Best Fishing Hook Sizes For 36 Freshwater Game Fish

With freshwater fish, it’s essential to know what hook size to use. This guide has everything you need to know about choosing the best hook size for 36 different types of freshwater gamefish, including bass, trout, and catfish.

Following this guide can improve your chances of success whenever you go fishing.

Let’s get started!

What Size Hook Should I Use For Trout?

For most freshwater trout, use a tiny hook size of #14 to #8. I would start with a size #10 thin wire hook. If you’re missing hooksets, go down to a #12 or #14 thin wire hook.

What Size Treble Hook Is Best For Trout?

In most cases, a treble hook size of #14 to #10 is appropriate for freshwater trout. A size #12 hook is a good place to start.

What Size Hook For Lake Trout Do I Use?

Use a small hook size of #6 to #10 for most lake trout because they won’t bite if the hook is too big.

What Size Hook Is Best For Brook Trout?

Brook trout are hooked with a #14 to #8 hook, which is suitable for their size. Start with a size #12 hook and change if you aren’t getting bites. Larger hooks have the tendency of frightening picky fish away.

What Size Hook For Brown Trout?

The hook should be a #10 to #6 hook for brown trout, which are appropriate for their size.

What Size Hook Should I Use For Rainbow Trout?

A #12 to #6 hook is appropriate for rainbow trout given their size.

What Is The Best Hook Size For Bass?

Overall, bass hooks range from #1 to 3/0 sizes depending on the bait size.

What Hook Size For Largemouth Bass?

Largemouth bass can be finicky gamefish. So, the best hooks range from 1/0 to 3/0 sizes depending on the bait size.

What Hook Size For Smallmouth Bass?

Smallmouth bass are some of the more aggressive freshwater gamefish. So, the best hooks range from #1 to 2/0 sizes depending on the bait size.

What Size Hook For Striped Bass Should I Use?

Use a larger hook size for striped bass. The best hooks range from 2/0 to 6/0 sizes depending on bait size. Much larger hooks tend to cause missed hooksets.

What Size Hook For Salmon Should I Use?

For most salmon rigs, use a hook size of 1/0 to 6/0 octopus for salmon depending on species and bait size. For a bead rig, hook sizes vary based on the size of the bead used ranging from a #6 – #8 for a 6 mm to #2 to 1/0 for a 12 mm bead.

What Hook Size For King Salmon Do I Need?

A hook size of 2/0 to 6/0 octopus is preferable for salmon rigs when fishing for king salmon.

What Size Hook For Pink Salmon?

A hook size of #4 to 1/0 octopus is preferable for salmon rigs when fishing for pink salmon.

What Size Hook For Sockeye Salmon?

A hook size of #2 to 2/0 octopus is ideal for sockeye (red) salmon.

What Size Hook For Coho Salmon?

The ideal size for Coho salmon is a hook of #2 to 2/0 octopus.

What Hook Size For Chinook Salmon?

A hook size of #2 to 1/0 for freshwater and 2/0 to 5/0 octopus is ideal for saltwater chinook salmon.

What Hook Size For Steelhead?

For most steelhead rigs, use a hook size of 1/0 or 4/0 octopus for steelhead. For a bead rig, hook sizes vary based on the size of the bead used ranging from a #6 – #8 for a 6 mm to #2 to 1/0 for a 12 mm bead.

What Size Hook For Winter Steelhead?

What Size Hook For Summer Steelhead?

A hook size of #1 to 3/0 octopus is preferable for steelhead rigs when fishing for summer steelhead.

What Size Hook Should For Catfish?

Catfish sizes vary greatly by species, but generally, #10 to #2 work best for smaller varieties, and up to 10/0 to 12/0 for larger catfish species.

What Size Hook For Channel Catfish Should I Use?

For channel catfish, hooks ranging from #10 to 1/0 work best depending on bait size.

What Is The Best Hook Size For Flathead Catfish?

Flathead catfish grow up to 100 lbs and hook sizes ranging from 4/0 to 10/0 works best.

What Is The Best Treble Hook Size For Catfish?

A treble hook size of #8 to 1/0 is preferable for catfish in general.

What Is The Best Hook Size For Crappie?

Hook sizes between #4 to #1 are great for all crappie species beginning with size #2.

What Hook Size Is Best For Bluegill?

Use hook sizes between #12 and #8 for bluegill all sunfish varieties starting with size #10.

What Size Hook To Use For Carp?

Use hook sizes between #6 and #4 for all carp varieties starting with size #6 to avoid scaring off bites.

What Size Hook For Perch Should I Use?

Hook sizes ranging from #8 to #2 are ideal for all perch species beginning with size #4.

What Size Hook Is Best For White Perch?

White perch should be started with a hook size #6. The size range is #8 to #4.

What Hook Size Do I Use For Yellow Perch?

The ideal hook size for catching yellow perch is #6. The size range is from #8 to #4.

What Hook Size For Walleye Ice Fishing?

Hook sizes #2 to 1/0 are ideal for walleye fishing beginning with size #2.

What Size Hook For Panfish Do I Need?

Use hook sizes between #12 and #8 for all panfish varieties starting with size #10.

What Hook Size For Walleye Do I Use?

Hook sizes #2 to 1/0 are ideal for walleye fishing beginning with size #2.

What Size Hook For Sunfish?

I recommend hook sizes between #12 and #8 for all sunfish varieties starting with size #10. These include bluegill, redear sunfish, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, warmouth, spotted sunfish, dollar sunfish, bantam sunfish, longear sunfish, redspotted sunfish, redbreast sunfish, northern sunfish, and orangespotted sunfish.

What Size Hook Is Best For Bream?

Bream, as another name for sunfish, require hook sizes between #12 and #8.

What Size Treble Hook For Pike?

For most pike fishing, I recommend hook sizes #6 to #1.

What Size Hook For Muskies?

Hook sizes ranging from #6 to #1 are the best for most varieties of muskies.

What Size Hook For Garfish?

Garfish hook sizes vary by technique, but generally, #2 to 3/0 work best for lip hooking and up to 4/0 to 10/0 for circle hook rigs.

There are various sizes and types of fishing hooks, but how do they work?

BadAngling.com has created an all-inclusive guide discussing various sizes and types of hooks and how they operate.

Summary

So, what size hook should you use for your next freshwater fishing adventure? Hopefully, this article has helped clear up any confusion, and you can go out and catch some fantastic fish using the best hook sizes for 36 different game fish.

As always, I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below! Tight lines!