How To Sharpen Fish Hooks
It’s well known that fishing tackle is one of the most important aspects of catching fish, but many anglers often overlook The bodybuilding Importance of a sharp fish hook.
If you’re new to fishing, you might be wondering: How do you sharpen fish hooks?
In this article, I will cover some key information about sharpening fish hooks, including how to sharpen fish hooks and the benefits of sharpening them.
Let’s get started.
The Importance Of Sharpening Fish Hooks
When you’re out on the water, the last thing that you want is to be held back by your fishing tackle. Once fish hooks become dull, it makes it harder to penetrate the fish, making your job harder.
At this point, you might think it’s time to throw away your fish hook and invest in some new ones.
However, instead of throwing away your fish hooks and more money, this is where a file comes in handy to sharpen your fish hooks.
Sharpening your fish hooks is an essential part of their maintenance. Even if they’re not old and rusty, you should get into a habit of sharpening your hooks on a regular basis as salt water corrodes metal over time.
In addition with frequent use, this makes for a hook that is dull and nowhere near as sharp as you ideally want it to be.
In addition to this, when it comes to buying packs of several fish hooks, you’re likely to find that there’s one that isn’t as sharp as the others.
This is why learning how to sharpen your own fish hooks is an essential skill for any angler!
Just because a hook is laser or chemically-sharpened doesn’t mean that your hooks will continue to stay sharp for years to come without maintenance.
Sharpening hooks can not only save you time in the water, but can also save you a tonne of money in the long run if it prevents you from buying new fish hooks.
If you want to enjoy fishing without the worry of your tackle failing you, sharpening your fish hooks truly is a no brainer.
During the sharpening process, you are using a file to shave off small bits of metal from the hook tip until it is razor sharp, increasing the chances of it hooking through a fish.
Getting a file to sharpen your fish hooks until they are super sharp means that you minimize the risk of a fish breaking free from a dull hook, and therefore prepares you for every fishing trip!
So, how do you sharpen your fish hooks?
How To Sharpen Fish Hooks
Equipment You Will Need
- A file
- A dull fish hook
Instructions
Step One – Position Your Fish Hook On The File
When you are ready to sharpen your fish hook, you will first need to position your fish hook at about a 45 degree angle against the file.
Step Two – Apply Pressure To The Fish Hook On The File
Once you have positioned your hook in this low angle, you will need to apply pressure to the hook and file towards the hook point, as opposed to away from the hook point.
This comes down to the fact that filing away from the hook point results in micro-shavings accumulating close to the tip of the hook.
Step Three – Begin Sharpening The Fish Hook
Sharpen the fish hook by pushing the hook forward on the file, applying pressure as you do so. As you continue filing, slowly turn the hook point so that every edge of the hook is being sharpened.
Be careful to only apply pressure when you are pushing the hook forward, not when you are pulling it back.
Step Four – Gently Run The Fish Hook Over Your Thumbnail
Following this, you will need to test how sharp your fish hook is. To do this, you will need to lightly run the fish hook across your thumbnail. If it just scratches the surface, the hook isn’t quite sharp enough yet.
Step Five – Continue Sharpening The Fish Hook
You want the hook to be so sharp that you are met with resistance as it digs into your thumbnail, getting stuck when you gently run the fish hook over the thumbnail.
If you’re not there yet, continue sharpening your fish hook until you are.
How long you need to sharpen your fish hooks will depend on how dull they are. Duller hooks will take a little longer to sharpen. However, have patience – this is a job that’s well worth your time and effort!
Step Six – File Inside The Hook
Next, you will need to file inside the hook bend to hone the top of the hook point. This is important to ensure that there isn’t any metal curled over.
Step Seven – Add Your Sharpened Fish Hooks To Your Tackle Box
Once you have sharpened your fish hook, add it to your tackle box.
If you have any other fishing hooks that need sharpening, then make the most of your new file by sharpening them up before you head out on your next fishing trip and you’re good to go!
Sharpening Tips To Consider
- Different hook manufacturers produce different hook point designs. Bearing this in mind, you will want to try to sharpen your hook back to the intended shape, as not all hooks are going to be the same.
- For the best results, always make sure that you are applying pressure to the hook and filing towards the hook point, not away from the hook point
- Carrying out the thumbnail test is the easiest way to check the progress you’re making when sharpening your fish hook. Although you might need to try it a few times, continuing sharpening your fish hook until it provides resistance on your thumb is important to get the most out of your fish hook. Bearing this in mind, you should always do the thumbnail test to make sure that you have sharpened the hook enough.
In Summary
You can save a lot of time and money simply by sharpening your fish hooks. I hope you now have a better understanding of how to sharpen fish hooks.
Follow these useful tips when it next comes to you needing to sharpen up your fish hooks.
Good luck and enjoy sharpening your fish hooks!
