Open Ring Hooks

[psilvers]

I have been thinking about getting open ring hooks and adding them to a large saltwater jig that I am making. This would eliminate the need for a split ring. Does anyone have any experience using large open ring hooks for big fish that can stress tackle (amberjack, grouper, etc.)?

I know folks use them for salmon, but with all due respect respect, I think the requirements for saltwater are a bit different.

Thanks,

Pete

[pirkfan]

I have been thinking about getting open ring hooks and adding them to a large saltwater jig that I am making. This would eliminate the need for a split ring. Does anyone have any experience using large open ring hooks for big fish that can stress tackle (amberjack, grouper, etc.)?

I know folks use them for salmon, but with all due respect respect, I think the requirements for saltwater are a bit different.

Thanks,

Pete

I've used them a lot on salt water jigs, and if the hook is sized appropriately to the jig and fish I don't think you'll have any problem. My preconception before I started using them was that if the eye was soft enough to bend closed, it might reopen under heavy strain. This never happens, and when you think about it, unless you're using welded or needle eye hooks, all single point hooks are (more or less) open eye, it's just that the manufacturer has bent the eye shut. Really big siwash hooks are hard to close and it takes a pair of vice grips or big pliers to close them, that eye is pretty darn tough. The 3510XXXS Siwash hooks have a very long point, and sometimes this can get bent if hung up on a rock (point bends, eye never fails) but they're 3X strong hooks (whatever that really means) and pretty darn tough.

I've also used open eye Mustad treble hooks, and the same applies to them....the eye is very tough when closed. Mustad does a little balancing act with tempering on them...If you bend them a little too far when closing, the eye sometimes snaps. The trick in closing them is to use a pair of vice grips set so the opening is just under the closed width of the eye so that the eye closes but doesn't "over close" if you understand what I'm saying. If you're still skeptical, take one of these hooks, fasten it to some braided wire leader material, wrap that around a dowel, sink the hook in some immovable wood, and see what fails.

I think it's really about leverage, can line fastened to and pulling at the apex of the eye really pull hard enough to reopen a hook eye. I even use some open shank treble hooks in small sizes on my kokanee jigs, I'm a little more skeptical of them since if the wire loop of the jig somehow manages to get down into the open shank that "leverage" might allow the hook to pull open, but in reality...this has never yet happened....and I use them a lot.

[psilvers]

Thanks. When I think about it - you guys are right - making the closure should not significantly weaken the hook. I was concerned because these jigs wil be used for amberjack, grouper, snapper, etc. They can put a lot of strain on a hook.

Thanks agin.

Pete