Blue Marlin Hook Question

[Wound Up James]

Hey James. How about some tips to putting good points on the Hays hooks. I'm not sure if I'm gonna use mine again this season I've tried several ways of honing the hooks and just can't satisfy myself that I'm getting the penetration power that I can with Mustads. Switched to Hays last season and love the design and the strength but just not confident in them yet. How are you doing yours?

I too worry about their penetration power compared to thinner bodied hooks, and struggled to get an edge on them. Fortunately, a good friend and tournament angler ( 'argus' on this board) took a bunch of Hay's Hooks home and shaped the points on his table belt sander. He made some diamond shaped points, and kept the others the same as Roddy's point, but thinner. I kept the points tuned w/ sand paper and light filing.. it was only one season, but both points had similar, good results......

[fish4bills]

I too worry about their penetration power compared to thinner bodied hooks, and struggled to get an edge on them. Fortunately, a good friend and tournament angler ( 'argus' on this board) took a bunch of Hay's Hooks home and shaped the points on his table belt sander. He made some diamond shaped points, and kept the others the same as Roddy's point, but thinner. I kept the points tuned w/ sand paper and light filing.. it was only one season, but both points had similar, good results......

Thanks for the input!

Roddy told me about the belt sander but I did not have access to one last season. I tried hand sanders, ******* files, diamond files, all sorts of stuff and just could not get it to my liking. I thought about trying a dremel tool with a vise but it sounds like I really need to find a good belt sander. I truely want to find happiness with getting points on these things...

[Capt_John]

Thanks for the input guys. On another note, do you prefer stainless or galvanized for your plugs? And what is the advantage of using the stainless? We will be pulling them charter fishing and in tournaments.

I like single cadium hooks instead of stainless.

1. Cadium hooks are stronger than stainless(don't straighten as easy).

2. Single hooks because you can lip latch a fish with doubles if it breaks off( one hok in top of mouth, one in bottom) then the fishs' mouth is pinned shut.

3. If a fish breaks off or you have to cut it off, the cadium will rust out where the stainless won't.

[Wound Up James]

Thanks for the input!

Roddy told me about the belt sander but I did not have access to one last season. I tried hand sanders, ******* files, diamond files, all sorts of stuff and just could not get it to my liking. I thought about trying a dremel tool with a vise but it sounds like I really need to find a good belt sander. I truely want to find happiness with getting points on these things...

I'd give the dremel a chance if you have one. I fished a lot w/ Bo Jenyns last season at the same time we were going through our growing pains w/ getting a point on these hooks. They used a lot of Roddy's hooks in Ghana and used a dremel to 'narrow' the point down. 'argus' tried the dremel, but I think he found that he had more control w/ the table sander.

[Capt Chip]

Ive been using Hays Hooks since thier inception and the dremel works great but make sure you have spare stones as they get grooved pretty quickly. I also have access to a belt/ disc sander and that works well too, even faster than the dremel. Either way it's a good idea to take a stack of hooks and rotate them while grinding so as not to overheat them or you can really change the temper. Work on one till it gets warm to touch then pick up another and so on.

I knock the hips (where the cone ends) off the sides on the disc first, then reround the top into the sides, next I use the dremel to flaten the inside of the point like a Jobu or a spade point from the base of the barb to the tip. A ******* file and mainly 280 to 320 wet&dry glued to tongue depressors for finishing touches. Basically still a cone point but with reduced diameter and a flat inside so it acts like a plow and not a knife.

Very deadly.

Capt. Chip Van Mols
Monkey Biz II
Kona

[Questsportfishing]

look up 'point maker' it is for sharpening hooks .. get the extra wheel while your at it. mine is old and has no info on it but they are great for big hooks.

[Questsportfishing]

http://www.texastackle.com/pointmaker.htm

great little tool

[Patudo]

Hey guys,

How much work would need to be done on the 10/0 (and smaller) Hays hooks versus the 11/0? The 11/0 is a big meaty hook but the wire/bar stock on the 10/0 and smaller looks closer to that of other hooks.

It would be great if anyone who has worked on them could post a couple of before-and-after photos - to help others judge how much steel can safely be taken off?

Many thanks
patudo

[birdhunter]

Thank a lot for some great info guys, this is really getting good! I am sure I speak for the crowd when I say that I would love to see some pictures.

[Capt Chip]

Patudo and all,

I'll try and take some photo's today of my before and afters on a few different sizes. I'm a bit computer illiterate so maybe you can post them here if I email them to you.

Yes, the 11/0 is a big hook and they take me the longest to shape but it's worth every minute, to me anyway. Probably the most important thing to me was to get rid of that sudden transition from cone point to the full bar stock (the hips). I personally like the ...

I guess a picture hopefully is worth 1000 words, I'll work on that for now.

Aloha,

Chip