Size numbering, shapes, and why the point matters more than the brand.
Last reviewed 26 September 2026 · Editorial policy
Hook sizing runs two ways. Sizes with a plain number get smaller as the number rises: a size 22 is tiny, a size 1 is much larger. Above size 1 the scale flips to aught sizes — 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 — and gets larger as the number rises.
The gape is the distance between point and shank and determines what size bait the hook can handle. The shank length affects leverage and bait presentation. Wire gauge trades strength against how easily the point penetrates: fine wire for delicate baits and small fish, heavy wire for big fish in cover.
Circle hooks turn and catch the jaw hinge as the fish moves away — you tighten rather than strike, and hookups are overwhelmingly in the corner of the mouth. J hooks need an active hookset. Offset worm hooks allow weedless soft-plastic rigging. Treble hooks come fitted to hard lures. Wide-gape hooks dominate modern carp fishing.
Barbless and crushed-barb hooks come out far faster, which reduces handling time and damage. Many fisheries and rivers mandate them. Barbed hooks hold marginally better on a slack line, which matters most when a fish jumps.
A hook point that will not catch on a thumbnail when dragged lightly across it is blunt. Points dull on rock, on hooksets, and in the tackle box. Replacing or touching up points fixes more missed fish than any tackle upgrade.
| Size | Approx. gape | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 22–18 | Very small | Roach, dace, small flies |
| 16–12 | Small | Match fishing, maggots, casters, small trout flies |
| 10–6 | Medium-small | Perch, tench, bream, worm baits |
| 4–1 | Medium | Carp, chub, bigger baits, light lures |
| 1/0–3/0 | Large | Bass soft plastics, pike singles, catfish |
| 4/0–8/0 | Very large | Big catfish, large saltwater baits, big deadbaits |
