The start of the new year, cold weather kind of slowing the fishing, and the time to talk, and tie flies. While digging through my hook "mess of a drawer I came upon these hooks. They looked like they could be useful in constructing some soft hackles. They are in no means traditional hooks used in the North Country flies, but I tied up a few and they don't look to bad. The hooks are Allen N202 #14. They classify this as a Hopper-Terrestial....the second is Cabelas Model 21 #14...classified as a stonefly, stimulator hook.. The Allen which I prefer has a slight curve to the shank as well as down-turned eye and is slightly shorter. The Cabelas hook is somewhat straight shanked with a straight eye and is a tad longer.
Here they are side by side...Cabela's top, Allen bottom.
Here are a few soft-hackles tied on the Allen hook. I love the profile and overall look of the hook-fly.
Here is the Allen and Cabelas hooks side by side. The flies look similar but I still like the Allen hook...."What say you"?
