Why use Jig Hooks.

So why use Jig hooks? This excerpt from an article penned by Lance Egan explains it well! Lance Egan has designed and tied many flies readily available in most fly shops globally.

Jigs have been an important part of conventional fishing for decades and their effectiveness is well known in both fresh and saltwater situations. In fly fishing, use of jigs is relatively new. The first jig hooks I remember seeing used for fly fishing were streamers tied on 90 degree jigs with cones and dumbbell eyes for the weight. Next up were balanced leech patterns where 90 degree jig hooks are teamed with a sewing pin and a tungsten bead to change the balance at the tie in point of the fly.

Lance has invented some fly patterns such as the Red Dart, Iron Lotus and Rainbow Warrior.

Advantages of jig hooks

I’m often asked if it’s okay to substitute a standard nymph hook for a pattern that is commercially available on a jig hook. While this is certainly an option, I think the advantages of the jig hook make it the superior option. The advantages are:

Less snagging

Because jigs ride with the hook point up they are less prone to snagging the river bottom. This also aids in keeping the hook point safe from damage since it’s less likely to contact rocks and debris.

Improved hook penetration and fish holding

Barbless hooks are easier to get set into a fish because they lack the ramp or bump created by the barb. A barbed hook makes a larger hole in the fish and requires more power to penetrate past the barb. Barbless jig hooks often feature a long point (or needle point) for better penetration and fish holding power. Also, of note, Trout have less bone near the roof and corner of their mouth compared to the bony bottom jaw. Jig hooks tend to hook Trout in the top or corner of the mouth and as such you land more fish with jig style nymphs.

Reel Fly Fishing use and recommend Hanak Competition Hooks available at Compleat Angler Sydney.

More weight options

Competition style barbless jig hooks work best with slotted Tungsten beads. An often-overlooked feature of jig hooks is their potential to fit a range of bead sizes on each hook size. With standard nymph hooks you can usually only fit 1 or 2 different bead sizes on the same hook. If you add a larger bead the hook gap will be too crowded which makes hooking and retaining fish nearly impossible. Because of the recessed way slotted beads sit on a jig hook there is more room to accommodate a broader range of bead sizes. This is particularly important when Euro-nymphing but is also handy when fishing a dry/dropper rig.

Reel Fly Fishing use and recommend Hanak Competition Beads which available at Compleat Angler Sydney.

Better for the fish and you

Barbless hooks are much better for the fish since they are less damaging and easier to remove. This is also true when we accidentally hook ourselves, a guide, or fellow angler.

Again, because of the jig hooks tendency to grab fish by the upper lip, barbless jig hooks are usually easier to quickly pop out of a fish, reducing handling time, which amounts to safer, less stressful releases. Reel Fly Fishing Flies are available at Compleat Angler Sydney.

If you haven’t already, add some barbless jig hooks to your fly selection. I’m confident you'll quickly recognise the advantages and will look for opportunities to fill you boxes with these fish catching hook designs. 

Check out Lance and Cheech’s skill builder section at Fly Food Food and awesome resource whether tying flies or out fishing.

So who is Lance Egan?

Signature Fly Tyer

3-time National Fly-Fishing Champion,

2-time ESPN Great Outdoor Games Fly-Fishing Champion,

Fly-Fishing Masters Champion,

Teva Mountain Games Fly-Fishing Champion,

3-time Utah Single Fly Champion and a current member of Fly-Fishing Team USA.