Alec Jackson Steelhead Salmon Hooks

Alec Jackson Steelhead Hooks—those fancy little Japanese-forged skewers that make your flies look like they stepped out of a high-end salmon spa. Named after the fly-tying wizard himself (RIP, legend), these aren’t your grandpa’s rusty barbs; they’re precision-engineered for chasing steelhead and salmon without bending over like a bad Tinder date. But here’s the kicker: they come in a few “styles” that sound simple but are basically hook drama queens, each with its own diva demands. I’ll break ’em down for you, because nothing says “fun weekend” like debating shank lengths while your non-fishing friends hit the bar. We’ll hit the main three: Standard Wire Spey, Heavy Wire Spey, and those cheeky Steelhead Irons. Differences? Mostly in wire thickness (beefy vs. svelte), shank length (long and leggy vs. short and snappy), bend shape (curvy for swingers or straight-ish for the no-nonsense crowd), and eye design (tapered loop-up for easy rigging, because who has time for thread wraps that snap?). Now, onto the fly patterns they “best” for—because apparently, not every hook wants to party with every feather.