# Tarpon Hooks



## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

l


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Ahh.... Humm....

Do a search on this board and you will find a library of threads and responses on the subject.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

Yea I wanted to erase/edit the thread but couldn’t, Wanted to tie up some 10 -12 inch tarpon flies and was hoping for some huge hook sizes and types


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Why so big? The biggest I'll tie is a 4/0 Owner Aki 5170 or 5180 Cutting Point in a 4/0 for big bushy mullet flies in darker backwater or river water.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

Because up here in South Carolina the water is really off color and usually the guys who catch them on soft plastics are doing it with that size baits , I see quite a few tarpon rolling and throw flies at them and want to try Musky size flies, Something that will push a lot of water and get their attention, want to experiment a bit


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## Gervais (Nov 28, 2016)

No need to go bigger than 4/0. These have plenty of shank to tie what you need.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

Ya, I’ve got some cobia flies tied up with those ,I was thinking something in the 8-10/0 range


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

You 'll have a hard time setting the hook on anything larger than 4/0 IMO. Put some big bead chain eyes on there to create a whistler


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## Gervais (Nov 28, 2016)

1+ on that. Only use 6 - 8/0 for bait fishing poons.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Gervais said:


>


Good luck.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Backwater said:


> Good luck.



Should say "Big Game, Tin Foil"


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> Should say "Big Game, Tin Foil"


That’s why I posted this thread , looking for something with some beef


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Anything I tie is on either an Owner Aki, or a varivas 2600v or 2600stv. 90% are tied on 1/0 but there are some 3/0's in the box as well. Have caught tarpon and sharks on all of those with no problems. I've heard good things about the new Allen tarpon hooks but I have no experience with them. Gama hooks just don't inspire confidence for big fish with hard mouths in my opinion.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> Anything I tie is on either an Owner Aki, or a varivas 2600v or 2600stv. 90% are tied on 1/0 but there are some 3/0's in the box as well. Have caught tarpon and sharks on all of those with no problems. I've heard good things about the new Allen tarpon hooks but I have no experience with them. Gama hooks just don't inspire confidence for big fish with hard mouths in my opinion.


The Allen hooks sw004 are great but come in limited sizes 1/0 is the largest mix.

Owner aki would be my choice.

Top one is tied on a 4/0 gamma sl-12 and bottom are tied on a 4/0 and total length is around 6”.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

texasag07 said:


> View attachment 42812
> View attachment 42814
> 
> The Allen hooks sw004 are great but come in limited sizes 1/0 is the largest mix.
> ...


 They look nice, are you using a UV glue to stick the eyes on?


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Super glue, then uv.


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

My guide friend in the Keys doesn't tie tarpon flies on anything other than a Gama SL12S #2.

We fished together in April and he landed the largest tarpon that I've ever seen caught on a 3" fly tied on that #2 hook.

I don't want to fight about it - I'm just saying.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

texasag07 said:


> Super glue, then uv.


Thank you


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

duppyzafari said:


> My guide friend in the Keys doesn't tie tarpon flies on anything other than a Gama SL12S #2.
> 
> We fished together in April and he landed the largest tarpon that I've ever seen caught on a 3" fly tied on that #2 hook.
> 
> I don't want to fight about it - I'm just saying.


Point taken , wish our water was that clear, but it looks like coffee with a couple creamers, just want to experiment, our season is only mid juneish to mid Octoberish


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

duppyzafari said:


> My guide friend in the Keys doesn't tie tarpon flies on anything other than a Gama SL12S #2..


Hummm.... Interesting release method. "bend and release!"


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Down on the southern Georgia coast we throw larger flies for poonage. 3/0 is typical with a 4/0 being huge. Big baitfish flies mostly.


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

Rick hambric said:


> Down on the southern Georgia coast we throw larger flies for poonage. 3/0 is typical with a 4/0 being huge. Big baitfish flies mostly.


Rick , do you have a favorite 3 or 4/0 hook?


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

SC on the FLY said:


> Rick , do you have a favorite 3 or 4/0 hook?


Aki, 5180.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Been watching this thread and thinking about the big big flies we use in the rivers that drain into the west coast of the Everglades... I've used a variety of hooks for those flies back in the days when I was tying for as many as three shops at a time. Had to quit it a few years ago -I just got burned out finally after more than 30 years as a commercial tyer working every night and every weekend at the bench. My earliest hooks were simple Mustad 3407 plated hooks never bigger than a 4/0 (with a few exceptions -but even then never ever bigger than a 5/0... ). When someone wanted stronger, the hook was still a Mustad - but this time the 3407SS (the SS meant super strong -not stainless...). Finally I was turned on to the old Mustad 7766 - and I still prefer them for night tarpon (usually a 1/0 or 2/0 size)... All of the above hooks needed serious sharpening with a 4" mill bastard file (keep your file in the shop - it won't last long in a salt environment...). The last step for any bugs I would use, or hand one of my anglers.... was to flatten the barb with a pair of pliers...

Years later, when the super premium hooks from Japan came along the hooks we all used were Tiemco 800S (long discontinued in the sizes needed for tarpon...). You couldn't find a better hook until they changed their tempering process and the hooks became just too brittle (at least one in three would break at the barb on the hookset...). Needless to say those in the know (and the shop owners selling tarpon flies...) quickly abandoned them. I lost a bit of royalty money on the tarpon flies with Umpqua after they had to recall and make good on a bunch of flies with those hooks. After that they went to the Tiemco 600sp or the Owner Aki for tarpon hooks -and I'm still using both today -but much more the Owners since I can get them by the thousand per size at wholesale... The 600sp is noticeably a bigger hook in each size than the Owner - but each has it's place depending on the pattern you're tying. At one time years ago I was tying 30 or 40 different tarpon patterns - but that's the kind of stuff you do as a commercial tyer. For my own uses I may not use four different patterns in a day of serious tarpon action... Now back to big tarpon flies...]

Here's a series of pics of my Tarpon Snake - I've been drawing royalties on it since the late eighties... I do it in standard size - fly six to seven inches long on a 4/0 hook or the smaller version five and a half to six inches long on a 2/0 hook... For both sizes I'm still using the same size bead chain eyes - and of course... my usual wire weedguard on every one that I use....









This is the original version that I first tyed exclusively for Randy Towe back when he was winning tournaments (this was before the Andy Mill era..). Hard to beat black....

















I do these in many colors -the last video I posted - the fly the fish ate was all white on a 2/0 Mustad 7766 hook...

As you can see it's an all saddle hackle pattern with eight wide, webby saddles for the tail (not splayed... tied in the way you'd do a Deceiver tail...). After that the body is three or four of the same wide, webby saddles... These days the hardest part of tying them is finding the really good quality saddles (not easy at all...). One of the big drivers for synthetic materials in new patterns these days is that good old chicken feathers aren't available now like they were years ago...

Once you have a few tied up - this pattern is only effective with a full intermediate fly line inshore (and a sinking line offshore). Everything under the sun will eat one of these big flies if you strip it very slowly across current and allow it to swing in front of where something is holding... after counting down the line and fly to the level you're aiming at... Intermediate tip lines just don't work (and every year I have an angler or two that tries them....) since once you start stripping the fly in the intermediate section doesn't stay where you want it to be...

Hope this helps


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## SC on the FLY (Sep 16, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> Been watching this thread and thinking about the big big flies we use in the rivers that drain into the west coast of the Everglades... I've used a variety of hooks for those flies back in the days when I was tying for as many as three shops at a time. Had to quit it a few years ago -I just got burned out finally after more than 30 years as a commercial tyer working every night and every weekend at the bench. My earliest hooks were simple Mustad 3407 plated hooks never bigger than a 4/0 (with a few exceptions -but even then never ever bigger than a 5/0... ). When someone wanted stronger, the hook was still a Mustad - but this time the 3407SS (the SS meant super strong -not stainless...). Finally I was turned on to the old Mustad 7766 - and I still prefer them for night tarpon (usually a 1/0 or 2/0 size)... All of the above hooks needed serious sharpening with a 4" mill bastard file (keep your file in the shop - it won't last long in a salt environment...). The last step for any bugs I would use, or hand one of my anglers.... was to flatten the barb with a pair of pliers...
> 
> Years later, when the super premium hooks from Japan came along the hooks we all used were Tiemco 800S (long discontinued in the sizes needed for tarpon...). You couldn't find a better hook until they changed their tempering process and the hooks became just too brittle (at least one in three would break at the barb on the hookset...). Needless to say those in the know (and the shop owners selling tarpon flies...) quickly abandoned them. I lost a bit of royalty money on the tarpon flies with Umpqua after they had to recall and make good on a bunch of flies with those hooks. After that they went to the Tiemco 600sp or the Owner Aki for tarpon hooks -and I'm still using both today -but much more the Owners since I can get them by the thousand per size at wholesale... The 600sp is noticeably a bigger hook in each size than the Owner - but each has it's place depending on the pattern you're tying. At one time years ago I was tying 30 or 40 different tarpon patterns - but that's the kind of stuff you do as a commercial tyer. For my own uses I may not use four different patterns in a day of serious tarpon action... Now back to big tarpon flies...]
> 
> ...


 Well as always thanks for taking the time to post, good stuff right there !


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