Most know the Biblical passage, “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23). By the same token, should a fisherman hook himself? Most of us hook ourselves plenty, and it’s more dangerous now than ever. Hooks are thinner and stronger, and some are coated with teflon, Xythan, or other slick substances for quicker, easier penetration (Ouch!).

New tempering processes developed in the past five years made hooks stronger with half the metal than those of six years ago. Razor sharpness with less steel to drive into a fish leads to more solid hookups, meaning premium hooks are really the way to go. Too expensive? First ask yourself how many walleyes you lose at the net or somewhere en route to the boat. Premium hooks may not land them all, but most fish that are lost shouldn’t be, wouldn’t be, if a couple more dimes were spent per hook.

The point is (pun intended), don’t just select for sharpness. Most hooks can be sharpened enough—even cheap hooks. Instead, look for hooks that penetrate quickly. Quick setters aren’t just sharp, but constructed with small-diameter wire and short small barbs. They may or may not be coated with a slick substance like teflon. And finally, if the hook has the strength to hold big fish without straightening (the trademark of premium tempering), it’s a winner.

Walleye fishermen require only a few styles of bare-bones hooks for bait fishing. Unlike bass fishing, most of the plastics used for walleyes are presented with jigs. And most bait tactics call for minnows, leeches, or crawlers. That’s it, with the possible exception of a waterdog or two. With so few bait styles to deal with, a basic selection of hooks within a short range of sizes works wonders.

For crawlers, most experts prefer Aberdeens and octopus or salmon-egg-style hooks (medium shank, upturned eye), though I personally prefer common baitholder hooks with a downturned eye, even for snelling. For leeches, the same two styles are generally best. For minnows, Kahle (wide-bend) hooks serve nicely. And for crankbait replacement hooks and occasional big-water spinner duty, a few premium trebles round out the repertoire. That’s it. Well, almost.

Some interesting alternate styles have recently appeared on the market that work great for walleye-style rigging. Most are premium hooks some experts prefer over the traditional tools of the trade. So lighten that death grip on your wallet and hook thyself with something made to do it right.

New Points

Mustad’s line of Finesse Hooks made a big splash with bass fishermen over the past two years, allowing them to use the same big hooks with light or heavy lines. To accomplish that, a hook must be thin, yet strong. “A special tempering process gives 30 percent more strength to the steel,” says Mustad U.S.A. general manager John DeVries. “That’s how we can offer strong wire in small diameters. The process was developed in 1992, and we’ve been improving it ever since.”

Mustad also offers walleye hooks in this line, including the Finesse Split Shot Hook, a baitholder, and a snell hook (refer to the chart). The Split Shot Hook has a straight, medium-long shank, a wide bend, and a chemically sharpened needle point. It’s ideal for pitching bait on split shot rigs, or for tying special spinner rigs for crawlers or larger minnows. The light weight and large gap on this hook make it an excellent alternative hook for spinner rigs with large baits that need to flow over weeds or snaggy bottoms. Mustad’s suggested retail price for the Finesse Hook is $3.59 for a pack of 5, while the rest of the Finesse line runs five for $3.79