sickles vs reg hook

[Lost Pole]

Strength-wise?
I'm really doubting the strength of sickles in brush. Used to, if I got snagged up real good, more or less I'd straighten 'em out with a straight line tug with the power pro, but the sickles just break soo easy I'm afraid to do anything. Even had one break on a fish. I've broken soo many sickle hooks since I started fishing with them and have even had some people that I've tied for (although they recieved them for free) have the same comments. At first I thought my vice may be the problem until I fished some of the heads on plastics. Same thing.
Think I'm going back to regular hooks.

Adam

 

[wtex]

What brand are you fishing? I have used them exclusivly for three or four years now. If I have ever broke one I don't remember it. What size line are you fishing?

 

[Ron Don]

Sickles are more prone to breaking than a light wire round bend if you are straightening them out and bending them back into shape. Thats the only time Ive had them break but never broke one on a fish.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

I think the unique bend and wider gap is the reason for a lot of breakages.The hook get's buried deeper into brush as compared to the aberdeens making it more prone to break. I've broken a few to snags but none to a fish. I feel I hook and land more fish with the sickles than with the aberdeens and use them 95% of the time now when crappie or gill fishing. No need to bend sickles making a wider gap but I used to do that a lot with aberdeens. I'll put up with the occasional break if I'm catching more fish.

 

[StumpHunter]

I use sickle hooks 90% of the time and have not have any to break or straighten. If a fish bite them the fish is hooked. Maybe the hooks have been over heated while being poured, not sure but I haven't had a bad one yet. So far I'm sold on them.

 

[upnort16]

I have used the sickle hook, size 6 and 8 last open water season and did not have a problem, as a matter of fact I bought some sickles after having several issues with the gold eagle claws in the same sizes. The eagle claws eye would be slightly open and after a short time the super braid would find it and the hook would do a disappearing act, I know this as I use a loop knot and after fighting a fish, losing the fish, the loop knot is intact. I tried tightening the eye but it gets worse or goes oval. I like the quality of the sickle, seems they do not straighten as easy and I think the hook set is better. I reserve the eagle claw to the nieces and nephews because they have mono. I myself switched everything I pore to mustad. I'm watching for a few sickle styles in the stores but they don't carry much, I'll have to mail order.

 

[hunter7711]

Sickles only for me. Had a couple break, but only after I had bent and re-bent a couple of times. When you can go out in your honey holes and catch 200 fish Adam, what difference does it make if you lose a couple?

 

[Lost Pole]

I lose jigs all the time so I'm not complaining. Especially with the tops ive been fishing Haven't had a problem with the red or golds, only the nickel. They just don't bend at all
Mr G, just ain't the same with u not here…
Haven't lost a pole in weeks! But then again I'm paddling now.

Ps
Haven't caught more than 15 keepers since you left.

Adam

 

[toadfrog]

Sickles break when the cover you hang gets the point buried . Because of the way the bend is made it puts way more stress than you might think . Fishing line has a test strength in pounds but the torque value at the point of the hook can be a lot.

 

[Hawnjigs]

So the torque force can focus on a stress point of the hook out of proportion to the line # test?

 

[Lost Pole]

I'm a biology major......
and do garage doors.
Got through calc 2 by the skin of my teeth or by staring at my tutors very nice...teeth.

no math for me

but no broken hooks today either

 

[skeetbum]

I have done away with all of the Aberdeen's and gone to sickle. 7000 of em. Whatever their downside is, I;m sold on the hookset that I have to get foreceps to get out. I have seen a few broken ones in the floor of a friends boat, but I've only broken a couple myself. Hands down a better connection with the fish for me.

 

[LedHed]

I use them about 80% of the time now and haven’t broken any. We only use 2lb test so we break off more than straighten…

My theory on breakage, for tyed jigs only, is that the damage is being done at the vise by not positioning the sickle hook correctly in the jaws. If the shank of the hook flexes back and forth or up and down it creates a friction point where the hook will weaken and eventually break.

 

[Pup]

I must admit that I enjoy tying with sickle hooks. I feel that, artistically, jigs with sickle hooks look uber-modern, avant garde, ultra cool, etc. ...for what that's worth.

Small, light wire sickle hooks might be the cat's meow for me.