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Back to the Basics: What are Hooks, Lures & Flies?

A baited hook, lure, or fly is attached to the end of the leader. The hook is a pointed piece of metal shaped like a question mark. Each hook has a sharp point designed to pierce the mouth of a striking fish, and a barb, a small reverse point designed to keep the fish on the hook. Each hook also has a shank, a straight shaft that is topped with a loop, or eye, that attaches to the fishing line. Anglers usually hide the hook by stringing the bait over the point and around the shank. When the fish takes the bait in its mouth, the angler sets the hook with a quick pull, and the fish is caught.

The length of the hook's shank and gap determines the hook's size, which is designated by a number. Higher numbered hooks are smaller. A No. 22 hook, for example, is smaller than a No. 10 hook. Hooks that are bigger than No. 1 hooks take a zero, and the number progression is reversed, so that a No. 2/0 hook is bigger than a No. 1/0 hook. The size of the hook used depends upon the size of the bait and the type of fish being sought. A fly-fisher casting for 30-cm (12-in) trout might use hooks as small as No. 24, while an angler fishing for a larger bass might use No. 4/0 hooks.

When use of live bait is either prohibited or not preferred, anglers may use artificial lures that have hooks attached. These lures imitate the game fish's food in movement and color. They include plugs, spinners, spoons, plastic worms, and jigs. Plugs made of plastic or balsa wood lie on or just below the surface. Anglers make them wiggle and dart through the water by moving the rod from side to side. Spinners and spoons are colored metallic lures that resemble tablespoons without handles. Anglers reel these lures in near the bottom, where they attract game fish with flashes of color and movement. A plastic worm's wiggling and lifelike appearance make it attractive to fish. Jigs are hooks with painted metal heads and plastic or skirted bodies. They are jerked up and down off the bottom, enticing fish.

A fly is a special type of lure used in fly-fishing. Flies are made of feathers, hair, and plastics, which are wrapped around a hook and designed to imitate water insects such as mayflies and stoneflies, or land insects such as beetles or grasshoppers. They come in a variety of types: dry flies, which float and imitate adult aquatic insects; wet flies, which lie below the surface and imitate immature aquatic insects; nymphs, which resemble the larval stage of aquatic insects; and streamers and bucktails, which imitate small fish.

Contributed By:

Jay H. Cassell, M.A.
Senior Editor, Sports Afield. Member, Outdoor Writers Association of America. Contributor, Business Week, Camping Journal, and other publications.

"Fishing," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.