There are no exact standards for hooks. Seems like each major manufacturer makes up what works for them. If you are a fly tyer and try to tie flies using a pattern sheet, you may have to convert to the brand of hook that’s at your tying table. There are lots of Fly Tying Hook Conversion Tables online. You may have a favorite. This is mine.

Here are a couple of posts I’ve written about hooks:

Dry Fly

Daiichi

Tiemco

Dai Riki

Mustad

MFC


Wide gape, down eye – 1X-fine

1100

100

320

94840

7000


Wide gape, straight eye – 1X-fine

1110

101

310

94859

7001


Wide gape, down eye – 1X fine, black (odd size)

**Alec Jackson Soft Hackle Trout Fly Hook )made by Daiichi – see POST for detailed comparison)

**

102Y


Wide gape, down eye – extra fine wire, black (odd sizes)

103BL


Wide gap, down eye – barbless (TMC is black)

1190

900BL

94845


Wide gape, down eye, 1X-short

1310

305

94838


Down eye, 1X-fine, 2X-short

Straight eye, regular wire, 2X-short

1640

921


Down eye, 1X-fine

Down eye, standard wire

Down eye, standard wire, mini-barb

Down eye, standard wire, mini-barb, low viz

1170

1180

1182

5210

300


Down eye, 1X-fine, 2X-long

Down eye, standard wire 2X-long

1280

5212

280

94831

7022


Curved Hooks

Daiichi

Tiemco

Dai Riki

Mustad

MFC


Fine wire, 2X-short, black 

* Alec Jackson Chironomid Trout Fly Hooks for #13 – 17 (made by Daiichi – see POST for detailed comparison)

1140*

206BL


Down eye, standard wire, 2XL

1280

2302

280

94831

7231


Straight eye, 1X-fine, 2X-long

1260

2312

280


Straight eye, standard wire, 3XL

1270

200R

270

7002


Down eye, 2X-heavy, 2X-wide, 2X-short

1120/1150

2457

135

7009/7045/7125


Down eye, fine wire, 2X-wide, 2X-short

1130

2487

125

7048


Straight eye, 3X-wide, 2X-short

1130

2488

125


Straight eye, 3X-wide, 2X-short, 2X-heavy

2488H


Streamer Flies

Daiichi

Tiemco

Dai Riki

Mustad

MFC


Down eye, heavy wire, 6X-long

2340

300

3665A

7030


 Straight eye, 4X-long

1750

1X heavy

9395

3X heavy

700

9674


 Straight eye, 3X-long

2460

standard

9394

3X heavy

7050


 Streamer Stinger Hooks

Daiichi

Tiemco

Partridge

Gamakatsu

MFC


Short shank, straight-eye

2450

8089

Universal Preditor

B10S


Intruder Hook

2557


Nymphs & Wet Flies

Daiichi

Tiemco

Dai Riki

Mustad

MFC


Down eye, 2X-heavy, 1X-long

1560

3761

060

3906B

7076


Down eye, 2X-heavy

1530

3769

075

3906

7077


Down eye, 2X-heavy, 2X-long

1710

5262

730

9671

7026


Down eye, 2X-heavy, 3X-long

1720

5263

710

9672

7027


Wide gape, down eye, 1X-heavy

1550

9300

070

10 Comments

  1. Good start! Mustad has had a lot of issues with their hooks over the decades and the 9671 is emblematic. Mustad kept the manufacturing wire for hooks part of their business in Norway, but moved their hook manufacturing to Wuxi, China in 2001. The “old” (Pre 2001) 9671 hooks, called “Signature”, were 2XL 2XH hooks. The current 9671 is a 3XL hook that is labeled as a 2XH, but the wire is different now, too. The 9671 is not the only example of what happened to Mustad. Of course it’s all about dollars. The plethora of new hook manufacturers is the result of Mustad surrendering the high ground as the sizing standard for the industry.

    1. Thanks for the Comment Mike.

      I haven’t used many Mustad hooks in my fly tying during the last few years. Just using up the balance and list them here as reference for older fly patterns.

      John

  2. Just what I needed. It is more complete than others.
    Thanks for making in easy to decide which hook to use.
    Sherry

  3. Good morning John: I just went to your resource page for the first time.

    I and others will find very helpful. Thanks Max

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