Choosing the Right Size Hook for Salmon Egg Fishing

For salmon eggs, wide gap hooks work well. They can also be used for power bait, meal worms, night crawlers, grubs, and leaches. Offset bend in the gap of the hook allows for more hook ups in the lip. Ideal for catch and release fishing. Give a steady pull when you get a bite with this hook, not a jerk. Works great for trout, panfish, bass and more!.

When using salmon eggs as bait for salmon or trout, having the proper size hook is critical to ensure solid hooksets and secure hook holds. Salmon eggs vary in size depending on the species and time of year, so you’ll need to tailor your hook size to the eggs you are using. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll examine the ideal hook sizes for rigging up salmon eggs of all sizes.

General Salmon Egg Hook Size Guidelines

As a general rule of thumb for salmon egg hook sizes:

Use size 8 to 5/0 hooks for large king or coho salmon eggs over 1/4 inch diameter The thicker wire and gape help securely hold these larger baits
Size 6 or 4 hooks work well for medium sized pink, chum, or sockeye salmon eggs around 1/8 to 3/16 inch. Still large enough for solid holds
For smaller steelhead or trout eggs under 1/8 inch, you can get away with hooks down to size 12. The smaller gauge wire won’t negatively impact the bait.

Of course, these are just suggestions. The best size may be different depending on the bait and the weather where you are. Use these recommendations as a baseline when deciding on hook sizes.

Setting the Right Hook Gap for Salmon Eggs

One of the most critical factors in choosing a salmon egg hook is making sure the gap and gape are large enough to accommodate the bait but not overly so.

For larger king salmon eggs, a wider hook gap is needed for the hook to fully imbed and not tear out under load
Smaller trout eggs can be caught on standard shank trout hooks without the need for a longer gape.
Egg hooks have a flattened gap and an offset shank that are designed to hold globular baits like eggs or glo-bugs properly instead of pointed baits. The custom shape really helps for a secure hold.

Take the time to test the gape on a hook against an actual egg to ensure the gap allows the point to seat well but not move around loosely. You want a snug fit around the egg.

Using Circle Hooks for Salmon Eggs

Circle hooks have become a popular choice when using salmon eggs due their efficient hooking capabilities:

The round bend easily locks into the side of a salmon’s mouth when reeling tension is applied.
No need to aggressively set the hook, allowing for more hookups when bites may be light.
The in-turned point also helps keep small trout or salmon hooked on light tippets.

Make sure to size circle hooks appropriately for the egg diameter. A hook that is too small may not gap well. Some good all-around size options are 2/0 for smaller eggs and 4/0 for larger eggs.

Hook Strength and Durability

Salmon and trout can put heavy pressure on hooks when running with eggs, so make sure to select hooks with sufficient strength for the fish you are targeting:

For salmon over 10 pounds, choose thicker gauge hooks (3X or 4X strong) to withstand the bruising runs when hooked up.
Lighter gauge hooks (5X or 6X) will suffice for smaller trout that put less strain on equipment.
Forged, high carbon steel hooks provide a good blend of penetrative bite and bending resistance before going dull.

Upgrading to sharper, more durable hooks from quality brands like Owner, Gamakatsu, and Mustad is advisable when chasing heavy salmon that could expose any weaknesses.

Hook Eyelets for Securing Salmon Egg Rigs

Having a hook eyelet properly sized for the rigging you are using is another factor to address:

Standard eyelets for monofilament or light wire leaders down to 15 lb test.
Extra large eyelets when attaching leaders over 20 lbs for kings where abrasion resistance is needed.
Closed eyelet “egg snells” that already have the leader attached for quick rigging.

Take a close look at the eyelet width relative to your leader material and knot style to make sure the eye can accommodate the rigging you’ll be utilizing.

Single Hooks vs. Treble Hooks for Salmon Eggs

While treble hooks were once more commonly used with salmon eggs, single hooks have become more prevalent:

Single hooks typically provide better hookup ratios as the barb can fully seat.
The single point focuses hooking pressure in one spot for a solid hold.
Easier to release fish safely with a single versus three-pronged treble.
Single barbless circle hooks are now required in some salmon and steelhead fisheries.

For most angling situations, single hooks matched to the bait size are now the preference over multi-point treble hooks when pairing salmon eggs.

Hook Sizing for Specific Salmon Species

To further clarify, here are some salmon egg hook recommendations tailored for popular salmon species:

Chinook (King) Salmon

Use hook sizes 6 – 5/0 or 4/0 octopus hooks for the large eggs from kings.
The extra wide gape seats well into the dense skein meat firmly.
Thicker super sharp hooks stand up to their bullish runs when hooked.

Coho (Silver) Salmon

Sizes 4 to 2/0 provide a good match for medium-sized coho eggs.
The smaller eyelet on coho hooks lets light leader slide through smoothly.
Forged shanks give strength for the acrobatics of coho.

Pink Salmon

Opt for hook sizes 6 or 4 for average sized pink eggs.
The thinner wire won’t negatively impact the soft eggs as much.
Shorter shank than king hooks but still strong enough for feisty pinks.

Chum Salmon

These eggs span a range, but 4 – 2/0 hooks cover most bases.
Circle hooks shine when chum lightly nip the salmon egg bags.
Matched with the loose, spongy eggs that chums produce.

Steelhead Trout

Sizes 8 to 12 hooks match well with the smaller steelhead roe.
Standard shank trout hooks seat neatly into the taut skeins.
Lighter wire flexes under the runs of powerful steelies.

Atlantic Salmon

Hook sizes 6 – 8 for the medium eggs from Atlantic salmon.
Tinned forged hooks provide needed mid-range strength.
Wider gaps seat well into the orange-hued Atlantic eggs.

So by taking salmon species and egg size into account, you can narrow down the ideal hook choices for your specific needs.

Best Hooks for Salmon Eggs by Brand

For exceptional performance across all categories – sharpness, strength, hold and penetration – here are some top salmon egg hooks to consider:

Gamakatsu Octopus – Excellent prick and gap for big kings.
Mustad Signature Salmon-Steelhead – Premium salmon hooks.
Owner Cutting Point Specialist – Razor edge for big bites.
Trokar Egg Hooks – Offset circle gap seats all eggs.
VMC Salmon Egg – Wide gape forged salmon specialty hook.

It’s hard to go wrong with any of these proven performers for anchoring salmon eggs securely. The key is dialing in the right size for your needs.

Best Practices for Setting the Hook

Once you’ve dialed in the best hook for your salmon egg presentation, be sure to use best practices when setting the hook:

Wait until the drift stops or line starts moving off steadily. Let them get the egg fully.
Keep the rod low and sweeping to the side to build tension. Avoid violently yanking up.
Use the rod’s flex to help drive the hook home. Only wrist snap if needed.
For circle hooks, simply start reeling down and turning the fish. No big hooksets!
Check the hookset by feeling for headshakes. Set again gently if needed.

With the properly sized hook for the eggs, using proper technique will ensure plenty of hooked salmon!

what size hook for salmon eggs

“How-To” | The Best Way to Keep Salmon Eggs on the Hook

FAQ

What is the best hook size for salmon?

These are great hooks to use for sockeye salmon, most typically in the #2 to 3/0 size range, 2/0 being my most common selection. These hooks are easy to find, come in a wide variety of sizes, and will always work!

What size hook for egg pattern?

Hook Sizes For Types Of Flies Hooks size #8 to size #10 are usually imitating larger mayflies, eggs, small baitfish, leeches, and smaller stoneflies. Hooks size #12 to size #16 are usually imitating a wide variety of mayflies, caddis flies, small stoneflies, small terrestrials, and midge clusters.

What size hooks for salmon flies?

Salmon Tube Fly Hooks To correctly balance a one to two inch bodied tube fly you really are usually talking about a size 6 or 4 hook which means there’s typically going to be a good few millimetres between the hook point and the micro barb on your hook.

What size hook should I use for salmon eggs?

There are a lot of great baits for salmon, but some anglers like to use single salmon eggs. The best hooks for single salmon eggs are smaller hooks but hooks that are too small will bend. 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.

How to fish with salmon eggs?

Attach the hook to the end of the leader and spear a single salmon egg through the hook. The best hook size for fishing with salmon eggs is either a 10 or a 12. The smaller the hook the better because of how small the eggs are. However, you also need to make sure it is sufficient enough to hook the trout, so going to a 14 is not recommended.

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.

How to make a salmon egg trout rig?

The split shot will help sink your egg and hook closer to where the trout like to hang out. A the end of your leader, tie your size 12 hook with a locking knot. Add a single cured egg to your hook and you are ready to fish! Now that you made your salmon egg trout rig, let’s go over how to fish it!