Hook Point & Barb
The Point is the sharpened end which penetrates the fish's mouth.

The point of a fish hooks is expected to penetrate the fish's mouth with as little force as possible being used. In addition, the point should stay sharp over a period of time.

The barb is the projection extending backwards from the point that secures your catch from unhooking.

Total Penetration Process

The point punctures
The point profile and its length influence penetration
The barb, its angle and elevation , influences total penetration and holding power.

The Puncturing Point
The key word is sharpness -- the point ought to be sharp! Yet, making it too sharp, the tip will easily bend or break..

If we look back in history, it used to be a real challenge to make sharp points. Grinding technology was rough and inconsistent, so fish hook manufacturers used to make a "point" out of who could make the sharpest hooks.

Important development in Mustad in terms of sharpness of the point:
1953 Chemical Sharpening
1960s Significant improvements on polishing processes
1985 Laser Point' hooks
1990 Accu Point' hooks

Most Mustad hooks have points that are forged. This process of compressing the high carbon steel makes the ultra-fine point stronger and longer lasting, a crucial element when it comes to keeping sharpness throughout a long and exciting fishing event where sand, rocks and fish are tearing on your hooks.

Point Profile to Ease Penetration
Through forging the point, Mustad also reduces the mass to be pushed through, hence reducing the force needed. This fact in combination with a best possible angle up to the barb give the superior total penetration offered by Mustad hooks.

Barb Elevation
The view of "right & wrong" when it comes to barb has changed radically during the last decades, and still it depends very much on what kind of fishing situations we are talking about. As a result of increasing sophistication in both anglers' skills and fishing tackle in general, there is an evident trend in consumer preference towards smaller and smaller barbs.

Mustad applies microbarbs on a wide range of hooks for light weight and ultra light weight fishing. You can also find somewhat larger barbs on hooks for the really tough and challenging situations, where you need maximum holding power to secure the wildest quarry!

Roughly, fish hooks are manufactured according to two different principles: Pressed and Cut Point and Needle Point.

Pressed and Cut Point:
In the Mustad terminology we call such hooks Mustpoint hooks since Mustad developed this technique as far back as 1877. The product is finished directly from a wire coil in a machine through a series of operations.

The following points are made using such a technique:

Spear Point/Superior Point: This is our standard type of point. The precise shape of a spear point varies with different manufacturers.

Knife Edge Point : This is a very sharp point used mainly for big-game fish. Two sides of the point are ground. The inner surface of the barb is flat and wider than normal, thus making it difficult for a big fish to throw the hook.

Needle Point: This is a high-tech process used for making high-grade points. The wire is straightened and cut in one machine, then transferred to a grinding machine where the point is formed, then it is fed as pointed blanks into a bending machine. The needle point is ground on all sides so as to get a conical shape, and when properly made it has the best penetrating quality.

Both main hook categories are made in barbless versions:

Barbless Hooks:
Although barbless hooks were in use long before anyone had the idea of making barbs to secure the catch, this type did not become popular until late 20th century, when ecology and sustainable management of fish populations were put on the agenda.

"Catch and Release" fishing is now quite popular in many countries, and in some areas regulations have been introduced in order to protect vulnerable fish populations forcing you to release the fish you catch. By using "barbless" hooks it will be easier to unhook the fish and the damage to the fish's mouth will be minimal. Instead of buying a barbless point it is very common to use a pair of pliers to squeeze down the barb, leaving only a little hump sticking out.

 Common Hook-Point Positions:
The following categories are used to define the position of the point either curved in towards the shank or away from the shank:

Hollow Point: This type, like the needle point, is designed for fast penetration, being hollowed or rounded out between the tip of the barb and the tip of the point. The outer side of the point is straight.

Beak Point: Sometimes called a rolled-in point, this type has the point bent in toward the shank of the hook. The rolled point is excellent for baitfishing in saltwater. Besides being a description of how the point looks like, Beak Point is also a registered Mustad Trade Mark.

Curved-in Point:
There is no clear distinction between a Beak Point and a Curved-in Point, in as much as a Beak Point is curved in. But some specialists distinguish between them by saying that the Curved-in Point differs from the Beak point in that the entire spear is bent toward the hook shank. Although such a point achieves a small bite, it is difficult for a fish to disgorge.

Dublin Point/Out Point: In this position the hook point is bent away from the shank to achieve a quick penetration. A slight degree of out-point is sometimes considered desirable in small flies and also on big-game hooks.

The following categories below are used to define sideways position of the point:

Reversed: Which means that the point is bent towards the left (18-20°), (as shown by the icon) -- or

Kirbed: Which means that the point is bent towards the right (18-20°), (as shown by the icon)

The reason for bending the point sideways in relation to the shank-line is that it will more easily hook on to a fish's lip or mouth than is the case with a straight hook. In addition, it facilitates easier baiting of the hook.

Courtesy Mustad Hook Company

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