Conference wahoo::fishing

    I use Hannon's Hook-Honer (the rechargable job).  Makes a nice point 
    quickly, although it is rather noisy 8^).
    
    donmac
    
    ps: keyword = tackle

    	Being the CHEAP SCOTT that I am, I revived my old POINTS FILE (for
    all you people that remember having points in distributors, you know
    what this is :-)  ) for use.  A few quick swipes with that diamond
    impregnated file and the hook is sharp enough for even Mr. Toothy jaws. 
    Do I sharpen my hooks often????  Not usually until after I miss a
    couple of fish.  Then, the first thing I grab is the file.  I also tend
    to take the point off the barb to let the hook slide past it easier. 
    This (barb sharpening) is a ONE TIME thing unless my kids have had the
    rod out practicing catching grass with that lure on the end of the
    line.

    
    I am a firm believer in keeping the hooks razor sharp !!  I fish
    exclusively for Steelhead that have a very boney mouth and most fish
    I hook are lost in the first 30 seconds of the battle. I make it a
    point (no pun intended) to sharpen the hooks on my fly pattern once
    every 15 minutes with just a simple stone with a hook groove in it.
    It's cheap but effective.  10 scrapes over the stone keeps it razor
    sharp and definitely makes a difference in the ratio of fish caught vs
    fish lost due to a dull hook.  2 1/2 weeks and counting !!!
    
    
    Steely Dan 

    
     Hi all,
    
        here in the UK I use a hook sharpening stone for the heavy
     duty hooks (predator fishing), but generally when fishing in
     matches I replace the hook (pre-tied to nylon hook length) every
     5 fish/lost fish. I believe hooks are not only more effective
     when sharp, but less damaging to the fish.
    
       regards,   andy.
    
    

    For Steelhead; Once a year a take everything out -- read here, on cold,
    snowy, etc - and sharpen everthing using a small hook file. Luhr
    Jensen. When fishing, I carry another on my vest. Hooks can never be
    too sharp.
    For Bass; Once a year everything is taken out -- same weather
    conditions -- and sharpen using same file. I carry another in the boat.
    I have avoided the battery or electric - I think I can feel a better
    point by doing by hand. Just my opinion.
    ANything I buy during the year, is sharpened just after its opened. Or
    I dont open it until Im ready to sharpen it. This includes things like
    a bag of 50 2/0 worm hooks.
    
    A TEST for Bassers - I buy a brand of hook the I DONT sharpen cause
    they are sharp enough. What are they? (No stellheaders please)

    Hermans has this little cheapo sharperner that is the size of a
    matchbook.  It has two round files mounted side by side in a plastic
    body that has an indentation for your thumb.  You slide the hook down
    the middle of this sharperner and bingo a very nice point.  The gizmo
    costs like 3 bucks and it works.
    
    Brian

>    
>    A TEST for Bassers - I buy a brand of hook the I DONT sharpen cause
>    they are sharp enough. What are they? (No stellheaders please)
>


    My first (and only) guess would be 'Eagle Claw Lasers' - the sharpest
    damned hooks out of the pack I've ever impailed my fingers uppon.

         What it's got to do with 'Bassers' though - I don't know!


j_w_f_w_t_w_m_t_w_b_t_w_i_h_(m)

    I use one of them Berkley battery ( 2 C's) operated hook sharpners ($15).
    I sharpen the hooks right before I use it.  I figure most hooks have
    some sort of coating on them to prevent corrosion and if I do it way
    in advance they will only rust and dull the point.  It takes about 
    3 to 5 seconds to get a good point on them, I test it with the old
    finger nail check, if it scrathes my finger nail with little pressure
    it's sharp.  Take a new tru-turn out of a bag, it wont scratch your nail
    at all.  
    	Bass Pro sent me a sample of a hook the were promoting once, came
    from Japan.  BOY this hook was SHARP!!!!  It had three edges on the
    point made out of stainless steel, and coated with something.  This
    hook would punture through ccardborad with the slightest pressure.
    But I counld figure out how to resharpen them 3 sided hooks with my 
    sharpener, so I figured I'd stick with the old stand by Tru-Turn.
    

    I bet they were Owner hooks. I read quite a nice piece about them in
    the most recent In Fisherman.
    
    Ed
    

    Do you guys like using the Mister Twister Worm hooks or the Tru turn
    worm hooks.  I usually fish texas style and have used tru turns but
    think that the Mister Twister might work a little better.
    
    Brian

    Mooching for salmon requires lots of hooks because you hook lots
    of dogfish.  Hooking a dogfish usually causes you to lose two hooks.
    Yet salmon fishing requires real sharp hooks similar to the steelhead
    argument.
    
    I think Gamakatsu's are the sharpest out of the package hook.  I don't
    buy them because a) they're just too expensive (especially if you go
    through as many as 20 a day) and b) I resist Japanese products to the
    best of my ability where I can buy U.S.
    
    Eagle Claw Lasers are the only other hook that I personally would use
    right out of the package.  Niot too shabby.  And like the guy says,
    they're American.
    
    I have found that Laser Sharps can still be made much sharper.  The
    three ways that I have tried are with a file, with the $15 Berekely
    sharpener mentioned a note or two back, and the $35 kind where you
    stick the hook in the hole at the top and press the button (they're
    always in Bass Pro etc.)  
    
    The file type can really get to you fingers if you have to sharpen a
    lot of hooks.  Both the file and $15 model require the perfect angle to
    get a laser sharp hook sharper than it was in the box.  If you are on
    the water and bouncing around, this may be tough.  One swell and you 
    blow the whole point.  The $35 model is incredible.  A friend of mine
    was recently visiting and he demonstrated the effectiveness even on
    Eagle Claw Laser Sharps.  You can get it much sharper than out of the
    box and it's so easy!  You just put the point in the hole, peress the
    button and count to 5.  The hook comes out sharper than anything I've
    ever seen.  Even if your boat is bouncing around in 10 foot sweels, you
    should be able to get a perfect hook.
    
    One day I'm going to break down and buy one of these.  I highly
    recommend them.  Sometimes I leave the BPS catalog on the kitchen table
    with this sharpener circled, but it hasn't worked yet ;-)
    
    /brett

    I've looked at the Mr. Twister keeper hooks (is that what you mean?)
    and they look like they *might* actually make it a little harder to
    hook the bass since the keeper pin would seem to contribute to the
    difficulty in penetrating the worm itself by holding the body of the
    worm more firmly.
    
    I've tried Tru-Turn and Eagle Claw worm hooks, and I like the
    configuration of the Tru-Turn a little better, but I am not an
    authoritative worm fisherman.
    
    This year I plan to try the "finesse" approach that I've been reading
    about lately. It involves using the thinner western-style worms,
    lighter line, and lighter, wire type hooks, like the Aberdeen. I like
    the idea of not having to haul back like an Olympic weightlifter to set
    the hook (that just means I haven't gotten very good at it yet). The
    places I fish have a lot of fishing pressure, and the "finesse" style
    gives a subtler, more natural presentation. Since I've actually seen
    bass swoop down on my lures only to turn away at the last moment, that
    idea makes sense to me.
    
    Ed

    The $15 Berkley I got is the same style has the $35 dollar your talking
    about.  You stick the point in the hole and press the button and VOLIA!
    Sharp Hook.  Berkley also make a line stripper that they have attached 
    a stone to the end of the shaft.  I think that is what you are
    referring to.  The main differenc between the HOKK HONER $35 and the 
    BERKLY  (both on page 77 of BP Spring fever) is the hook Honer has a
    rechargable battery with charger and several tips to accomodate the
    different size hooks you might use.   
    In MHO I think that know matter what you spend on a sharpener it is
    worth it, two years ago I began sharpening my hooks every time I
    changed lures or got hung up on rocks, and the ratio of strikes to 
    hook ups has definitly increased.  Now I just got to figure out how to
    get the ratio of casts to strikes up.  8>)  

    re; .13
    
    I think you're right.  Mine is the type that has the line stripper
    and the spinning stone.  I don't recommend this type although it does
    a nice job stripping line.
    
    Heck.  For 15 bucks, I'll pop for one if it's the same thing.  I should
    be able to get a season out of a set of batteries.  
    
    Life begins when you sharpen your hooks!
    
    Thanks for the tip (pun?)
    
    /brett

	Having fished with Mr. Bazcko a few times I agree I don't recall ever
seeing him lose a solid strike. I always thought it was his fishing superiority 
(so that's what he told me). But now the truths out, SHARP HOOKS. I used a hook
file the last couple of years and it's a pain to sit there filing away in my
opinion,when you could have your lure in the water.
	So with the suggestion of Les I bought one of them Berkley hook 
sharpeners. It's as efficient as these replys have alreaded stated. It gets the
hook sharp in 3-5 seconds and does a better job than I did with a file. A sharp 
hook has to be an advantage especialy with BASS. Plus using an electric 
sharpener, I feel,will let me sharpen the hook more because of the less time 
involved,and increase my overall confidence. $15 to improve on the ability of 
every lure you use is a bargin. 

						Gary

    
    	OH MAN Gary!!!!!   I'm going to fish with Mr Molesta this weekend.
    	Geez..........now he's going to have to buy a new TA hat just so
    	it fits his enlarged head......:-)
    
    	Don't worry Les........I won't tell the rest of the story!
    
    	Gitzit'
    
    

	Well this might be a little different than the other replies because
the hooks I use are about 1/8" in diameter. I use a mill bastard file that I
had on hand for my chain saw. The hooks have a cross section that is shaped
like a piece of pie. I file both sides of the apex of the angle to a sharp 
edge and also along the back which flattens out the curved part of the pie 
shape and forms a sharp point which is shaped like a pyramid. 
	I do this each time I use the hook. When you go for big game you don't
get many chances so you don't want to loose any to a dull hook.

    I fish nothing but but Gamakatsu for worms and grubs.  I'll bet the Owner
    is as good and I do not know about Lazer's. My hookups since I started using
    the Gamakatsu's has been much better. Before I was using the 95JB's.
    
    My wife uses Gamakatsu Abdereens for Minnows. She swears by them. She
    says the minnows hold up better with the thin, sharp hook, and there 
    easier to hook. For once we agree!
    
    About three years ago I bought one of those diamond hook sharpners from
    BPS. It's about four inches in length and the cover slips off a dimanod
    ground stone that is long with a slot down the length. I think they are 
    about $4.95. I would buy another if I lost it. It is small, does a real
    nice job on all the hooks, and is easy to use on all types of baits.
    
    Ed

    re 1348.5 - Lazer Sharp or Gamakatsu.
    
    --Bandito

    As I had mentioned here last year, I had experimented with using the
    Hookhoner II on some number 3/0 hooks.  The Hookhoner belonged to my
    friend.  I was ecstatic with the results that I had achieved.
    
    This year, I broke down and sent to BPS for a Hookhoner II and I got it
    on Friday afternoon.  Like a kid on Christmas, I dug out about 10 hooks
    of various size and make and immediately began sharpening away.  There
    I was; king of the sharp hooks!
    
    But wait!!!
    
    Some of the hooks I "sharpened" actually turned out to be dull and were
    much sharper before I started.  Panic!  How can this be!  I have been
    having decent success on the 2/0 and 3/0 hooks using the orange, medium
    aperature.  But I have had very limited success using the black, fine
    hook aperature.  Even 2 hooks don't work so hot.  
    
    Hooks that were sharp enough to pierce my skin under their own weight
    now are barely able to break skin (although they do make a scrath on my
    fingernail).
    
    What am I doing wrong?
    
    Can someone who is lethal with one of these things give me some
    pointers?
    
    I may have to send it back to Michigan.
    
    /brett

I have one, but it only has one size cap the orange one.  The biggest problem
I had with it was over sharpening.  Don't grind them down.  Just count
to 3 and that is all I found they need with my version of the hoonr.

Bob

    I too have the original model.  The only problem I have with it is that
    with real small hooks, it's easy to insert the point in past the barb.
    And when the hook is in past the barb, they can be a real pain to
    remove.  Additionally, you have to bend spinnerbait arms in order to
    sharpen them.  The new model is *supposed* to fix some of these
    problems.  Overall though, I enjoy it.  donmac
    

    Hmmm.  I was hoping for a suggestion on what I'm doing wrong. 
    Oversharpening?  
    
    How can I over sharpen a hook?  Shouldn't it get sharp to a point and
    then just stay at that level of shapness?
    
    Maybe I'm holding the hook at the wrong angle?
    
    Too deep?  Too shallow?
    
    Donmac, I think the only difference in Version 2.0 is the caps they
    send along.  Instead of just getting the orange, medium range hook, you
    get the fine hook aperature (which would keep your small hooks' barbs
    from going in too deep) and the gargantuan tuna hook adapter.  I'll bet
    if you sent mail to the company in Michigan they'll probably send you
    the adpters for free.  I mean they must $.03 to manufacture.  If you
    need the address, I'll see if I can dig it up.
    
    /brett 

Brett,
	I notice and so did R?O Palmer that if you put a hook in this thing
it only goes in so far, the you start to grind off the tip to make a point, 
after a while you start to grid you way up th ehook shaft, will still have a ,
that will scratch you nail, but the long taper of the point is gone.

Now the hook has a large diameter to a point in a shorter distance, sorta 
like a wedge.  Does this sound like you problem?  I have had hooks
that I sharpened to many times in the hook hooner and they get this way.

Thats when I will use a stone to flatten out a longer area.  The stone
puts on a nice point then just hit it with the hooner for the finishing touches.


Bassin Bob

    Yea, that sounds like it.  It seems to me that if you look at a bunch
    of different hooks you notice that they have different style points. 
    Some come to the point from diferent angles (ie. some are straight and
    others curve in toward the shaft as they taper.
    
    It would seem that the sharpener could not accomodate this difference.
    So if a hook has a different design than the hook honer is designed
    for, then it will grind off the original point.  Thus, you wind up with
    the condition you described.  
    
    I had the same idea.  I pulled a stone out of my knife sharpener kit
    and tried to re-edge the point.  This works.
    
    My conclusion is that hook honers don't work on all hooks.
    
    Thanks,
    
    /brett

    Anyone try those Owner hooks?  I like the looks of them but has anyone
    actually tried them?  I have been using the Gamatsu 5/0 offset shank
    hooks on the sluggo's and man those have to be the sharpest hooks out
    of the package.  I also have improved my hookset since switching over
    to these.  How about the VMC, but I think they only go to 4/0, anyone
    know?
    
    Brian  

                       -< Owner hooks anyone use them? >-

  Hey  Brian,


	I use them all the time, as a matter of fact they are the ONLY ones
I now have in my tackle box.....Super sharp and they stand up....

Bigbird  

    Bigbird
    
    Are they any tougher or more harmful to the bass's mouth to remove?  If
    I recall the design they actually have multiple barbs on the hook point
    itself.  
    
    Brian

    
    Brian

	No, they are easy...Not sure if I have seen the design that you speak
of....

Bigbird