Fish hook

A fish hook is a specialized tool used to capture fish.

It works by piercing the mouth of a fish, a method known as angling. In some rare cases, a hook might snag the external body of the fish. Most hooks are attached to a fishing line. This line connects the fish to the angler, who is the person fishing. To encourage a fish to bite, anglers use bait or lures. Bait can be live, dead, or processed food. Lures are artificial objects that mimic prey to trick the fish. In 2005, Forbes named the fish hook one of the top 20 tools in human history.

To understand a hook, you must know its specific anatomy.

The eye is the circular loop at the back. This is where the fishing line is attached using a knot.

The shank is the straight shaft that carries the pulling force. This force moves from the line to the bend, which is the curved part. The point is the sharp, tapered end that pierces the tissue. Many hooks feature a barb, which is a small, backward-pointing spike. The barb grabs the fish tissue to prevent the hook from sliding out. The distance between the point and the inner bend is called the bite. The width of the opening between the point and the shank is called the gap.

There are three main macro categories of hooks based on their use. Bait hooks are designed to hold various types of food. Fly hooks serve as the foundation for artificial representations of prey, such as in fly fishing.

Lure hooks are attached to or integrated into devices that mimic prey. Hooks can also be classified by the number of points they have. A single hook has one eye, one shank, and one point. Double hooks have one eye but two shanks and points. Treble hooks feature one eye merged with three evenly spaced points.

Treble hooks are commonly found on artificial lures.

Humanity has used angling devices for many thousands of years.

The earliest prehistoric tackle was a gorge. A gorge was a double-pointed stick with a rope tied to its middle. This was placed inside a bait ball. When a fish swallowed the bait, the gorge would rotate and get stuck in the fish's gullet. The oldest known fish hooks were made from sea snail shells. Researchers found these in Sakitari Cave on Okinawa Island. They are dated between 22,380 and 22,770 years old. Other ancient hooks were found in East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

Materials for making hooks have changed significantly over time.

Early humans used wood, bone, horn, shells, and stone. They also used bronze and iron. In the 17th century, quality steel hooks began appearing in Europe. This made hook making a job for specialists. Even as recently as the 1950s, Norwegians used juniper wood for Burbot hooks. Modern hooks come in a massive range of sizes. They range from the tiny size 32 to the very large size 20/0. Engineers optimize materials for strength, weight, and corrosion resistance.

Hook design is highly specialized for different fishing styles. Fly hooks are often made of thin wire to reduce weight. This is important for delicate dry flies.

In contrast, jig hooks have lead weight molded directly onto the shank. Some hooks have sliced shanks to create extra barbs for holding bait. The shape of the shank can be straight, or it can have curves and kinks. These shapes help with penetration or imitating prey. Many hooks carry historic names, such as the Aberdeen or the O'Shaughnessy. Others are identified by model numbers and specific features like "wide gap" or "heavy wire."

The point and the barb are critical for successful fishing.

The point must be sharp to pierce the flesh. Points can be mechanically ground or chemically sharpened. Most modern hooks are barbed to ensure the hook stays anchored. However, some anglers use barbless hooks. Barbless hooks lack the backward spike. They are used to make catch-and-release fishing less hurtful for the fish. While barbless hooks are easier to remove, they require constant line tension. Without tension, the hook is more likely to dislodge from the fish.