Sickle hook questions

[Phil Keys]

What makes some people choose jigs with sickle hooks for crappie fishing? Are they most effective for certain techniques? What is a quality brand and model # sickle hook in size 4 and 2.

[Cray]

Your going to get all kinds of answers and pro’s and Con’s. For me I found when I switched I started getting more hook up’s and deeper penetration. Also most of my fish end up being hooked solid in roof of mouth. Switched when they first were introduced. Have gone through matzuo then eagle claw and now using Mustad which I find sharper and have a slightly larger barb which really helps when tipi g with a minnow.

[Capt Cormorant]

I prefer them as I seem to lose less fish when hooked. Especially slinging the fish in the boat with out using a net.

[Crestliner08]

They may hook up slightly better than standard bends, but they are a PITA to thread plastics on straight! I'll stick with my regular bends.

[INTIMIDATOR]

I fish Plastics 100% and only use sickles....
To me, the lighter gauge wire allows super sharp points, which allow the hook to penetrate the fish's mouth better...you can then use with even lighter line and use softer hook sets.
Sickle Hooks from name companies that are forged and tempered correctly, also allow for enough flexing to pull away from snags and re-bend the hooks multiple times without breaking.
The deep set angle next to the point, in conjunction with the angled hook design, minimizes the hook from rotating during hookup and the retrieve....which gives you a better hook set in the top of the mouth area and less thrown hooks and lost fish.
If you can't thread a plastic on them (???) just hold the jig against the plastic and see where the hook should come out of it (you can even mark your plastics) then thread it on! lol
I can't remember the last time that I deep hooked, or hooked a fish in the lower jaw, or gill area....

[Ketchn]

sickles are good stuff , i like them . there is a thought out there that the V in the bend helps you keep a fish hooked up because it isnt a smooth loop to the end of the hook point .

[Noodle rod]

I gravitated to them as with most terminal tackle for many of the reasons given, simply a better mouse trap.

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[Grainraiser]

I have a good supply of both but I will reach for the sickle jig heads over the regular hooks most of the time. For the most part I find them to be sharper hooks.

[Just_Bass]

First of all I’m pretty new to crappie fishing, only two years and a thousand caught. Just like every others new fishermen, who try everything available on the market, I use both and still have both in my tackle box. I’m also gonna stock up for next season and decide to only get regular hook, in size 4 and 6.
I agree on everything that posted here, sharp out of the box, good hook up ratio and fish stay on hook better. Only thing I don’t like is, plastic get damage way faster then regular bend hook.
My way of dealing with it, sharpen all my regular hook, bend tho hook point up a little, loosen drag a little when play fish and not to lift anything bigger than 12”.

[ezgoing]

I fish Plastics 100% and only use sickles....
To me, the lighter gauge wire allows super sharp points, which allow the hook to penetrate the fish's mouth better...you can then use with even lighter line and use softer hook sets.
Sickle Hooks from name companies that are forged and tempered correctly, also allow for enough flexing to pull away from snags and re-bend the hooks multiple times without breaking.
The deep set angle next to the point, in conjunction with the angled hook design, minimizes the hook from rotating during hookup and the retrieve....which gives you a better hook set in the top of the mouth area and less thrown hooks and lost fish.
If you can't thread a plastic on them (???) just hold the jig against the plastic and see where the hook should come out of it (you can even mark your plastics) then thread it on! lol
I can't remember the last time that I deep hooked, or hooked a fish in the lower jaw, or gill area....

I used them when saltwater fishing when they changed the laws to require their use. They were good for hook set and I seldom lost fish with them. But the the ones I used for saltwater were thicker and stiffer than the hooks I prefer for freshwater fishing. What brand did you find where they were flexible? I would like to try them as I did find better hook sets with them when I changed to them for saltwater fishing.