Yes, Aberdeen hooks hold fish, that’s been their rep. Their true selling point, however, is about bluegills. Drop your crappie minnow next to some structure, see the strike, set the hook and…slack line…the fish is gone.
Bad luck? Nope. It is often just a case of geometry.
Why Aberdeen Hooks Improve Bluegill Catching
The Geometry of Hooking Panfish
Bass and pike offset style hooks is overbuilt for panfish. Bulky, heavy, the soft jaw misses most frequent. Aberdeen hooks are simple, light and thin and designed to slide into fish with little resistance.
Consider how hook penetrates the fish too. Panfish are more sensitive fighters compared than a bass. Instead of pulling with brute force, they dart and shake.
A fish can spits a bait as soon as it feels pressure on its lip. This happens because bluegill have more slit-like mouth than wide ones. Metal meets wire on a heavy wire hook and the fight begin.
The fish feels it and spits out the bait. With an Aberdeen hook, there is nothing to feel. You slip right into its mouth without resistance or need for a violent yank to secure hook point.
That’s important because if the hook set securely during those first few frantic moments of a panfish bite, you can keep him on the line.
Aberdeen Hook Design and Weight
The first thing you’ll notice about Aberdeen hooks is that they’re light. They’re made from thin wire.
They are not weak, but they are lighter. A big, bulky hook get eyed suspiciously by bluegill. It nips at your offering, feels the weight of the hook behind it, and most times, pulls off before the hook can set.
With an Aberdeen hook, the thin wire blends into the bait. The fish picks up the offering without hesitation. You don’t have to overcome the fishs caution.
You just wait for the bite.
Penetration and Hook Sets
These hooks realy prove their worth on penetration. Their slimy profile and fine point make it easy for this hook to penetrate the cheek or lip of bluegill.
With thick hooks, you have to push harder to get them through the lip or cheek. And that means more tension on your line. Too much tension, applied too quickly, will pull the hook out.
Just a slight twitch with the Aberdeen hook is all it takes to slide that point home. Even on light tackle hooksets, you’ll be able to do so successfuly. Hooksets on four pound test line are possible too.
You’ll catch some good fishs with this method.
Strength and Durability
Aberdeen hooks are also thin enough that many anglers fear they won’t last long before breaking on a big ol’ bluegill. Truthfully, it’s not much of an issue.
These is still steel wires and get a heat treatment to make them stronger even though they’re thin. So when you set the hook hard, they’ll bend a bit. But this isn’t necessarily bad.
In fact, it helps your hookup ratio because it allows the hook to absorbs some of the force. If you fight a fish hard against cover, the hook will have a little more give and the line won’t snap. It doesn’t take as much strength at the end of the day but gives you so much more in terms of hooking power.
Versatility for Different Species
The versatility doesn’t stop at the bluegill though. You can catch crappie, sunfish, or even small catfish on these hooks too. If you want to fish a little smaller bait like perch or trout, then their thin profile comes into play again.
A tiny piece of dough or small piece of worm works well. The hook is out of the way. And the presentation appear more naturaly.
That makes it useful so you can stock one size of hook in your box and catch different species. This makes rigging much easier.
Choosing the Right Size
The last part of this equation is choosing the proper size.
Go too big and it defeats the purpose. Go too small and run the risk of a bent hook. For most, the sweet spot is an Aberdeen hook in size four or six.
It is large enough to stand up to the battle but small enough to be a good presentation. They have an offset design that keep the bait positioned correctly. Keeps it off the bottom and out of snags before its time.
Gives you more control of how deep the bait ride in the water column.
Tips for Better Hookups
Next time you’re trying to hang onto a panfish and wonder why you can’t seem to get a good grip, check out what’s hanging off of ’em. Odds are pretty good you’ve got a hook designed for much bigger prey.
Try putting one on an Aberdeen hook instead. You should of tried it sooner. How does that feel?
How does it penetrate? Did the fish stay hooked longer? Don’t fight them harder.
That’s not the trick. Resist them less. Let the hook do its job.
