Why Sickles?

[slabslinger]

I have messed with sickle hooks recently and are now a fan of them but what makes them more desirable than your standard hook

[NIMROD]

I don't know can't notice much difference my self except they cost more?

[Dongotto]

I don't know can't notice much difference my self except they cost more?

I buy them for $25 1000. Where and what kind of hooks do you buy cheaper than that?

I feel like they give better hook ups in the roof of the mouth.

[keeferfish]

Seem to hook fish better and brush also. I’ve noticed they break more when bending them back into shape. Of course I pull them off a lot with braided line.

[NIMROD]

I buy my jig heads allready molded. Last ones were about .07 + tax shipped here. Sickles were higher every where I checked.

[Wannabe...]

Sharpened to a sticky point, thin wire and the design put the fish in a bind on the hook would be my guess. And Sickles are cheap too.

My only complaint is that the barb is very, very short. It seems logical that a longer barb would be better, but fishing ain't always logical and might reduce hookups. If I'm wrong about that, call me ignernt and ignore me like everybody else.


Wannabe...

[MePreach]

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but it has helped with better hooksets in roof of mouth and deeper penetration! I would say they have cut my losses in half. You will get hung more but where I fish it doesn't matter what you throw your gonna get hung! They are sharper and will break if they are continually bent. I have always purchased them for same price as other jigs poured with standard hooks. This is just my experience with them and different folks techniques may vary. I longline, shoot docks and pitch jigs mostly and occasionally spider rig. The only way I shoot docks with a sickle is if its weedless.....are you will just be tying instead of fishing.

[skiptomylu]

I like them because how sharp they are and not really higher than regular bend hooks. I started tying with them about 5 1/2 years ago and when I showed them here lot were asking about that strange hook and why. Anyway now most know about them and I tie a lot more jigs with sickles and don't charge any different for what ever the hook they want. You do get more fish hooked in the roof of their mouth and probable a better hook up. Most hooks that are as sharp as sickles are a lot more costly, ie Gamakatsu Owner etc. cost a lot even at dealer rates which I use to be a dealer for Gamakatsu.
Sickle hooks have had their issues at times, a few eyes not closed, some with barb on the side or opposite side of where they should be and for a time some got bad heat treat and broke a good many then, but seems most or the QC troubles are in the past.

I like them enough I fish with them more than any other. I also think a #6 will bend easier and maybe you can get them back when hung up better, but not positive about that.

I do know when I started showing them here there was hardly anyone using them. They got popular pretty fast, but a few still like regular bend better and I wouldn't know why that is and guess you would need to ask them. I do know one guide here on Toledo Bend that all he will use is a #6 or smaller regular bend hook so his customers don't loose too many of his jigs and all he fishes is brush piles.

Skip

[MO' MONEY]

I like the Sickles, just for the fact that they are A LOT sharper than most other hooks. Can't see too much difference in price, but as stated earlier, a good many more hookups in the top of the mouth. With the sickles I'm not as afraid to swing a fish in the boat, where I would be scrambling for the net most other times... Just my .02 cents. I don't think they're magic or will make or break your trip, but with a little money on the line, I'll use a Sickle every time, just for the extra peace of mind

[Team9nine]

Ditto on the hookups in the roof mouth, as well as their penchant to snag. The ones I buy in bulk have a larger gap than your stock round bend that you buy in most lightweight jigheads (1/16-oz or less) since they seem to be poured on a larger hook. As such, I don't seem to lose as many big fish with them, or have to bend out the hook point to increase gap like I do with many standard jigheads. Otherwise, I'd probably have to buy custom to get the same large gap in a roundbend jighead.

-T9