Sharpening Hooks
While sharpening hooks seem like a very basic thing, there are times when I just don’t get it right. I either can’t get a good sharp point or I over sharpen and make the hook point brittle.
I am familiar with the sticking in the fingernail deal for testing sharpness, but what is really the best way to sharpen hooks?
Also, the hooks I attempt to sharpen are ones that have either dulled over time or got blunt on the very tip of the hook point from hitting structure.
When it comes to hooks, I’m ok with discarding a dulled end and using a fresh hook but on lures like jigs, where I don’t want to throw the bait away, just looking for best practices.
Thank you.
Hi Phil,
GREAT question. Sharp hooks are SO important to keeping fish hooked and landing them! There are times a hook point is SO burred or bent over that it cant be sharpened properly. For these hooks you just have to tie another one on. But for hooks that are fixable, I use a stand hook file and hone the hook with short UPWARD strokes. I usually go up two or three times at 3 or 4 different angles working my way around the hook point. I continue to do this until the hook is sharp.
Hope this helps!
Ike
