SHARPENING PROCESS FOR BIGGER HOOKS WITH A KNIFE-EDGE POINT

Tending to be much thicker in the wire gauge, bigger hooks are easier to hold, and, where possible, I like to use the vice, though it’s less critical than with smaller hooks.

Using the 250-gauge needle file, make a few strokes of the file across the full angle of the knife edge above the barb on both sides. Do not work the file back and forth, only up the length of the knife edge. You are trying to thin the knife edge down just enough so that the actual forward edge above the barb does, as it it suggests, become almost a cutting edge. It will require less pressure to pull it into a tough jaw.

Only then, using the coarse Jag file, or a light honing stone, should you work the point, one or two strokes at a time, to fine the point down just enough to make it ultra-sharp and retain its strength. An overly-thin hook point will bend and turn over when it hits hard mouths.

While thinking about the hardness of a fish’s mouth, bear in mind that they are designed to easily swallow broken sections of lethally-sharp razorfish shells, mussels, cockles, crabs, and can also handle the sharp fin and protective spines of smaller prey fish without blinking an eye. Their mouths are tough and durable, and hooks need to be as sharp as possible to get a good hold, but with the strength retained along the full length of the point.

I do re-use hooks, depending on what they’ve caught, and if the hook point can be easily re-sharpened. If there is any damage or the point has already been re-sharpened, the hook is taken home and carefully binned.

The hook is your final say on whether or not we hook a fish, bounce it off or miss it completely. I won’t compromise on hooks.

That said, bigger hooks for sharks and congers, such as heavy wired O’Shaughnessy patterns, will take at least a couple of re-sharpenings without problem.

Be mindful of the thinning of the point and how much it could weaken the point for longer-range pressured penetration.