Steelhead fishing can be challenging and when an opportunity presents itself you want to be able to capitalize on it. Using the right tools for the job will get you more bites and or help you capitalize on the bites you do get.
The hook is one of the most important parts of your rig, they won’t help you get bit, but the right hook will definitely help you get more of those fish to hand. This is a fairly straight forward topic. We will start by talking about what characteristics make a good hook and then cover a specific size breakdown across different size beads and bait and what size hook you should run for steelhead.
It hasn’t always been this way, but there are several different companies with several different options for hooks. Picking one can be tough and taking the lumps of figuring out if it is good for you or not can be very frustrating as it can result in missed bites and lost fish. As a full time Michigan guide, I have had the opportunity to try several different options and styles of hooks, and quite frankly some are better than others. One of the most important things I am looking for in a hook is the gap ( the distance between the shank, or straight part of the hook below the eye, and hook point.) A wide gap is important to me, when running spawn bags or beads there can be a lot of material in the way, a wide gap helps get past the bead or bait without having to run a huge hook.
Another important characteristic of a good hook is the wire diameter. We don’t want it to be too light that you are worried about bending them out on a fish, or constantly straightening them out with any kind of minor snag you might hit. On the flip side we don’t want a super heavy gauge hook, the bigger the wire is the harder it is to get good penetration. Another issue with very heavy gauge hooks is the weight. It seems minor but when we are working with beads and even spawn bags, a very heavy hook can start to change the buoyancy of your presentation.
One of the characteristics that can be preference is the eye of the hook. Some hooks have out turned eyes, what you see on an octopus hook. Meaning when you follow the shank up and get to the eye, it will bend or turn outwards, away from the point of the hook. These are great for snell knots and overall they can make a good hook. If we were talking salmon I would say that is all I use. However, for steelhead fishing I like a straight shank hook. The eye goes straight up and is inline with the shank of the hook. This can come down to preference and what works better for me might not be the best for you just based off of style and how we fish.
The last characteristic and the very most important! I will not, under any circumstance, fish an inline hook. A good hook must be offset, meaning that if you look at the hook from the front (hook point closest to you) the point of the hook will not line up with the shank. You will see the point is off to the side. For me this is a must and a non-negotiable when it comes to hooks. I guarantee you will miss less baits and lose less fish if you make the adjustment from inline to offset.
Overall when looking at hooks we are looking at the gap, wire diameter, the structure of the hook eye and most importantly the offset of the hook. One of the best all around hooks I have found are Raven Wide Gap Specimens. When it comes to hook sizes I keep it simple and pretty straight forward.
My hook size chart is as follows. When it comes to fishing spawn bags, I am fishing size 4s, you can venture up to a size 2 especially depending on the brand, but I tend to stay at a size 4. When it comes to beads my hook size depends on my bead size. The general rule is your bead should be able to fit or almost fit between the gap of the hook and the shank. For me, this means 6mm and 8mm beads I use a size 6, 10mm I use a size 4, 12mm I am either going on the small side or going up to a 2. I don’t like to go any larger than a size two regardless of bead size as it just seems overkill for steelhead fishing.
Hopefully this helps you dial in the best and most effective hook for you. And ultimately bring more fish to hand.
Recommended Articles:
Steelhead Season in Michigan: (https://www.getbentguideservicemi.com/post/michigan-steelhead-season)
Selecting the Best Steelhead Float: https://www.getbentguideservicemi.com/post/steelhead-floats-selecting-the-best-one
Winter Steelhead Tips and Tricks (https://www.getbentguideservicemi.com/post/how-to-catch-winter-steelhead-winter-steelhead-fishing-tips)
John Wielinga
Get Bent Guide Service
269-277-9293
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