The Five Components of a Hook

• The first of the five components of a hook is the eye. The hook eye is the point at which the hook connects to the fishing line or the body of a lure. The end of the hook is bent to form a ring that sits flush against the second component: the shank. The shank extends from the eye to the point at which the hook bends. Many variations of shank sizes are available, and each has a certain purpose when fishing. The next component of a hook is the gap, which is the size of the hook's bend from the end of the shank across to the point. A larger gap allows the angler to use bulkier baits. The point is the fourth component and is the sharp end of the hook designed to penetrate the fish's mouth. The sharper a hook's point is, the less likely you are to lose a fish. Lastly comes the hook's barb. The barb is a sharp point that protrudes downward from the hook's point. The purpose of the barb is to ensure that the hook will hold its place in the fish's mouth. Barbless hooks are available for anglers who prefer to practice the catch-and-release method.
  
  

Bait Hooks

• Live bait fishing is one of the most common styles of fishing and has been for centuries. The bait hook comes in many styles and sizes. The majority of bait hooks have barbs along the shaft of the hook which keep live bait such as worms from falling off the hook.
  
  

Siwash Hooks

• Siwash hooks are mainly used on spinner baits, but can be found or put on spoons (a type of lure). Due to their long shank and point and straight eye, they can also be used as a trailer hook when an angler finds that the fish are hitting short. These features allow the hook to sit straight on a lure, which can be beneficial when fishing a heavily weeded area.
  
  

Aberdeen Hooks

• Aberdeen hooks, like the siwash hook, is long but features a much thinner wire, making it an ideal hook for baitfishing with lively bait. Due to its light makeup, the aberdeen works well when fishing with minnows or other lively baits and when fishing in thick cover. The thin wire construction keeps the angler from snagging; when a snag does occur, aberdeens can at times be bent, thus preventing a break-off.
  
  

Circle Hooks

• Circle hooks are another popular choice among live bait fisherman. Unlike the other types of bait hooks, circle hooks feature a short shank and a point that has a circular bend. The unique construction of the circle hook prevents a fish from swallowing the hook and gut hooking itself, which is a common problem with other bait hooks.
  
  

Offset Worm Hooks

• The offset worm hook features a 90-degree bend in the shank right below the eye. This hook was designed for fishing with artificial plastic baits such as worms, lizards and crawfish. Offset worm hooks also feature a wide gap allowing an angler to keep the hook exposed or submerged in the plastic bait, thus making it weedless. This popular method of fishing is referred to as Texas-rigging.
  
  

Treble Hooks

• A treble hook features three bends and points that share one eye. Trebles are used on many artificial baits such as bucktails, crankbaits and topwaters. The baits are often fished at high speeds and thus require the maximum hooking potential. Trebles can also be used with live bait. Many anglers use a treble hook when fishing with chicken livers for catfish.