sea Striker is the brand) that have a silver colored hook that I will touch up from time to time, and my smaller panfish jigs are usually cheap bronze hooks that also require some maintenance. I carry a small whetstone with both a flat side and a grooved side in my kayak so it's there if I ever need it. I put a foam keychain float on it so I don't lose it overboard.

[Jigsup]

I haven’t sharpened a hook in Lord knows how long so I can’t really speak from experience. Last I remember doing it was about 12 years ago only because I acquired a tackle box from someone who fished and there was a file in the box. I was curious so I started filing the old hooks that were in there. Those hooks we from the late 70s/early 80s and I don’t remember which way I filed.
But if I were to sharpen my hooks, going in the direction of the blue arrow would be my choice. I would rather get poke by the barb then the hook point. Also going the other direction would increase my chance of dulling the barb unless I cut the barb off anyways. Going in the direction of the blue arrow would in my mind be “going with the grain”

I haven’t (that I can remember) had a problem with a dull hook causing me to lose a fish. It’s either been too small of a hook, too small of bait, to big of hook, to small of fish, or me simply not setting the hook hard enough. I’m not saying you don’t need a sharp hook because you do. Specially if your fishing for a species that has a hard mouth in example snakehead or catfish. The hooks that I buy are already sharp and stay sharp for a long time. Like others mentioned I normally will lose the hook first. Sharpening the hook never even comes to mind. I personally don’t see how continually sharpening our hook will generate more bites/hook ups. One shad dart will last me a whole summer or two unless I lose it on a snag. I’ve caught plenty of perch and catfish on one shad dart tipped with grass shrimp that I’ve never sharpened. Most the time they just rust out and I replace it. Same with my deep sea wreck fishing rigs. Same hooks from previous trips unless rust or bent. Some fisherman pay a lot of attention to detail.

[Slobber Bob]

I've sharpened hooks going both ways. Sometimes its just a matter of hook size and the best way to fit the stone on the hook to get the proper angle for sharpening. I tend not to over think it - a sharp hook is always better than a dull one.

[/QUOTE] Most of the hooks I use are black nickel and they come extremely sharp from the package and stay sharp. [/QUOTE]

I like the coastal black nickel finish too. From my experiences, that finish holds off the rust the best.

[J.A. Veil]

I must admit that I am surprised by some of the replies on this board and on another fishing site where I made this post. Over half of the respondents said they rarely if ever sharpened hooks. I don't do it as often as I should, but do recognize the value of a very sharp hook. More frequent sharpening will become part of my 2022 fishing protocol (assuming we ever get warmer weather again).

While on the subject of sharpening hooks, I am aware that some anglers add one extra step after sharpening. They coat the freshly sharpened hook with a Sharpie or other permanent marker. In theory, this slows down or blocks oxidation or corrosion of the freshly scraped metal. Do any of you who do sharpen hooks include this step?

[bignose]

The only time I had rust issues with my hooks was way back in my fly Fishing days.
Fly hooks used in freshwater were bronzed and rusted like crazy.

I almost never see other hooks rust. I don't see where a Sharpie would provide a surface protection against water. That's a new one on me.
Galvanized salt water hooks like you see on some jigs may need a lick or two with a sharpening stone,

The blackened hooks like I use with freshwater soft plastics don't appear to rust, plus since they are chemically sharpened, I find them much sharper out of the pack then hooks of 30 years ago.
I don't think that I could achieve that level of sharpness with a stone. When one of them gets dull, it's time to replace the hook.

[Mark]

Stu.

You're correct that bronzed hooks will rust, even in freshwater if they are not allowed to dry before placing them back into a storage box. Hence the fly drying patches fly vests, or flies stuck into the hats of fly anglers. I have a foam patch in my kayak that I use for drying flies.

Regarding chemically sharpened hooks, I use Owner screw-lock hooks for soft plastics. Indeed, they appear to be sharp right out of the package. But I still hit them with my file before I cast them. I bury their points into the plastic of my lure to make my offerings weedless. I need that hook to be extra sharp to penetrate first the plastic and then the mouth of the fish I am pursuing -- often a pickerel in thick lily pads or spatterdock. So, I do believe they can be sharpened. Besides that, they're not cheap. I'll take your dull castoffs...just kidding!