Ahrex AFW527 Big Gap Short Shank Dry Fly Hooks

Maximizing the size of your hook's gap can be the difference between hooking a fish and not, and Ahrex's AFW527 Big Gap Short Shank Dry Fly Hooks have all of the gap needed to ensure you hook every riser you come across; however, landing them is all on you. The AFW527 Big Gap Short Shank Dry Fly Hooks, just as their name implies, are made with a very wide gap and a short shank, making it a perfect hook for tying flies like parachutes, Klinkhammers, or extended body dry flies, and with its sizes ranging from a 10 to a 24, it's an exceptionally good choice for tying small flies like midges and tricos where every millimeter of gap you can score increases your success. The AFW527 Hooks are barbless and have a black nickel finish and chemically sharpened point, making them ultra-sharp and durable enough to handle long days on the water. From evening hatches and spinner falls all the way to drifting scud and sowbug imitations through a clear spring creek, the AFW527 Big Gap Short Shank Dry Fly Hooks are ready for it all.

Uses

The AFW527 Big Gap Short Shank Dry Fly Hooks are designed as a dry fly hook with an excessive gap, which makes them a great choice for flies like parachutes and extended body dry flies to imitate things like mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, and even some larger stoneflies. And although this hook was built with dry flies in mind, it's also an equally great choice for tying lightweight nymph patterns to imitate things like scuds, sowbugs, caddis larvae, and midges.

Comparisons

Ahrex's FW525 Barbless Super Dry Hook is also another good option for a barbless dry fly hook with a substantial gap. However, one difference between it and the AFW527 Hooks is that the AFW527 has a straight tying shank, whereas the FW525 Hooks have a more curved tying shank. While both of these profiles are good choices for dry flies, the straight eye and shank on the AFW527 provide a platform that's a little easier to tie on. One other difference between the two is that the AF527 Hook sizes down to a 24 and the FW525 ends at an 18, so if you're looking to match really small midges or tricos, the AFW527 hook is superior; on the other hand, if you need a shank with a bit more curve to tie things like scuds and sowbugs, the FW525 is a better choice.