Think like a predator!
Flyfishing for pike, muskie, bass and perch is growing and so is the interest for creating catchy flies for those species. The hook or the platform ,as you may call it, is critical. There are many parameters to take into consideration – weight, size, design, and movement. Ahrex Hooks has put a lot of thought into creating its Predator series of hooks.
Flyfishing for predators is part of the DNA at Ahrex. Situated in Scandinavia in an area with lots of pike and perch lakes and streams, designing the right hook for the job comes naturally.
Twenty-five years ago, most predator fly fishers were happy with a big, wide-gape Aberdeen style hook for their flies but that has changed as the interest for predator flyfishing has grown. That has led to a lot of product development.
For each hook design you need to take a number of things into consideration. First of all, what fish are you targeting with the hook? Secondly, where in the water column do you want the fly/hook to fish? Top water or in the deep, in weed-infested waters or in the open.
There are always trade-offs in hook designing. The most common one is wire gauge and weight. We all want a light wire, so the fly is easy to cast, but at the same time we want to hook to hold the fish of our lifetime. That is the challenge the hook designer is facing.
The Predator series from Ahrex
Let’s dive into some of the models Ahrex havs designed and why.
The PR320 Predator Stinger has become a go to hook for many predator fishermen. With a heavy gauge it can hold the biggest fish. It comes with a stinger-style bend to secure optimal hook sets. It is designed for pike and muskie, even though the hook is on the heavy side, it is no disadvantage – the species and gear used for them are taken into consideration.
The PR350 Light Predator is designed with the top water game in mind, with a thin wire and big gape. It might sound like a bad trade-off and, in some cases, it is. BUT, if you are fishing top water flies, you want a light hook to keep your fly afloat all day long. Yes, you will eventually lose a fish because the hook bends out but that is part of the game and the experienced fly fisherman knows that.
Upside/Down
Jig-style flies have been booming in recent years, which is not surprising when you see how productive this kind of bait is in spin fishing. It has led to several hooks with an upside-down design. Ahrex has several models to accommodate that.
The PR370 is a 60-degree bent streamer with a heavy gauge for the big predators like pike and muskie.
The PR374 90-degree Jig Streamer is a classic jig hook with a lighter wire designed for bass and perch.
The latest, however, is the PR378 GB Predator Swimbait
There is no doubt that fly fishermen are looking at what is going on in the spin fishing market. The PR378 is a great example of that. For quite some time fly tiers have been using hooks designed for Texas Rigs.
The hooks were nowhere near being perfect for tying, but the design and the ability to fish upside-down in overgrown places fuelled the creativity.
Renowned fly fishermen like Gunnar Brammer in the USA and Paul Monaghan in the UK came up with a new design building on the Texas rig hook idea.
In collaboration with Gunnar and Paul, Ahrex Hooks designed the PR378 GB Predator Swimbait. The design allows fly tiers to let their creativity flow. There is plenty of space to tie on and several points where you can add weight and/or rattlers, building the fly exactly how you want it. With the right fly design, you are able to fish the most impossible places and maybe catch that monster…
Looking forward
What is next on the horizon? Well, that is hard to say. Ahrex Hooks is following the trends in the most important predator markets, like Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, USA and Australia.
It is always open to suggestions and new ideas from fly fisherman around the globe. It is quite sure that the trend with upside down and weedless hooks only will be stronger the coming years and Ahrex will follow this closely.
- Log in or register to post comments