We’re pleased to, once again, announce the official release of a new hook. We love making hooks, and in particular ones that are made for specific purposes, maybe even a model others would call a niche product. It only makes it better when they are a result of a collaboration with others. In this instance the hook is a result working with Chris Adams (from Australia), who contacted us about a bend back hook for his barramundi fishing.
Over to Chris Adams:
“For me, the bend back platform offers a world of options for both open water fish and most importantly those predatory fish that hunt close to structure. Being able to put the fly where it needs to be and fishing around structure without fear of snags or weed fouling, is worth its weight in gold. The bend back platform offers the angler a fly that does both without the need for a weed guard. This can mean more fish or for the beginner the confidence to put the fly on the money or sink it down around oyster encrusted logs. The SA258 CA Bendback is a heavy gauge salt water hook that has the gape needed to find purchase without the flex so that those strip sets find the bend every time. The oversized eye not only allows for larger shock tippets needed for fish that live in tiger country, it also offers more weight at the front to assist a more balanced fly that swims head first an important action that is synonymous with reaction bites. The PR358 CA Bendback is the smaller freshwater brother of the larger salt water hook. Both allow a more generous “tieable” area that allows the tyer to layer materials such as bucktail, skunk, nayat or calftail in addition to adding keel weight on a hook that will drift through the thickest cabbage squeaky clean. Finally a practical bend back design that is based on many results on the water before it hit the market!”
The oversized eye on the SA258 CA Bendback series allows for a larger shocktippet and adding just a bit more weight to the fly for balancing.
The SA258 CA Bendback and the PR358 CA Bendback
As Chris mentions, the hook design is spread over two series. The salt water versions in the SA 258 SA-series are the 2/0, 4/0 and 6/0 models – the big ones with the enlarged hookeye. Chris also mentions that bend back design are very relevant in fresh water environments and smaller fish. We placed the models from size 6 to 1/0 in the PR 358 CA-series with standard eye size. That means that the SA 258 is finished with our A-Steel coating, the SA 358 with our black nickel finish. Other than that they are of course the same bend back design across the sizes in both series.
Chris’ input and design ideas were crucial for this hook and we also consulted with Steve Silverio and the saltwater legend, Bob Clouser. Both are long time advocates for bend back flies, so we’re grateful for their input as well.
A beautiful Bendback from the vise of Steve Silverio – displayed with the hooks from the SA258 and PR358 series.
Chris Adams with yet a wonderful Barramundi from his australian homewaters.
Check our Chris’ Instagram for more really beautiful patters and, of course, lots of annoyingly big fish…
