Different types of fish hooks exist because of different styles of fishing and different types of fish. Fish Reports says specific hooks exist for tube baits, jigs, worm fishing and salt water applications. Think of it this way: Hammers, screwdrivers and shovels are all tools, but they have specific functions. So do fish hooks. Size varies because the size of bait and the size of fish mouths varies. Hook shapes vary because of fishing techniques and because fish mouths vary.
Hook Sizes
Think of hook sizes as positive and negative numbers. Some go up from zero, some go down. Hook sizes with a bar and a zero get bigger as their size number gets larger. For example a 4/0 hook is larger than a 3/0 hook. Hooks identified by size numbers without the bar and zero get smaller as the numbers get larger. A No. 2 hook is larger than a No. 3. Manufacturers don't follow a standard, so a 4/0 of opne brand might not be exactly the same size as a 4/0 of another brand. Match the size of the hook you use with the size of your bait with the size of the mouth on the fish you want to catch.
Barb or Barbless?
Use barbless hooks if you plan to release your catch. They have become popular again with the rise of catch-and-release fishing. Bish & Fish says barbs originally served to keep bait on the hook. Barbless hooks may be easier to set into a fish's mouth, and they are easier to take out of a fish without causing damage. That's also true if you inadvertently hook yourself.
Hook Points
Pick a hook point appropriate to your style of fishing. Outdoors supplier Cabela's says each has its advantages. The needle point is round and tapered. The rolled-in point is easier to set deeply and holds fish that jump or thrash when you're landing it. The hollow point is good for fish with delicate mouths, like carp or crappie. The spear point needs a lot of power to set. The knife edge point sharpens and penetrates easily.
Shanks
Cabela's describes hook shanks as short, regular or long. Most are regular. Short shanks are good for panfish with small mouths, and fly-fisherman use short shanks for certain flies. Long shanks are for large fish with teeth and for fish that quickly take food deeply into their throat.
Hook Shapes
Cabela's says there are thousands of hook types and combinations. Baitholder hooks have a long shank with tiny barbs on the shank that help keep bait on the hook. Worm hooks, which bass fisherman often use, generally have a wider-than-normal gap between the hook point and the shank, and they have a slight S-shape near the eye, which helps in the hookset. Double hooks and treble hooks are mostly used as trailer hooks and on crankbaits. Siwash hooks help on the hookset of very large fish because they are extremely hard. Light-wire hooks with a round bend are Aberdeen hooks, which are designed to not damage small live bait. Aberdeen hooks also bend rather than break. Kahle hooks have a large gap and tend to hook a fish deeper in its mouth, putting the hook a distance from the soft tissue around the mouth. Saltwater hooks are made of materials that resist corrosion.
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