01-06-2004, 02:53 PM
It's obvious most of you are far more ambitious than I. Being a "homeboy," I almost exclusively use my "hometown" Eagle Claws for bait fishing and never have sharpened one -- new or old. Of course because nearly all my fishing is for freshwater for trout, with a few perch, largemouths, and small Northerns, my bait hooks range from #14 to #4 and don't get into larger, plated ones which might have a few more dull points.
I occasionally -- every two years or so -- sharpen hooks on my lures unless I find a bent point from snagging on a rock while stream fishing which is about 99% of my fishing. I straighen out a bent point as soon as I notice and polish it with the best rock I can find at that moment. Most of my trout stream fishing strikes are hard enough to drive a hook, even one not real sharp, deep enough to hold the fish -- even on five to six pounders. Of course, those were probably 10 pounders which I wasn't able to hook, but everyone needs some type excuse.
On the other hand, maybe dull hooks are the reason my rare lake fishing tries are so lousy. I'll have to give that more consideration.
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I occasionally -- every two years or so -- sharpen hooks on my lures unless I find a bent point from snagging on a rock while stream fishing which is about 99% of my fishing. I straighen out a bent point as soon as I notice and polish it with the best rock I can find at that moment. Most of my trout stream fishing strikes are hard enough to drive a hook, even one not real sharp, deep enough to hold the fish -- even on five to six pounders. Of course, those were probably 10 pounders which I wasn't able to hook, but everyone needs some type excuse.
On the other hand, maybe dull hooks are the reason my rare lake fishing tries are so lousy. I'll have to give that more consideration.
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