Fly Tying Hook Comparison Chart

Choosing the right fly hook is one of the most important—and most overlooked—decisions in fly tying. Hook style affects how a fly rides in the water, how materials behave, how quickly a pattern sinks, and how effectively it hooks and holds fish. The Feather Craft Hook Comparison Chart was created to remove guesswork by organizing fly hooks by function and fishing application, rather than by brand alone.

This chart allows you to compare hook models across major manufacturers while also showing real fly patterns commonly tied on each hook style. Whether you’re matching a proven pattern, substituting hooks due to availability, or refining a fly for a specific technique, this reference helps you make informed decisions at the vise. Built from decades of fly tying experience and refined through constant use, it’s designed to be a practical, trustworthy tool—one you’ll come back to every time you sit down to tie.

Feather Craft Fly Hook Comparison Chart

This chart organizes hooks by fishing application and functional profile. Listed fly patterns are examples, not limits. Models are comparable in intent and geometry, not exact duplicates.

Dry Fly & Surface Hooks

Hook Profile & Use	Common Fly Patterns	Ahrex	Daiichi	Gamakatsu	Mustad	Tiemco
Down eye, standard wire, round bend – classic dry flies	Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, Blue Wing Olive, Royal Wulff	AFW500	1100	S10	R50	100
Straight eye, 1X long – extended dry patterns	Extended Body Mayfly, PMD Variants, Trico Spinners	AFW510	1110	—	R50	100
Down eye, 1X long shank – larger dry flies	Stimulator, Humpy, Sofa Pillow	AFW500	—	S10-3F	—	—
Straight eye, curved shank – emergers, Klinkhåmers	Klinkhåmer, Sparkle Emerger, Barr Emerger	AFW524	1167	—	—	—
Down eye, wide gape – dry / light nymph crossover	Parachute Adams, Comparadun, CDC Emerger	AFW570	1180	—	—	5210
Down eye, wide gape, barbless – technical dry flies	Euro Dry Dropper Patterns, Barbless Parachutes	AFW571	1190	—	—	—

Wet Fly, Nymph & Curved Shank Hooks

Hook Profile & Use	Common Fly Patterns	Ahrex	Daiichi	Gamakatsu	Mustad	Tiemco
Down eye, 2X strong, 1X short – wets & nymphs	Hare’s Ear, Prince Nymph, Soft Hackle Wet	AFW560	1530	G3A-L	S80	3769
Down eye, standard length – traditional wets	Partridge & Orange, Leadwing Coachman	AFW580	1550	—	R30	102Y
Down eye, 1X strong, 1X long – weighted nymphs	Pheasant Tail, Copper John, Stonefly Nymphs	AFW580	1560	G3AY	—	3761
Down eye, 1X strong, 2X long – nymph/streamer crossover	Woolly Bugger, Squirrel Tail Nymph	AFW580	1280	H1A	S82	5262
Down eye, 1X strong, 3X long – extended nymphs	Pat’s Rubber Legs, Extended Stoneflies	NS115	1710	H1A-L	R73	5263
Straight eye, 3X long curved shank – hoppers & terrestrials	Dave’s Hopper, Foam Beetles, Ants	AFW530	1270	K12ST	—	200R
Short curved shank – scuds, shrimp, pupae	Scud, Czech Nymph, Caddis Pupa	AFW520	1120	C12	C49S	2457
Curved shank, regular wire – caddis pupae	LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa, Deep Pupa	AFW540	1130	—	—	2487
Bent shank, down eye – stonefly nymphs	Kaufmann Stone, 20-Incher, Mega Prince	NS150	1730	—	—	—

Streamer Hooks

Hook Profile & Use	Common Fly Patterns	Ahrex	Daiichi	Gamakatsu	Mustad	Tiemco
Long shank, straight eye – classic streamers	Black Ghost, Mickey Finn, Grey Ghost	NS118	1750	—	—	9395
Down eye, 1X strong, 4X long – articulated streamers	Woolly Bugger, Zonker, Sex Dungeon	NS118	2220	D4AF	R75	300
Aberdeen, wide gape – large profile streamers	Deceiver, Game Changer Heads, Bucktail Streamers	PR330	2461	—	—	—

Salmon & Steelhead Hooks

Hook Profile & Use	Common Fly Patterns	Ahrex	Daiichi	Gamakatsu	Mustad	Tiemco
Straight eye, 2X strong, short shank – egg & short patterns	Glo Bugs, Egg Sucking Leeches, Short Intruders	HR430	X510	K5AS	C14S	105
Curved shank, tapered loop eye – salmon & steelhead	Traditional Spey Flies, Hairwing Patterns	HR410 / HR412 / HR414	2441	—	—	7999

Jig, Tube & Specialty Hooks

Hook Profile & Use	Common Fly Patterns	Ahrex	Daiichi	Gamakatsu	Mustad	Tiemco
Short shank, wide gape – tube flies	Tube Intruders, Tube Leeches	HR430	1650	—	—	3761
60° jig, flat eye, barbless – competition jig nymphs	Perdigon, Euro Pheasant Tail, Jig Frenchie	AFW555	J60X	CS86S-J60	—	J20-B
60° jig, flat eye – standard jig flies	Jig Hare’s Ear, Jig Stonefly	AFW554	4640	J20	—	—
Straight eye, 1X strong – bass flies	Clouser Minnow, Poppers, Crawfish Patterns	PR354 / TP605 / TP610	—	S3-ACS	SS15	—
Straight eye, stainless – saltwater flies	Deceivers, Clousers, Crab & Shrimp Flies	SA210 / SA220	2546	CS52	—	811S

Functional comparisons only. Hook wire, temper, and geometry vary slightly by manufacturer.