The rule of thumb goes like this:  do not tie a large hook on a thin line, and a small hook on a thick line. It just doesn’t work out.

The type of binding you need depends on the design of the hook, or more precisely on whether it is ended with an eyelet or not. An improperly tied hook can scare fish away, get tangled, weaken the line, causing it to break up during the fishing.

What you want is to reduce the number of knots to a minimum because each subsequent knot adds to the deterioration of the line and can deter fish.

Precision is also important. The knots should be made exactly according to the situation. It is also essential that they are clamped uniformly, and that you make them with slow movements, which will prevent the line from getting internal microdamage.

Although most of the hooks currently manufactured are pre-sharpened at the factory, which ensures their proper sharpness, that doesn’t mean that they cannot grow dull. That happens more often than you think it does, especially when you’re fishing on rocky terrain.

Of course, you can just replace the defective hook with a new one immediately, and that seems to be the right thing when you have 100 of fishing hooks in a pack. But is that really the best strategy? You can just try and sharpen the hook for yourself. The question is, how to do it?

This is not as difficult a task as you might have thought. Just take a hook in your hand and set it at an angle. Starting moving the tip against a fine metal file. Even if you don’t have a metal file on hand, that’s not a problem. As long as the hook is not too big, you can even use a nail file. 

Hooks are the terminal tackle that stands out for its incredible diversity. Fishing hooks may have different colors, sizes, shanks, and bends, as well as various applications or binding methods. To choose the best fishing hook for you, you need to consider all the factors that I’m giving in my buyer’s guide that may not guarantee a successful catch, but it does mean that you won’t lose the fish when you can get it.