The most neglected tool in flyfishing.....

[Wildman]

Good article from Tactical Fly Fisher blog. Mark Allen has drummed this into me from day one and I do carry a sharpening tool. He is always checking the sharpness of his flies on his fingernail.

http://www.tacticalflyfisher.com/blog/the-most-neglected-tool-in-fly-fishing

[planettrout]

Yep...




http://finandgame.com/eze-lap-diamond-hook-sharpener/


PT/TB

[DrCreek]

I recently bought one of those things off eBay. Havent used it yet. But why would I - considering I cant seem to keep the hooks attached to the fly !

[WanderingBlues]

I switch out my fly a few times an hour. Trees, rocks, myself... No need to worry about sharpening!

[fly addict]

I think a hook file is so important, I carry two. I have dropped a few things in the water over the years.
Dr Creek, saltwater fish have much tougher mouths than trout. Hone your hooks before you fish.
I can't help you with the hooks falling off the fly.

[Joseph Burns]

How do you check your hook points? It’s a quick three step process for me:

Inspect the hook point visually. Often you will be able to see a burr or rolled point.
Give your fly the thumbnail test. This is simply pressing the hook point into your thumbnail at about a 45 degree angle. If the hook bites into your nail it’s probably sharp enough. If it scrapes across the surface, you’d better sharpen it.
Rub toward the hook point with the tip of your thumb. This will help you feel which side of the hook the burr is on if you can’t see it visually.

[flybob]

I NEVER leave home without one!

The Mrs. bought one for me when I first got back into fishing.
Not soon after, I was loosing a few fish on one of the creeks, I checked my hook, sure enough, smacking on the rocks had bent the tip.
I pulled out the sharpener for the first time....problem solved.

I have one in every one of my pouches and gear bags.
But be careful, there are some that are garbage...like the one from White River, the best one is the Dr. Slick.
It has two grits, and they are perfect for your tiniest of hooks, up to about a #8. Bigger than that, you need to go to the next grit level.

[briansII]

This weekend I was missing a lot of grabs. Checked the hook on a brand new fly I tied, and the hook point was rolled over. I have a built in hook sharpener on my nippers, but of course I couldn't find them. ......I take that back. I found the clip that holds the nippers to my gear bag, but the retractor and nippers were MIA. Hopefully I can find my other pairs.

briansII