Reference guide
Fishing Hook Size Chart
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.
The full ladder from smallest to largest runs #32 → #1 → 1/0 → 12/0.
Hook size chart with typical uses
Smallest to largest. Uses are typical US freshwater and inshore applications, not rules.
| Size | Scale | Typically 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, trout on worms or dough bait. |
| #4 | Numbered | Trout bait rigs, crappie, 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, channel catfish. |
| 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. |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Sizes shown are the ones in common use. Manufacturers also produce odd-numbered sizes such as #3, #5 and #7 in some hook families.
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. That has three practical consequences:
- Compare gap, not numbers. 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.
- Circle hooks run small. A circle hook has less usable gap than a J hook of the same printed size, which is why most anglers step up one or two sizes when they switch to circles.
- Size the hook to the bait first. On soft plastics and live bait the bait decides the hook far more than the fish does. A 4 inch worm and a 10 inch worm are different hooks for the same bass.
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.
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, so most anglers step up one or two sizes when switching.
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.
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.
Octopus hook
Short shank, round bend and an up-turned eye for snelling. Compact and light 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.
Jig hook (leadhead)
A hook moulded into a weighted head. Hook size and head weight are chosen separately.
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.
Fly hook
Light-wire hooks in a wide range of bends, 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.
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.
Setting the hook on a circle
A circle hook works by sliding to the corner of the jaw as the fish turns. Swinging on it pulls it straight out. Reel until the rod loads and keep reeling.
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.
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.