Hook Size Guide
Match your hook size to the species and bait — the most common cause of missed strikes is wrong hook sizing.
Pick a water type and bait, tap your target species, and get the right size, hook style, and a visual scale showing exactly where it falls.
Water Type
Bait / Technique
Target Species(22 shown)
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Select a species above to see hook recommendations
Set your bait type first for the most accurate match.
Hook Size Reference Scale
Hook sizes run from tiny (#14) to massive (10/0). Plain numbers get smaller as they climb; aught sizes get larger. Select a species above to highlight its range.
← SmallerHook Size ScaleLarger →
#14
#12
#10
#8
#6
#4
#2
#1
1/0
2/0
3/0
4/0
5/0
6/0
7/0
8/0
9/0
10/0
Frequently Asked Questions
How do fishing hook sizes work?
Fishing hooks use two scales that meet in the middle. Plain-number sizes (#22 down to #1) get larger as the number gets smaller, so a #6 is bigger than a #10. Aught sizes (1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and up, pronounced 'one-aught', 'two-aught') get larger as the number gets larger. The progression runs ...#4, #2, #1, 1/0, 2/0... from small to large, which is exactly the order shown in the visual chart on this tool.
Does hook size depend more on the fish or the bait?
It is a balance of both, but bait size usually drives the final choice. The species sets the broad range — a panfish hook is never a tuna hook — while the actual bait you are threading determines where in that range you land. A general rule: the hook should be roughly the same width as the thickest part of the bait so the point stays exposed for a clean hookset.
When should I use a circle hook instead of a J-hook?
Use circle hooks for any presentation where the bait soaks and the fish takes it slowly — cut bait on the bottom, live bait on a slip rig, and most catch-and-release saltwater fishing. The circle design slides to the jaw corner and sets itself when the fish runs, which dramatically reduces gut-hooking. Use J-hooks when you actively set the hook, such as with artificial lures, jigging, or fast-moving baits.
What is the most common hook-sizing mistake?
Going too big. Anglers often oversize hooks thinking it improves hookups, but an oversized hook overpowers small baits, kills their natural action, and is easier for a fish to detect and reject. The opposite mistake — too small for a big-mouthed predator — also costs fish because the gap cannot clear the jaw. Match the hook to the bait first, then confirm it falls inside the species range shown above.
Do I need different hooks for freshwater and saltwater?
Yes. Saltwater corrodes standard hooks quickly, so choose corrosion-resistant finishes such as tin, nickel, or specially coated chemically-sharpened hooks for any saltwater use. Saltwater species also tend to be larger and harder-mouthed, so sizes skew toward the aught end of the scale and stouter wire, while freshwater panfish and trout favor fine-wire hooks in the plain-number range.