Fish Hook Anatomy

Fish hooks come in all shapes and sizes, each geared toward a different fishing method or species.

Basic Parts of a Fish Hook

  • Eye: Where the line is attached.
  • Shank: The straight part from the eye to the curved part of the hook.
  • Gap: The space between the hook and the shank.
  • Bend: The actual curved part.
  • Bite: The part of the hook with the point.
  • Point: The pointed end of the hook.
  • Barb: The little point going in the opposite direction as the point on the inside of the hook.
  • ‘Barbless’ hooks: These are hooks without this second point making it much easier to release a caught fish.

Hooks come in different styles. A ‘single’ hook has one bend from the eye with one point. A ‘double’ hook has two shanks, two bends, and two points, and are attached together at the shanks with only one eye. A ‘triple’ or ‘treble’ hook has three shanks, three bends, and three points, and attached at the shanks together with only one eye.