First of all, what follows is my personal opinion on hook choice for salmon and ground fish. I know every angler has their own favourite or lucky hook. I know it is hard to change something that is working and try something new. It doesn’t matter what hooks I use; I still get lucky. But I can tell that some hooks hold the fish better during the fight before I net it. There are many kinds of hooks on the market, and the way they’re made has changed over time. We all like our Gamakatsu Octopus or Mustad Ultra Point hooks, but what if we try some other kinds? I don’t really look at hook brands; I look at how they’re made and how strong they are. When picking the right hook for the fish I want to catch, I look at its material, weight, gape, and style.
Ever lose a fish because the hook broke or bent open all the way? My Octopus hook has broken and bent out of shape before. You need to choose the right hook for your target fish. Start by looking at the material of the hook. You can buy a lot of different kinds of hooks, but we will only talk about the ones we can usually find at the tackle shop: steel, high carbon steel, stainless steel, and vanadium steel. Most common hooks are made from steel and have a coating on the metal (e. g. Gamakatsu Red/Black Octopus or Mustad Black Ultra Point, or North Pacific Black). Most of the time, you can tell which steel hooks aren’t made for salmon or ground fish by how thin they are. Steel hooks tend to rust pretty fast and may last only one season of saltwater fishing. If you see rust on the hooks, it’s best to get new ones because rust makes the hooks less strong.
Next up is the high carbon steel hook, which is much stronger than steel. Steel with a higher carbon content is much stronger to handle the stress that fish and fishermen put on it. You’ll notice that it’s harder to pinch the barb down than with regular steel hooks and pillars. In order to land my Tyee, I used high carbon steel coated in permanasteel and regular wire. The hook did not bend at all. Even though these hooks will rust, depending on the coating, they can last more than one season. I know this because I rinse my fishing gear with fresh water after each trip. There are good hooks made of stainless steel that you should buy if you like to fish in salt water. Stainless steel resists rust, which makes your hooks last longer in the saltwater environment.
Vanadium steel hooks are the premium of all hook materials. These hooks are much stronger than stainless steel hooks, and they weigh less. This means that you can use light wire hooks for better penetration than regular wire hooks. Anglers don’t often closely look at wire gauges when purchasing hooks. Most popular hooks people buy are just regular wire gauge. If your favorite hook style bends or breaks when a big fish hits it, you might want to look for a stronger wire gauge. There are light, regular, 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, and 6x gauge hooks. Typically I use regular or 1x for salmon, lingcod, and rockfish. Most people will use stronger gauge hooks for halibut and lingcod. Different wire gauges and material can affect the weight of the hook.
Weight of the hook is important when you are trolling for salmon or other species of fish. A heavier weighted hook will slow down your lure’s action when trolling at your normal speed. When you try a new hook on a lure, it’s best to see how it moves on the water before sending it down to the fish. Change the 3/0 hook on a coho killer spoon to a 5/0 regular wire hook, or change the 4/0 steel hook on a coyote spoon to a 5/0 1x hook. You can easily tell how heavy a hook is by how it looks and feels in your hand. If you choose a bigger hook or a stronger wire gauge, it will make your lure heavier. A heavier hook on a plug will cause it to separate from the plug’s body more, which is not good. Sometimes you need a little extra weight on your hoochie to help the flasher whip. Getting a hook that is one size bigger will help with this. For Chinook, I like to use 5/0 hooks, and for coho, I like to use 4/0 hooks because of the size of their mouths. If you use hooks made of vanadium steel, you can make your lure lighter while making the hook bigger. To make the lure move more naturally and the hook gape bigger, your fish will be able to fight longer.
The gape is where you can tell how much the hook can grab on the fish’s mouth area. Your hook might only hook the lip if the gape is too small. It might not catch the whole jawline bone area. Too big of a gape might risk eye gouging on smaller fish. Always keep in mind that the bend in the hook is where the fish’s lip or jaw line will be. For Chinooks, use a 6/0 hook for a 5” Classic Tomic plug and a 7/0 hook for a 5” Tubby Tomic plug. I use a 5/0 hook for hoochies and bait during the summer/fall Chinooks and 4/0 for winter/spring Chinooks. I use 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, and 7/0 hooks for spoons, depending on the width of the spoon. For ground fish I use 10/0 to 14/0 hooks due to the size of the jig.
With all of these hook sizes come a lot of different styles and shapes. Some common styles are the bait hook, the Siwash hook, the circle hook, and the treble hook. When fishing for salmon, most people use bait hooks, Siwash hooks, and treble hooks. When fishing for halibut and lingcod, they use bait hooks and circle hooks. Gamakatsu Octopus is a shape of bait hook. There are different shapes of bait hook with different names like Octopus, Sickle, Big River, or TechSet. All of these shapes work better to keep the fish on the hook longer and stop it from spitting out the hook.
If you need to change the hook on a spoon or jig, you can use an open-eye siwash hook. You can also crimp on a swivel for plug or hoochie setups. There are different shapes of Siwash hooks, including straight, offset, Sickle, Big River, or wide gape.
Circle hooks are great for preventing gut hooking or eye gouging a fish. Circle hooks self-set the hook into the fish’s mouth without you having to set the hook. This hook works best with bait mooching for salmon or bottom bouncing for ground fish. It does work with hoochies and spoons, depending on the way the fish attacks the lure.
Treble hooks are commonly used on jigs, plugs, and bait fishing. When the fish strikes the lure or bait from any angle, having three hook points makes it more likely that you will catch it. I sometimes use treble hooks for lingcod and rockfish, just because I’m jigging. To catch salmon, you need to use a barbless hook. I find that the offset and sharp kink at the bend of the hook help keep the fish hooked longer during the fight. I also find the circle hook acts like a barbed hook because of the angled hook point.
Since there are so many hooks on the market, why not try some new ones? For salmon fishing, I’ve used different bait hooks, Siwash hooks, and circle hooks. I have found some new go-to hooks that will help fishermen land more fish into the boat. Two things to keep in mind: make sure the gape of your hook fits the width of your lure, and sharpen your hooks often.
Deciding what size hook to use for salmon fishing can seem complicated for beginners. With so many options available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. However, choosing the right size hook doesn’t have to be difficult if you understand some key factors.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to select the perfect hook size for salmon including
- Hook sizing charts
- Matching hook size to bait
- Salmon species and size
- Fishing location and current
- Fishing methods
- Other considerations
Salmon Hook Sizing Charts
Hook sizing can be confusing because different manufacturers use different sizing systems. To keep things uniform, it’s best to stick to the standard Mustad hook sizes that most brands now use.
Here’s a quick salmon hook size chart to get familiar with:
- Size 1/0 – Very large hooks best for giant salmon baits like whole herring or large chunks of roe.
- Size 2/0 to 4/0 – The most popular sizes used by salmon anglers for a wide variety of baits.
- Size 6/0 – Good middle size for salmon eggs, small spoons, and shrimp.
- Size 8/0 to 10/0 – Best for single salmon eggs and very small baits.
While you’ll commonly see these hook sizes used for salmon, you can also fine-tune your selection based on the factors below.
Match Hook Size to Your Bait
One of the most important considerations is matching your hook size to the bait you’re using. You want a hook that’s proportional for the best hookup potential.
For large baits like whole herring, squid strips, large roe clusters or shrimp, go with 1/0 to 3/0 hooks The wide gap will ensure solid hook penetration
For medium-sized baits like smaller chunks of roe, sand shrimp, or small spoons, try size 4/0 or 6/0 hooks. The fit should be snug but allow the bait to move naturally.
For single eggs, size 8/0 or 10/0 octopus hooks are perfect to hide the entire hook inside a single salmon egg.
Factor in the Salmon Species and Size
Salmon species and average size vary greatly depending on location.
Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest can reach over 50 pounds, requiring very stout hooks to subdue them. Start with 2/0 or 3/0 hooks here
Sockeye salmon don’t get as large as kings, so size 2/0 hooks are ideal.
Pink salmon are smaller on average, so you can downsize to 4/0 or 6/0 hooks for them.
Coho salmon fall in the middle, with 3/0 or 4/0 hooks working well.
For Great Lakes salmon, size 6/0 to 8/0 hooks are commonly used due to the generally smaller size of the fish.
Consider the Fishing Location and Current Speed
Faster moving water calls for larger hooks that can handle the force of heavy current. But on gentle rivers, lighter hooks get the nod.
On large western rivers with heavy current, lean towards 2/0 or 3/0 hooks to deal with powerful fish.
For smaller rivers and streams, size 4/0 or 6/0 hooks will be better suited for the lighter flow.
On Great Lakes tributaries, you can use smaller size 6/0 or 8/0 hooks because of the generally gentler flows.
Pay attention to current speed at your specific spot – even on the same river, some areas will be faster than others.
Factor in Your Fishing Method
Your fishing method also plays a role in proper hook sizing.
For drift fishing on the bottom, use thicker wire hooks that can bump rocks without bending out. Sizes 1/0 to 4/0 are best for bottom bouncing.
Float fishing with a bobber allows you to use slightly smaller hooks since they seldom touch bottom. Sizes 4/0 or 6/0 work for float rigs.
Backtrolling and trolling require durable hooks to handle fast moving fish. Go with 2/0 or 3/0 hooks here.
Casting spoons and spinners call for hooks that match the lure size. Typically size 2/0 to 4/0 trebles work well.
Fly fishing requires lightweight hooks to not hinder drifts, so stick with sizes 6/0 to 8/0 for salmon flies.
Other Salmon Hook Considerations
Beyond just sizing, there are other factors that contribute to choosing the best possible hook:
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Wide gap hooks set easier and hold better. Prioritize wide gaps when choosing a hook.
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Short-shanked hooks are harder for salmon to spit compared to longer shanked options.
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Look for chemically sharpened hooks for maximum penetration on hard salmon mouths. Check the point regularly.
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Stronger forged hooks prevent bending on big fish. Avoid cheap thin wire hooks.
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For small single eggs, use specialized egg hooks with small wire and short shanks.
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Treble hooks work well for plugs, spoons and spinners. Match size to the lure.
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Go with stainless steel instead of plain steel hooks to prevent rusting.
Quick Salmon Hook Size Recommendations
To wrap up, here are some quick, basic salmon hook size recommendations:
- Whole herring, large roe clusters: 1/0 to 3/0
- Chunks, shrimp, medium roe clusters: 4/0 or 5/0
- Single eggs, small plugs: 8/0 or 10/0
- Small spoons, flies: 6/0
- Great Lakes salmon: 6/0 to 8/0
- Chinook/Kings: 2/0 to 4/0
- Sockeye: 2/0
- Coho: 3/0 or 4/0
- Pinks: 4/0 to 6/0
With the guidelines above, you can confidently select the right salmon hook size for the species, bait, and location you’re fishing. Following these recommendations will lead to solid hook-ups and more hooked fish. Approach each outing with a selection of sizes and experiment to see what works best on a given day.
*** FISHING HOOK SIZES 101 ***
FAQ
What is the best hook for salmon lures?
What is the hook setup for salmon?
Is a single hook or treble hook better for salmon?
What size hooks for puget sound salmon?
What size hook for salmon fishing?
The best size hook for salmon fishing is a size four hook which is a good all around hook size for most conditions and baits. However, the size of the hook will change depending on the size of the bait. Even a very large hook, like a size 3/0 can be used as long as the hook is not too large for the bait.
What types of hooks are available for salmon fishing?
There are several types of hooks available for salmon fishing, including single hooks, treble hooks, circle hooks, and double hooks. Single hooks have one point and are commonly used for artificial lures. Treble hooks have three points and are effective for live bait.
What size hook should I use for sockeye salmon?
Sockeye (Red) Salmon: Sockeye salmon possess a smaller mouth compared to other species, necessitating the use of smaller-sized hooks. Sizes between #1 and #2 would be ideal when fishing for sockeye salmon. To maximize your odds of landing that prized salmon, keep the following tips in mind:
What size fish hook do I Need?
A size ten or size eight hook is best for salmon eggs that are 8mm to 14mm in size. You want a hook that is small enough that the egg mostly covers it. Some great hooks for single eggs fishing are Daiichi Salmon Egg Hook and the Gamakatsu Single Egg Hook. I highly recommend using high-quality hooks made with a chemically sharpened hook point.