Is hook sharpening a fad?

Jason Hayward

“Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but as with everything in life, some people’s opinions are worth taking more notice of than others! I know some people will say that I have a vested interest in hook sharpening but what should be remembered is when I first wrote about the techniques and how to do it, I wasn’t connected with any company that had a financial interest or potential gain in hook sharpening at the time. So let me pose a few hypothetical and probable logical answers.

Q1: If you open a packet of hooks and one hook was significantly sharper than the other 9, which would you tie on your rigs? Of course you would put the sharper one on, wouldn’t you? Yes?

Q2: What is more likely to prick in the carp’s mouth and penetrate quicker and with less required force: a hook with a perfectly needle sharp point (like one of mine) or a dull, bluntish point (like I consider those straight out of the pack)? The needle sharp point one of course, everyone has to agree on this is as it is governed by the laws of force and physics which is an exact proven science which is not open to sceptism or opinion.

Q3: If there is one thing in carp fishing that sets one angler above the others it’s the “oh that will do” attitude. The 10% of anglers that take their time and get everything absolutely cock-on are the ones that catch most of the fish from every lake up and down the country. The really successful lads, year in, year out, are successful for a reason!

Q4: So is it a fad? Well, I’ve been sharpening hooks with specialised techniques for over 30 years now (some fad, eh?) and I’m not talking about giving them a little touch here and there like what used to be done years ago; I’m talking about taking them to a whole new level of sharpness that cannot be achieved by manufacturers. It was a real secret for me, even though every angler in every article says, “Oh yeah, I’ve been doing it for years”. (And they just happen to be using the same tools and techniques that I developed years ago!) Honestly, there’s no shame in admitting someone had an edge you didn’t know about lads!

Q5: There’s one good barometer of the longevity of idea or method and that is if the trade follow the lead of a company producing a product. Many, many tackle companies have now started to produce good quality hook sharpening equipment due to the success of the JAG Products SP range, and more from other companies will follow; this is not coincidence!

“I have given thousands of hook sharpening demos and continue to do so at the bigger tackle shows around the country each year and not ONE person has ever failed to be impressed or has been able to put across a valid argument for not sharpening once they have seen, or more appropriately, felt on the end of their finger what can be achieved with a little thought and effort.

“So having a mega sharp hook compared to a mediocre one out of the packet is a fad is it? Think about it and answer yourself honestly: regardless of whether you use sharpened hooks or not, you have to admit that calling it a “fad” is just a load of misguided, foolish nonsense!”

“Well, first off, if you’re sharpening your hooks and getting noticeably better results by doing so then carry on. There’s no doubt that certain patterns benefit from sharpening and I know several anglers that swear by it.

“I know it might go against the grain and it might even surprise one or two, but personally I don’t sharpen my hooks, and trust me when I say I’m as fussy as it’s possible to get in the hook sharpness department, to the point of being paranoid about it. Basically, if a pattern of hook isn’t as sharp as I like then I won’t use it, instead I look at alternatives in similar patterns from other makers. The same goes for strength, but that’s another issue altogether.

“My long, trusted method of checking whether or not a hook is sharp is by very gently testing the point against a finger or thumbnail. A truly sharp hook should instantly stick, with no slipping, sliding or scratching whatsoever. The anglers not accustomed to using this test will be now be thinking that surely that’s got to blunt the hook? Nonsense, it’s all about technique, you’re using a tiny amount of pressure, you’re not trying to push the point through your nail. Believe me, if it damaged the point in anyway at all then I wouldn’t still be doing it after 25+ years.

“The bottom line is this, your hook is the most important part of all and they need to be super sharp, how you go about ensuring that is up to you. If you’re dead set on a certain pattern but they don’t quite hit the mark then sharpen them, but if you’re willing to shop about you’ll almost certainly find the same or a similar pattern from another maker that is sharp enough. There’s a lot of good hooks out there now.”