How to Choose a Fly Tying Hook: The Firehole Sticks Line by Fly Type

Firehole Sticks run 28 models, all barbless. That is deliberate. A tyer who fishes dries, nymphs, jigs, and streamers should not have to compromise on any of them. The number sounds like a lot until you sort it by what you actually tie, which is how this guide is built. Find your fly, then check the size range and wire weight.

For nymphs and wets

• 609 is the standard nymph hook. Start here for most bead-head and unweighted nymphs. #8 to #20.
• 633 is a longer, heavier nymph and wet hook with room for a bead, built for deep, fast water. #10 to #22.
• 637 is a strong short nymph that doubles for wets and egg patterns. #6 to #22.
• 612 is a straight-eye nymph, which lets you run a slightly larger bead and keeps the fly aligned. #10 to #18.
• 618 is a long-shank hook for big nymphs, foam, and hoppers. #4 to #16.
• 718 is the heavy-wire all-purpose hook: nymphs, wets, hoppers, small streamers. If you want one versatile hook, this is it. #4 to #24.

For scuds, czech nymphs, and emergers

These are all curved-shank hooks. The curve is the shape; scud, czech nymph, pupa, and emerger are the patterns you tie on it. A shorter curve suits scuds and pupa, a longer one suits czech nymphs, and a heavier one handles stoneflies. Pick by wire weight and length.

• 317 is a light-wire curve for emergers, nymphs, and Klinkhammers, with a broad size range. #10 to #24.
• 320 is a compact, medium-wire curve for scuds and pupa. #10 to #20.
• 321 is a pupa and scud hook with an offset point that can help hookups. #8 to #18.
• 315 is a heavy-wire curve for czech nymphs, stoneflies, caddis emergers, and small klinkhammers. #6 to #22.
• 316 is a medium-wire curve for nymphs and emergers, and it runs down to the tiny sizes. #6 to #26.

For dry flies

• 419 is a light-wire, high-floating dry fly hook, at its best on smaller patterns. #8 to #24.
• 413 is a shorter dry and all-purpose hook with a balanced wire weight. #8 to #24.

For euro and jig nymphs

• 516 is the everyday euro jig, and our best-selling bead pairing. #4 to #24.
• 520 shares the heaviest wire in the jig line and is built to carry a bigger bead. #4 to #20.
• 551 is a long, heavy jig for deep, fast water. #4 to #20.
• 535 is a 60-degree jig with the eye turned perpendicular to the shank, so a larger bead seats without risk of slipping off. #10 to #18.
• 523 is a stonefly and crawler jig with extra length and strength. #4 to #14.

New to euro? Our guide to pairing jig hooks with slotted beads covers the rest.

For streamers

• 839 is the universal long-shank streamer and woolly bugger hook. Start here. #2 to #18.
• 811 is a long-shank streamer and stinger hook. #1 to #10.
• 826 has a 26-degree up-bend for a jigging action, in single and articulated flies. #1/0 to #10.
• 860 is an extra-wide-gape streamer with room for bulky patterns. #1 to #8.
• 511 is a 90-degree jig streamer for point-up streamers on a bead. #2 to #8.
• 570 is a long-shank jig streamer for big profiles. #1 to #8.
• 714 is an intruder and trailer hook for articulated and swung flies. #1 to #8.

For predators and salt

• 801P is a heavy predator streamer hook with an extra-wide gape. #1 to #5/0.
• 802P is the longer version, built for the biggest flies. #1 to #5/0.
• 803P is a predator stinger for articulated and single-hook flies. #1/0 to #5/0.

Shanks

For articulated streamers, the shanks (AS1, AS2, and the straight SS) give you a bead-and-body platform ahead of a trailer hook. They are tying components, not hooks.

Reading the numbers

Once you know the system, the model number tells you what a hook is:

• 300 continuous curves (scuds, czech nymphs, pupa, emergers)
• 400 dry fly
• 500 jig
• 600 nymph and wet
• 700 all-purpose and specialty
• 800 streamer and predator

The whole line at a glance

Every model, with the hook itself. Tap a hook or a number to go to its page.

Hook	Model	What it's for	Sizes
	315	Curved: czech nymph, stone, klink	#6 to #22
	316	Curved: nymph, emerger	#6 to #26
	317	Curved: emerger, nymph, klink	#10 to #24
	320	Curved: scud, pupa (medium)	#10 to #20
	321	Curved: pupa, scud, offset	#8 to #18
	413	Dry, all-purpose (short)	#8 to #24
	419	Dry (light wire)	#8 to #24
	511	90-degree jig streamer	#2 to #8
	516	Jig (euro)	#4 to #24
	520	Jig, heavy, big beads	#4 to #20
	523	Stonefly jig	#4 to #14
	535	Jig, larger bead	#10 to #18
	551	Jig, long, deep	#4 to #20
	570	Jig streamer, long	#1 to #8
	609	Standard nymph, wet	#8 to #20
	612	Nymph, straight eye	#10 to #18
	618	Long nymph, foam, hopper	#4 to #16
	633	Long nymph, wet (heavy)	#10 to #22
	637	Nymph, wet, egg	#6 to #22
	714	Intruder, trailer	#1 to #8
	718	All-purpose, heavy wire	#4 to #24
	801P	Predator streamer	#1 to #5/0
	802P	Predator streamer, long	#1 to #5/0
	803P	Predator stinger, articulated	#1/0 to #5/0
	811	Streamer, stinger	#1 to #10
	826	26-degree bend streamer	#1/0 to #10
	839	Streamer, bugger	#2 to #18
	860	Streamer, extra-wide gape	#1 to #8

Still deciding? Match the bead while you are at it with our tungsten bead size chart, or browse the full Firehole Sticks line.