The Contented Angler
"The Genuine Fly Shop"

Manufacturers sell packs of beads with the proper hooks size that should work with them printed on the
pack. This is a sure way of having the correct size bead for the hook size you are using. Or is it? Quite often
you get the hook home and you struggle to get the bead on, breaking some hooks in the process! One of
the things the manufacturer doesn't tell you is the style of hook that the bead will work with.

Hook A is what we call a "perfect bend" Imagine the bend being in the shape of a perfect "C" At this time I
would ask that you forgive me for the crude artwork. If we take the perfect bend and make the top of the
bend more gradual, we have the "Sproat bend" hook. This moves the point of the hook slightly to the rear.
Since the bend is more gradual, it makes for a stronger hook. However, the gradual bend makes it difficult
to get a bead on the hook.

Fig. E is the Limerick bend that we see on most 5 & 6XL streamer hooks. Notice the very abrupt bend at
the bottom of the hook. It is virtually impossible to get a bead on a limerick bend hook. Better to use a
FishSkull anyway. The Limerick bend moves the hook point further to the rear. This not only helps slightly
with short strikes, but it also provides a better "angle of pull" which helps the hook grab and hold throughout
the struggle.

Please look at the typical egg hook in Fig. C. Notice how much larger the angle between the eye of the
hook and the point is. Compare it to the Limerick in Fig. E. The Limerick is the ideal "angle of pull" for good
hooking. The reason egg hooks are made the way they are is to increase the gape of the hook. By the way
gape is pronounced gap. Notice the material protruding from the egg fly and interfering with the gape of the
hook. Closing the gape reduces the possibility of the hook grabbing any flesh in the first place. Now let's go
back to fig. A. The Perfect bend has a good gape but the standard shank length makes the "angle of pull"
acceptable.

XS & XL hooks - There is somewhat of a standard when it comes to hooks. A standard hook with a gape
width of 4mm has a shank length of 8mm. Quite often you will see a pattern listing for the Green Drake Dun
that calls for a size 10 dry fly hook. If you use a standard size 10 dry fly hook you will end up with a Green
Drake that is 1/3 of the size that is should be! Unless, you are tying an extended body fly.  A size 12 3XL
hook has a size 12 gape but the 3XL means that we've added a shank length that is equal to a hook 3 sizes
larger, which gives us a shank length of a Size 9 hook. You will also find that the appropriate size 3XL hook
is lighter than the large dry fly hook! We also have a more acceptable "angle of pull". By the way, shortening
the point also improves the angle of pull. Shortening the point means we are decreasing the distance
between the barb and the point of the hook.  In comparison, the Sz. 12 egg hook has a size 12 gape with a
shank length equal to a hook that is 3 sizes smaller.

Things are getting a little complicated now, but we cannot end this discussion without mentioning the
ever-popular curved hook. The example being the Dai-Riki 135. The curved hook is nearly all bend and
easily accepts the proper size bead. The "angle of pull" is also very good on the curved hook. The gradual
bend also makes this a strong hook. Most of us don't choose the hook for these qualities. We choose it
because it makes a realistic pupa or scud. O.K. I'm done.  
Share
Hooks and Beads
Simplified??
The Contented Angler
147 Jefferson Avenue
Lower Burrell, PA. 15068
724 - 337 - 0437
EMAIL
Insert the hook in the vise as
shown. Take a piece of tubing or
whatever else you have lying
around and apply some dubbing
wax to it. Touch it to the bead and
you can now easily add small
beads to hooks.