TackleChoice

Reference guide

Fishing Hook Size Chart

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Hook sizes run on two scales that meet in the middle. On the numbered scale a bigger number means a smaller hook: a #22 is tiny, a #1 is much larger. Past #1 the scale flips to aught sizes written with a slash, where a bigger number means a bigger hook: 1/0 is small, 6/0 is large.

This chart shows selected common sizes from #28 through 12/0. Manufacturers also make smaller numbered hooks, including #32, and larger aught hooks; those are outside this chart's practical freshwater and inshore scope.

A hook size does not convert to millimeters: the same number measures differently from one maker and style to the next. One maker's published measurements are further down the page.

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Numbered sizes Bigger number, smaller hook

  1. #28
  2. #20
  3. #12
  4. #6
  5. #1

After #1 the numbering flips

Aught sizes Bigger number, bigger hook

  1. 1/0
  2. 3/0
  3. 6/0
  4. 10/0
  5. 12/0
A selection of sizes, smallest to largest in reading order; each size drawn here is also a row in the table below, which lists common sizes from #28 to 12/0. The drawings show the order of the sizes, not their true proportions: actual gap and wire thickness differ between manufacturers, and between hook styles at the same printed size. Published dimensions for three Mustad hooks, with a drawing to scale, are further down the page.

Hook size chart with typical uses

Smallest to largest. Uses are typical US freshwater and inshore applications, not rules.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Hook sizes from #28 to 12/0, smallest to largest
SizeScaleTypically used for
#28 Numbered Midge patterns and micro ice jigs.
#24 Numbered Small dry flies, midges, finesse panfish ice jigs.
#20 Numbered Small flies; tiny tipped ice jigs for pressured panfish.
#16 Numbered Trout nymphs; small bait hooks for bluegill on grubs.
#12 Numbered Bluegill and other panfish on live bait; single salmon eggs.
#10 Numbered Panfish live bait, small trout baits, drop-shot for finesse.
#8 Numbered Crappie minnows, trout worm rigs, small treble replacements.
#6 Numbered Crappie and perch on minnows or small jig heads, trout on worms.
#4 Numbered Crappie minnows and jig heads, smallmouth live bait, small walleye live-bait rigs.
#2 Numbered Walleye live-bait rigs, larger trout, drop-shot for bass.
#1 Numbered Walleye leeches and crawlers, larger stream trout, finesse bass.
1/0 Aught Bass finesse plastics, walleye crawler harnesses.
2/0 Aught Bass soft plastics and wacky rigs; medium live baits.
3/0 Aught Bass Texas rigs and creature baits; larger live baits.
4/0 Aught Bigger bass plastics, catfish cut bait, inshore saltwater.
5/0 Aught Large soft plastics, catfish, pike and inshore species.
6/0 Aught Large cut and live baits; catfish, pike, surf fishing.
7/0 Aught Big catfish and large saltwater baits.
8/0 Aught Big catfish, large live baits, big-game leader rigs.
10/0 Aught Very large saltwater baits.
12/0 Aught The largest baits; big-game and shark rigs.

Sizes shown are the ones in common use. Manufacturers also produce odd-numbered sizes such as #3, #5 and #7 in some hook families.

Starting sizes by fish and bait

A common bait or two for each fish, with the size and style the Hook Size Finder gives for it. Each fish's guide lists the published sizes behind these and covers more baits.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

Starting hook sizes for common fish and bait pairs
FishBaitHook styleSize
Bluegill Piece of worm under a bobber J hook #10–#8
Crappie Live minnow on a light-wire hook J hook #8–#4
Trout Salmon eggs on a single hook Octopus hook #14–#10
Trout Whole nightcrawler Octopus hook #10–#6
Bass Plastic worm, Texas-rigged, on spinning tackle Offset worm hook 1/0–3/0
Striped Bass Live eel Circle hook 7/0–8/0
Redfish Live shrimp Circle hook 1/0

Walleye, catfish, pike and salmon are not in the table because the right hook for them changes with the rig; each guide breaks it down rig by rig.

Parts of a hook

Parts of a J hook A J hook drawn with its eye at the top, the straight shank below it, the curved bend at the bottom and the point rising on the right with a barb just below its tip. A line across the opening between the point and the shank marks the gap. A line from the point down to the bottom of the bend marks the throat. Eye Shank Bend Gap Throat Point Barb
A J hook, not to scale. The same parts apply to circle, octopus and worm hooks, though the shapes differ.
Eye
The loop the line is tied to. It can be straight, turned up or turned down.
Shank
The part that joins the eye to the bend. On an offset worm hook it has a Z-shaped bend near the eye.
Bend
The curved part of the hook.
Point
The sharp end that goes into the fish.
Barb
A small reverse point behind the tip that keeps the fish on the hook. Barbless hooks have none, and some waters require them.
Gap
The width from the point to the shank. It is the space your bait has to leave open, and the figure to compare when two hooks carry the same number.
Throat
The depth from the point down to the bottom of the bend: how deep the hook can go in.
Wire
The thickness of the metal, also called the gauge. Heavier wire is stronger; light wire is easier on a small live bait and bends before it breaks in brush.
Smaller black hooks and larger silver hooks in separate compartments of a wooden tray.

These hooks differ visibly in gap and shank length. Their numbered sizes are not identified in the photo.

How to choose from the chart

  1. Size the hook to the bait first. The bait must leave enough open gap for the point to reach the fish. A thick soft plastic needs more usable gap than a thin worm or small live bait, and a 4 inch worm and a 10 inch worm take different hooks for the same bass.
  2. Choose the hook style. A circle, J, treble and extra-wide-gap hook with the same printed size do not present the same gap, shank or wire. Pick the style for the technique before comparing its number.
  3. Then adjust for fish and cover. Stay large enough for the fish's jaw and the cover, but not so large that the bait loses movement.

The part the chart cannot tell you

A hook size is a family convention, not a measurement. Two hooks stamped 2/0 from different manufacturers can differ noticeably in gap, shank length and wire diameter, and two hooks stamped 2/0 in different styles from the same manufacturer will differ more than that.

There is no governing standard behind hook numbering; each maker applies it to its own range. So compare the hooks physically, gap first: the gap between point and shank is what has to clear the fish's jaw or your bait. When you switch brands, hold the two hooks side by side rather than trusting the packet.

What hook sizes actually measure

At 1/0, three Mustad hooks in different styles measure 19.1–33 mm long (0.75–1.30 in), with a gap of 9.6–15 mm (0.38–0.59 in). At every size all three are listed in, the inline circle is the shortest with the smallest gap, and the long-shank baitholder is the longest. These are one manufacturer's published figures; other makers' hooks of the same size can differ again.

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The same printed size in three Mustad styles: smallest to largest of the three at each size they share
SizeLengthGapWire
#4 13.9–24 mm 0.55–0.94 in 6.9–11 mm 0.27–0.43 in 0.88–0.98 mm 0.035–0.039 in
#2 16.2–28 mm 0.64–1.10 in 8–13 mm 0.31–0.51 in 0.98–1.07 mm 0.039–0.042 in
#1 17.4–30 mm 0.69–1.18 in 8.7–14 mm 0.34–0.55 in 1.02–1.15 mm 0.040–0.045 in
1/0 19.1–33 mm 0.75–1.30 in 9.6–15 mm 0.38–0.59 in 1.07–1.25 mm 0.042–0.049 in
2/0 20.9–36 mm 0.82–1.42 in 10.4–16.5 mm 0.41–0.65 in 1.15–1.32 mm 0.045–0.052 in
3/0 23–39 mm 0.91–1.54 in 11.5–18 mm 0.45–0.71 in 1.25–1.42 mm 0.049–0.056 in
4/0 25.1–42 mm 0.99–1.65 in 12.3–20 mm 0.48–0.79 in 1.32–1.52 mm 0.052–0.060 in
5/0 27.3–46 mm 1.07–1.81 in 13.7–22 mm 0.54–0.87 in 1.42–1.72 mm 0.056–0.068 in
6/0 30.1–49 mm 1.19–1.93 in 15.1–24 mm 0.59–0.94 in 1.62–1.82 mm 0.064–0.072 in

Each range runs from the smallest to the largest of the three hooks below. Inch values are converted from the millimeter figures.

Each hook across its size run

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Mustad 92641 Beak Baitholder, #12 to 6/0: long-shank J hook with baitholder barbs
SizeLengthGapWire
#12 11 mm 0.43 in 5.4 mm 0.21 in 0.68 mm 0.027 in
#10 13.5 mm 0.53 in 6.4 mm 0.25 in 0.76 mm 0.030 in
#8 16.5 mm 0.65 in 7.6 mm 0.30 in 0.8 mm 0.031 in
#6 20 mm 0.79 in 9 mm 0.35 in 0.88 mm 0.035 in
#4 24 mm 0.94 in 11 mm 0.43 in 0.98 mm 0.039 in
#2 28 mm 1.10 in 13 mm 0.51 in 1.07 mm 0.042 in
#1 30 mm 1.18 in 14 mm 0.55 in 1.15 mm 0.045 in
1/0 33 mm 1.30 in 15 mm 0.59 in 1.25 mm 0.049 in
2/0 36 mm 1.42 in 16.5 mm 0.65 in 1.32 mm 0.052 in
3/0 39 mm 1.54 in 18 mm 0.71 in 1.42 mm 0.056 in
4/0 42 mm 1.65 in 20 mm 0.79 in 1.52 mm 0.060 in
5/0 46 mm 1.81 in 22 mm 0.87 in 1.72 mm 0.068 in
6/0 49 mm 1.93 in 24 mm 0.94 in 1.82 mm 0.072 in

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Mustad 92553 Octopus, #6 to 9/0: short-shank, 1X strong beak hook with an up-turned eye
SizeLengthGapWire
#6 15 mm 0.59 in 8.8 mm 0.35 in 0.8 mm 0.031 in
#4 18 mm 0.71 in 10.5 mm 0.41 in 0.88 mm 0.035 in
#2 21 mm 0.83 in 12.5 mm 0.49 in 0.98 mm 0.039 in
#1 22.5 mm 0.89 in 13.5 mm 0.53 in 1.07 mm 0.042 in
1/0 25 mm 0.98 in 14.5 mm 0.57 in 1.15 mm 0.045 in
2/0 28 mm 1.10 in 16 mm 0.63 in 1.25 mm 0.049 in
3/0 31 mm 1.22 in 18 mm 0.71 in 1.32 mm 0.052 in
4/0 34 mm 1.34 in 20 mm 0.79 in 1.42 mm 0.056 in
5/0 37 mm 1.46 in 22 mm 0.87 in 1.62 mm 0.064 in
6/0 41 mm 1.61 in 24 mm 0.94 in 1.82 mm 0.072 in
7/0 46 mm 1.81 in 26 mm 1.02 in 2.04 mm 0.080 in
8/0 52 mm 2.05 in 28 mm 1.10 in 2.18 mm 0.086 in
9/0 60 mm 2.36 in 31 mm 1.22 in 2.33 mm 0.092 in

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Mustad 39944 Inline Circle, #4 to 10/0: circle hook with the point in line with the shank
SizeLengthGapWire
#4 13.9 mm 0.55 in 6.9 mm 0.27 in 0.88 mm 0.035 in
#2 16.2 mm 0.64 in 8 mm 0.31 in 0.98 mm 0.039 in
#1 17.4 mm 0.69 in 8.7 mm 0.34 in 1.02 mm 0.040 in
1/0 19.1 mm 0.75 in 9.6 mm 0.38 in 1.07 mm 0.042 in
2/0 20.9 mm 0.82 in 10.4 mm 0.41 in 1.15 mm 0.045 in
3/0 23 mm 0.91 in 11.5 mm 0.45 in 1.25 mm 0.049 in
4/0 25.1 mm 0.99 in 12.3 mm 0.48 in 1.32 mm 0.052 in
5/0 27.3 mm 1.07 in 13.7 mm 0.54 in 1.42 mm 0.056 in
6/0 30.1 mm 1.19 in 15.1 mm 0.59 in 1.62 mm 0.064 in
7/0 33.3 mm 1.31 in 16.7 mm 0.66 in 1.82 mm 0.072 in
8/0 36.9 mm 1.45 in 18.4 mm 0.72 in 2.04 mm 0.080 in
9/0 41.1 mm 1.62 in 20.6 mm 0.81 in 2.18 mm 0.086 in
10/0 45.7 mm 1.80 in 23 mm 0.91 in 2.33 mm 0.092 in

Figures from Mustad's US size charts for the 92641, 92553 and 39944, checked October 5, 2026. Mustad gives gap in millimeters only, so every inch value here is converted from its millimeter figure and rounded. The Gamakatsu and Eagle Claw product pages we checked list sizes without measurements, so no other brand is shown.

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Hook outlines drawn to scale, with a 50 mm calibration bar Mustad 92641 Baitholder, #12 to #1: #12 11 mm long with a 5.4 mm gap; #10 13.5 mm long with a 6.4 mm gap; #8 16.5 mm long with a 7.6 mm gap; #6 20 mm long with a 9 mm gap; #4 24 mm long with a 11 mm gap; #2 28 mm long with a 13 mm gap; #1 30 mm long with a 14 mm gap. Mustad 92641 Baitholder, 1/0 to 6/0: 1/0 33 mm long with a 15 mm gap; 2/0 36 mm long with a 16.5 mm gap; 3/0 39 mm long with a 18 mm gap; 4/0 42 mm long with a 20 mm gap; 5/0 46 mm long with a 22 mm gap; 6/0 49 mm long with a 24 mm gap. 1/0 in three Mustad styles: Beak Baitholder 33 mm long with a 15 mm gap; Octopus 25 mm long with a 14.5 mm gap; Inline Circle 19.1 mm long with a 9.6 mm gap. Below them, a 50 mm bar marked every 5 mm. Mustad 92641 Baitholder, #12 to #1 #12 11 mm #10 13.5 mm #8 16.5 mm #6 20 mm #4 24 mm #2 28 mm #1 30 mm Mustad 92641 Baitholder, 1/0 to 6/0 1/0 33 mm 2/0 36 mm 3/0 39 mm 4/0 42 mm 5/0 46 mm 6/0 49 mm 1/0 in three Mustad styles Baitholder 33 mm Octopus 25 mm Circle 19.1 mm 50 mm calibration bar (1.97 in)
Simplified outlines drawn from Mustad's published figures: each outline is as tall as the listed length, the opening between point and shank is the listed gap, and the line is as thick as the listed wire. Eye, bend and point shapes are approximate.

Checking the drawing against a hook

  1. On screen it is not actual size. Screens and zoom levels differ. Hold a ruler to the 50 mm bar to see how far off yours is; every hook is off by the same proportion.
  2. To print it actual size, print this page at 100% scale, with "fit to page" or "shrink to fit" turned off, then measure the bar. If it is 50 mm (1.97 in), the outlines are at Mustad's published size. The printout leaves out the page's notes and cards and starts these outlines on a page of their own.
  3. Compare the gap first. Lay your hook on the printed outline of the same size and style. The gap is what has to clear the bait and reach the fish's jaw.

Hook styles and how they size

J hook

The general-purpose bait hook shape most people picture when they think of a fish hook. Straight or slightly offset point, moderate shank.

Best for: Live and cut bait when you are holding the rod and setting the hook yourself.

Sizing: Printed sizes are consistent within a model family but not across brands. Compare gap width, not the number.

Watch out: A J hook is set by jerking the rod at the bite, and a fish that has already swallowed the bait can be hooked in the throat or gut. With natural bait on a rod you are not holding, a circle hook is usually the better choice.

Circle hook

Point curved back toward the shank so the hook slides to the corner of the jaw and turns as the fish swims away.

Best for: Bait fishing with rods in holders: catfish, surf, pier, and most saltwater bait presentations. Also the standard where regulations require non-offset circle hooks.

Sizing: Circle hooks run visibly smaller than a J hook of the same printed size, and there is no fixed conversion between the two. When you switch, compare the gap with the J hook you are replacing rather than counting sizes.

Watch out: Do not set the hook by jerking the rod. Bring the line in with slow, steady pressure instead; a jerk will often pull a circle hook out of the fish's mouth.

Offset worm hook

A Z-bend in the shank holds the nose of a soft plastic in place so the bait stays straight and the point can be buried weedless.

Best for: Texas-rigged worms, stick baits and creature baits around wood, grass and rock.

Sizing: Sized to the bait, not to the fish. Match the gap to the thickness of the plastic in the hook's bend.

Watch out: On a bulky soft plastic a standard gap can be too narrow: the plastic can slip down during the hookset and keep the point from going in. Extra wide gap hooks are made for those baits.

EWG (extra wide gap) hook

An offset hook with a widened bend that leaves clearance around bulky plastics.

Best for: Creature baits, craws, beaver-style baits and thicker soft plastics rigged weedless.

Sizing: EWG numbers do not line up with straight-shank worm hooks. A 4/0 EWG and a 4/0 straight shank hold very different amounts of plastic.

Treble hook

Three points on a common shank, used as factory hardware on crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater and spoons.

Best for: Hard baits, and as a stinger hook on cut bait rigs where regulations allow it.

Sizing: Treble sizing runs on the same printed ladder but the practical range is much smaller. Most freshwater hard baits carry #8 to #2, with 1/0 to 4/0 on larger saltwater plugs.

Watch out: A bigger or smaller treble can change a lure's action and running depth, especially on a suspending jerkbait, so replace a treble with one of the same size.

Octopus hook

Short shank, round bend and an up-turned eye for snelling. Compact for its gap.

Best for: Live bait where you want minimal hardware in the bait: leeches and crawlers for walleye, salmon egg loops, drop-shot rigs.

Sizing: Short shanks make an octopus hook look smaller than a J hook of the same number even though the gap is comparable.

Watch out: Wire weight varies between octopus hooks, from fine wire made for drop-shot and trout fishing to extra-strong wire built for big fish, so check the package before putting heavy drag on one.

Jig hook (leadhead)

A hook molded into a weighted head. Head weight and hook size are separate numbers on the package.

Best for: Hair and skirted jigs, plastic-bodied jigs, and vertical presentations.

Sizing: Package weight in ounces tells you sink rate, not hook size. A 1/16 oz crappie head and a 1/2 oz bass jig can carry very different hooks.

Watch out: Pick the head weight for the depth and current you are actually fishing, then check that the hook matches the bait.

Fly hook

Hooks in a wide range of bends and wire weights, sold by size and pattern style rather than by fish.

Best for: Tied flies, from midges to streamers.

Sizing: Fly hooks use the same numbered ladder but extend much further into small sizes than bait hooks do.

Watch out: Check the wire as well as the size: nymph hooks are usually heavier, so a dry fly tied on one can sit low or sink, while a lighter dry-fly hook rides higher.

Common hook sizing mistakes

Too much hook for the bait

The most common error, and the reason people get picked at all afternoon without hooking a bluegill. If the bait cannot move naturally or the hook is visible from every angle, go smaller.

Not enough gap on a thick plastic

The opposite failure. When a creature bait fills the bend, the point never reaches the jaw. If you feel bites and do not connect on Texas rigs, go up a size or to an extra wide gap.

Upsizing trebles on a hard bait

Factory trebles are matched to the lure's balance. A heavier treble can sink a topwater or flatten the action of a small crankbait. Replace like for like.

Not sure which size you need?

The Hook Size Finder asks four questions and gives you a size, a style, the reasoning, and the sizes either side of it.

Find my hook size

Sources for this guidance

  • Texas Parks and Wildlife: Angler Education Instructor Guide Shows the two numbering scales and makes clear that hook choice follows the fish and bait; its species ranges are broad starting points.
  • Mustad 92641 Beak Baitholder hook: size chart Mustad's published length, gap and wire diameter for this long-shank J hook with baitholder barbs, sizes #12 to 6/0. Checked October 5, 2026.
  • Mustad 92553 Octopus hook: size chart Mustad's published length, gap and wire diameter for this short-shank, 1X strong beak hook with an up-turned eye, sizes #6 to 9/0. Checked October 5, 2026.
  • Mustad 39944 Inline Circle hook: size chart Mustad's published length, gap and wire diameter for this circle hook with the point in line with the shank, sizes #4 to 10/0. Checked October 5, 2026.
  • South Carolina Department of Natural Resources — Red drum: hooks A J hook is set by jerking the rod when the angler feels a bite, and a fish that inhales the whole bait may be hooked in the esophagus or gut. With a circle hook, bring the line in slowly with steady pressure instead of jerking the rod, which will often pull the hook out of the fish's mouth. In the department's study, non-offset circle hooks hooked red drum in the lip over 90% of the time. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Gamakatsu — Key worm hook styles Without an extra wide gap, bulky soft plastics often slip down during the hookset and keep the point from penetrating; the EWG is a great choice for any soft plastic and excels with bulkier ones. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Tackle Warehouse — How to swap out treble hooks A retailer's how-to (September 2023, updated April 2025): a bigger or smaller treble can have a dramatic effect on a lure's action and running depth, especially on suspending jerkbaits, so use the correct size of replacement for the hook you are replacing. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Gamakatsu — Octopus Light A fine-wire octopus hook made for drop-shot and trout fishing. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Gamakatsu — Octopus Straight Eye, 4x Strong A 4x strong octopus hook used for everything from catfish to tarpon. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Orvis — Fly tying hooks Nymph hooks are usually heavier, which can make a dry fly sit low or sink; dry-fly hooks are lighter, so the fly rides higher. Checked October 6, 2026.
  • Virginia Marine Resources Commission: Circle hooks for striped bass On a circle hook the point curves back toward the shank. If a fish swallows the bait, the hook slides out of its throat and catches the corner of the jaw, setting itself as the fish swims away; do not sweep the rod to set it, let the line come tight. Checked October 10, 2026.
  • Tackle Room: Circle hooks vs J hooks A retailer's guide (March 2024): circle hooks run smaller than J hooks at the same number, and it suggests going up one or two sizes to match the gap. Checked October 10, 2026.
  • Fishing For Dummies (Kaminsky and Schwipps, Wiley): The anatomy of a fishing hook Defines the eye (the loop the line passes through, turned up, turned down or straight), shank, bend, point, barb (a reverse point that keeps a fish on the hook), gap (point to shank), throat (the depth the hook penetrates) and gauge (wire diameter). Checked October 9, 2026.

Sources were checked on October 5, 2026, except where a note gives its own date.

Hook sizes by species

Species guides

Related guides

  • Fishing Reel Size ChartSpinning, baitcasting, conventional and fly reel classes with typical line capacity and what each size is for.
  • Fishing Line Size ChartPound test against typical diameter for mono, fluorocarbon and braid, and how to compare them fairly.
  • Fishing Rod Size GuideWhat length, power and action each control, and how to read the specs printed on a blank.
  • Split Shot and Sinker Size ChartUK split shot sizes in grams, the separate US size names, and published weights for common sinker shapes.

Sources

Size-to-use pairings reflect widely published tackle guidance and the size ranges hook manufacturers list for each style. How we build recommendations. Image sources and credits.