Have you ever gone fishing for northern pike or walleyes and got a lot of hits but few hook-ups?
Chances are your hooks are dull.
Many lures come with hooks that are dull right out of the package. Others get dull with use.
Depending on the lure, the difference between sharp hooks and dull hooks can be dramatic.
The Johnson Silver Minnow, for instance, is tremendously better with a sharp hook. This spoon is the ultimate weedless spoon. It will come through just about anything, including trees, without getting stuck. But it only has the one single hook and if it isn't sharp you can barely catch a fish.
Always use a trailer of some sort with a Johnson too. Pork rind is about the best trailer. Trim it so it trails a few inches behind the lure. You can also use 3-4-inch plastic twister tails.
The lead-head jig is another lure that benefits greatly from sharp hooks.
I would wager that most tackle boxes do not have a hook honing stone or other type of hook sharpener in them yet these devices are as important as fish hook removers.
There are lots of fish hook sharpening products on the market. Some are just stones that you rub the hook against. They work fine. Others have batteries and do the honing for you.
If getting the stone type, make sure it has a very fine grit. You don't want to wear a lot of metal off the hook, just bring the tip to a needle point.
You know the hook is sharp when it will catch the back of your thumb nail.
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