What is the correct way to sharpen a hook? Towards tip or away from tip? How many strokes? At what angle? Also, Do most of you run single hooks on plugs? What size & type? What is your preferred way of attaching them to the plug? Quite a few questions here I know. Your help on any of them would be appreciated. I hate takedowns with nothing there.

The best way to sharpen a hook would be in a point to bend motion (fore to aft). Look head-on to the point, you want a triangle appearance. The hook now has three cutting surfaces vice one in a round appearance. To check sharpness, try to drag the point across your thumbnail. If it drags, it needs more attention. I like the Tiemco ceramic sharpener. One side is coarse, the other extremely smooth for fine tuning.

The others will have to help you with the plug department. I haven't fished Steelies in years with gear.

Downriggin'

Try to use a sharpener that has a grove in it. I have a little diamond sharpener and it works great its about half the diameter of a pencil and has a grove down the center to run your hook down. Do this about 5 or 6 times and it will be sharp depending on howw dull your hook is. If you damage your tip to much, like on a snag tie a new one on. don't waste your time trying to sharpen it. And I don't believe in dragging your hook on your nail.
Your just dulling it, as you do that your taking away the "sticky point " of the hook.
I would also recomend removing the rear treble hook off your plugs and replacing them with a si wash (of the appropriate size according to the size of plug your using) attatched to a 6 bead chain swivel.
Hope the info helps

Put a new one on. Hooks are cheap when it comes to putting fish in the boat. A good quality hook is razor sharp out of the package. If it dulls then throw it away. Most hooks are already designed to be razor sharp and are not meant to be sharpened. Except a few trebles like the mustads that come on Kwickies.

I agree with Pat. Hooks are cheap compared to all of the other expenses involved with fishing. I only use Gamis and have found that you can never get them as sharp as they are straight out of the package. As soon as they don't grab my fingernail I junk em.


Price of a new Rod: $250.00

Price of New Boat: $20,000.00

Price of Truck to tow new boat: $30,000.00

Watching a friend miss a fish due to dull hooks: Priceless

Speaking of hooks, Drifter, Did Joe ever get a hold of you? If not, email me.

Also, now that Rooster is about done killing everying that flies in E. Washington, it's about time we hop in Sven and go put the hurt to some SW steelies!

Or, even better, you need to float the Hoh with us! We'll put on the Pink Conehead Clinic