Hook Maintenance by Rusty “Frog Legs” Morris
Rusty “Frog Legs” Morris is a stickler for inspecting his terminal tackle. Especially the business end of his hooks. When it comes right down to it, nothing is much more important. That hook point is going to be the first meaningful contact anglers make with a fish. If it doesn’t stick that trophy cat you are out of luck.
“I keep a close eye on my hook points,” explains Morris. “I make sure they stay sharp; I make sure they are not bent; and I make sure they are free of fish scales when baited up. Just one skipjack scale on the end of that hook can be the difference between fishin’ and catchin.’
“There are plenty of different hook sharpeners on the market and they are easy to use,” continued Morris. “It just takes a few strokes to get them back in shape after discovering they are dull. Checking your hook point is a small price to pay. Especially if it helps you catch that cat of a lifetime.”
“If your inspection reveals that they are bent get rid of them,” concluded Morris. “They don’t have to be bent much for me to discard them!”
