Are You Wasting Fish Because Your Hook Is Dull?

Hook care is something that many fishermen overlook. Sharpening tools should be kept in your tackle box at all times. Every time you get snagged, you should check the sharpness of your hooks. When you have a sharp hook, the big one doesn't have to flee.

Hook care is something that many fishermen overlook. Have you ever lost a large fish while fishing and wondered why? Perhaps your hook wasn't sharp enough.

If you fish brushpiles, gravel beds, rockpiles, log jams, bridge pilings, timber, or boat docks, you should sharpen your hooks. Sharpening tools should be kept in your tackle box at all times. If you're going fishing and don't have a sharpener, go to a drug store and get a diamond-dust nail file. Every time you get snagged, you should check the sharpness of your hooks.

Here's how I check the sharpness of my hooks:

Grab the hook's shank in one hand and place the point on your thumbnail gently, without applying any force or pressure. Move the hook across your thumbnail; if the point digs in, the hook is sharp.

I also use this method to test the sharpness of my pocket knife.

Sharp hooks can mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful fishing trip. When you have a sharp hook, the big one doesn't have to flee.