Hook Question

[Pop]

I have been looking, to no avail; for a quality O'Shaughnessy jig hook for salt water in sizes 1/0 and 2/0. It seems Eagle Claw is the only company that makes them, and I don't like the hook, they are too weak and not sharp enough. I use Owner 3/0 and 5/0 but they don't make smaller than 3/0 O'Shaughnessy for salt water. The reason for the O'Shaughnessy is the longer hook shank, puts the hook further back on the plastic trailers which prevents some of the short strikes, especially from sea trout in the Florida flats. I have stared at so many hooks I am seeing them in my sleep. (Yeah the girls have been replaced by the hooks, scary) Am I wrong in my thinking that all Aberdeen hooks have shorter shanks? What are some of you using for saltwater jigs, even if you are doing mold modifications. Thanks for your help. Pop

[nova]

Aberdeens are shorter.

I don't know if you know but some hook companys will make a hook to your design if you buy a bunch. ( I think 10,000)

If I remember right Eagle Claw was one of them. Check it out; might be the answer to your problem.

[Gr8flyz]

Have you tried the Gamakatsu #604 heavy wire black nickel Aberdeen? They're available down to a size 2, although they size them differently than other brands. I have some 6/0 that are about the size of others brands 4/0, and some 4/0 that are about a 2/0 in other brands. They have a slightly longer shank than other Aberdeen brands too.

Mustad makes O'Shaughnessy style jig hooks, with 90 & 60 degree bends, tinned for saltwater use. Their 91715 is a 90 degree bend forged hook and works well in place of the Eagle Claw 635 hooks. The 34184 is a X-long shank 60 degree bend forged hook, that works fine replacing the Eagle Claw 413

[Pop]

Thanks Jim. I have been looking at the Mustad 91715 but Barlow and Netcraft only list them in 7/0, 8/0 and 9/0. I didn't know they made them smaller. The picture in the Barlow catalog looks like a O'Shaughnessy hook but they don't specify. I was speaking with Shorty's hook sales and they told me that the Gami 604 was not as long as the O'Shaughnessy hooks and probably wouldn't work for me. Mustad evidently made a lazer sharp O'Shaughnessy that was for salt water, but; never told anyone they were making them and then discontinued them. Shorty's is checking to see if they have any left just laying around that they want to get rid of. Also Shorty's has been on their case about making a jig hook similar to what I want and they just might make it in the near future. I wonder why Shorty's didn't suggest the 91715? Need to check into them further. Thanks for your help. Pop

[Gr8flyz]

Pop, the folks at Shorty's are good people! Harry, know's his stuff about hooks!

Here's a pic of a 4/0 Gammie 604, and a Mustad 91715, 2/0. The wire diameter, shank length & hook gape is about the same.

[Pop]

I like the Gammie better as it seems to have a slightly larger gap. Going to give them a try. Will the Gammie hold up in Salt water? Thanks for all your help Jim. Pop

[Gr8flyz]

Pop, I also like the Gammies, but use both. The gape is slightly larger on the Gammie by about a mm. They'll hold up in saltwater, but will still rust. In my area, (Chesapeake Bay) the water is mostly brackish, and they hold up fine, but the salt content is not as high as the ocean, or the Gulf. I rinse lures in tap water & wipe them off after use, and they still get a little rust on them, but the saltwater hooks sometimes rust the same way.

In warmer water with higher salt contents they're going to rust, no way around it, but nothing lasts forever anyway.

Glad to help anytime I can!

[LedHed]

VMC has an O'Shaughnessy listed as bronze in the Stamina catalog. They will "special" order the hook in PS (perma steel) in the 100pk and the 1000pk. I like them because of the point and they seem to be strong enough....... They are more expensive then Eagle Claw but not as much as Gamakatsu or Owner.