Fishing for springers in California, we need to use barbless, so I'm changing out the trebles on the girls.

I've seen some threads about which hooks are best for replacing the trebles on kwiks, but I am wondering what is the best way to bend straight shank hooks to get that octopus-like curve? Vise? pliers? two pliers? I mangled a few already and the ones I've hooked up don't look great to me.


Thanks for any tips,

Depends on the hooks you choose to use. If using stainless steel Mustads, I just bend the point out to the side a few degrees. You might want to try the Matzuo style sickle hooks. No need to off-set/bend them.

Open eye (siwash style) Matzuo sickles are planar.... not offset. For better consistency, fit/finish, and superior quality control, I would highly recommend the Gamakatsu BRB Open Eye... arguably the finest sickle style hook ever produced.

My method of offsetting as a right-hander...

1) Hold the hook in your right hand, shank horizontal, hook point down, eye facing toward your left hand.

2) Pinch grasp the eye-end of the shank with your left hand. Transfer the hook to your left hand, maintaining the exact same hook attitude.

3) Take a pair of long-nosed pliers (preferably flat platforms without ridges to minimize marring the hook finish) in your right hand, jaws pointing straight up at the ceiling, hand gripping the tool as if you were ready to punch someone directly in front of you



4) Seat the entire J-bend of the hook in the vertical jaws and grasp firmly across both limbs of the J-bend. The edge of the jaws closest to the eye should line up perfectly where the straight shank makes that first angular bend.

5) Grip the shank tight with your left hand, grasp firmly with the pliers in your right hand.... now extend the right wrist, bending the butt of the J-bend toward you.

I shoot for 7.5 degrees of offset from the original plane of the hook. Here's the finished product's sexy bends viewed from multiple perspectives....

Top-down


Ass end


Port side


Starboard side

Thanks doc, as usual, you're too generous!

I did go with the BRB's and just needed a little primer.

Best,

Picture paints a thousand words....

Wow doc, post just got 10x better with the pics!

We ran the kwiks I did before your post (and also with different hooks- not BRB's), and went a whopping 0 for 2 on Trin. River Springers today. Next outing we'll run 'em with the BRB's pimped out to the PP specs! We did see plenty of fish though and got one last week, so there's hope.

Thanks very much!