Jig Hooks: The Best Hooks For Making Great Jigs

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I’m going to make a controversial statement – jig hooks are the single most important element of a jig. 

I can hear your protests.

“But Blaine, what about jig color?”

“What about the weedguard?”

“What about the size and weight of a jig?”

“Surely you forgot about the awesome silicone and hair skirt materials?”

Nope. I didn’t forget any of those things. 

They’re all important, they all hold a valuable place in a jig’s design.

But the most important element of a jig is the hook.

Welcome back to Jig Is Up Lurecraft! Today we are going to talk about jig hooks! To be precise, we are going to talk about the importance of jig hooks and the best jig hooks you can use today to make your own jigs!

The Jig Hook’s Importance

When I first started making jigs, I was laser focused on making jigs with high quality paint jobs and strong wire collars.

But the more I made jigs, the more I realized how critical my hook choice was!

To be more specific, I discovered that a quality jig hook worked so much harder for me than a cheap-o hook. 

A quality hook

• Allows me to set the hook easier
• Fights strong fish without bending out
• Doesn’t rust easily

The jig hook is so critical. 

With that said, there are oodles of jig hooks to choose from. It gets overwhelming fast!

It makes sense if you think about it – the hook is the direct link between you and the fish! Strengthen that link and you catch more fish.

In my jig making endeavors, I’ve experimented with and researched dozens of hooks. In the process, I’ve found there are 8 jig hooks in particular that stand head and shoulders above the rest.

I consider these to be the 8 best jig hooks any bait maker can use to make their own jigs!

Here’s what they are.

The 8 Best Jig Hooks

👉 **Owner 5313** (Editor’s Pick: Best Finesse Hook)

Starting this list off with a bang is my favorite jig hook – the Owner 5313!

The Owner 5313 is an epic little hook.

When finesse fishing started becoming more popular across the United States, many anglers started to use small jigs with light hooks to target big bass. 

Although the technique was effective, many anglers complained that the hooks on these small jigs were bending out easily with the tackle they were using.

The 5313 jig hook is Owner’s answer to this problem.

Made with Owner’s premium wire, this hook is small enough to fit on a finesse jig but strong enough to handle big bass!

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here.

👉 Eagle Claw 570B (Editor’s Pick: Best Panfish Hook)

The Eagle Claw 570B is America’s jig hook.

Why, do you ask?

Two big reasons why; for one, Eagle Claw is the only hook manufacturer located in the U.S.A.

And two? The Eagle Claw is quite simply one of the most popular – if not the most popular – jig hooks used by panfish jig manufacturers worldwide.

The hook is simply a classic. A staple. An essential in your jig making tool set.

Built with light wire construction, these hooks are perfect for small panfish and trout jigs. Armed with a light tackle setup, you could even catch bass on jigs built with these hooks!

You won’t be muscling big bass out of heavy cover with these hooks – the light wire ensures the Eagle Claw 570B bends out easily under heavy duress. 

But if you are targeting panfish, perch, or any other small species, you will love these hooks!

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here.

👉 Gamakatsu 604

It’s no secret that Gamakatsu makes very high quality hooks. In fact, I consider their worm hooks to be some of the best hooks in the fishing industry!

That being said, the Gamakatsu 604 is arguably the most popular jig hook Gamakatsu makes.

This is largely because the 604 is such a stout combination of strength, sharpness, and versatility.

If you are looking for a hook for deep walleye and bass jigging, look no further. This high quality hook is for you!

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here. 

👉Mustad 32833

So far we’ve covered jig hooks that catch panfish, bass, walleye, and even trout. But the Mustad 32833 is a hook specially built for different fish altogether.

Salmon and steelhead anglers, the Mustad 32833 has you covered!

To those unfamiliar with salmon and steelhead fishing, these fish are among the strongest freshwater species we have in North America.

The challenge with catching these bruisers is that sometimes they only bite very small, finesse presentations. 

To allow anglers to make jigs with super strong hooks just for these times, Mustad created the 32833 jig hook!

A 2X strong jig hook, this hook will handle the strongest of fish. Bar none.

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here.

👉 Mustad 32786 Flipping Jig Hook

Next on our list is one of the most widely used jig hooks of all time – the Mustad 32786.

If you grab a random bass jig off the shelf, odds are that it was made with a Mustad 32786!

Simply put, this hook provides solid value at an affordable price.

It won’t be the strongest hook you’ve ever used. It won’t be the sharpest hook you’ve ever used.

But the Mustad 32786 will give you solid, affordable performance day in and day out.

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here. 

👉 **Owner 5304** (Editor’s Pick: Best HD Hook)

Anyone who reads my blog knows I love Owner hooks. The Owner 5304 is one of the hooks that first turned my attention to the many quality hooks Owner has to offer.

In my opinion, the Owner 5304 is quite simply the best heavy duty hook for bass jigs.

Why?

For one, it’s much thinner than most heavy duty jig hooks. This sleeker wire translates to easier hook sets!

At the same time, the 5304 is made with a high quality wire that renders it just as strong as other HD jig hooks.

And, on top of that, it comes with a very unique sproat bend that basically locks bass in – once a bass gets hooked, it doesn’t come off!

In other words, it’s scary sharp.

It’s sleek.

And it’s seriously strong.

I know of so many anglers who started using jigs built with this hook and never looked back.

If you are looking to make bass jigs for heavy duty flipping and pitching, then this is the hook for you!

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here.

👉 Gamakatsu 5941 Bladed Jig/Flipping Jig Hook

Next on our list is a high quality, heavy duty hook from Japanese manufacturer Gamakatsu – the 5941 flipping hook!

Unlike any other hook on this list, the Gamakatsu 5941 is a flat eye hook.

While many anglers prefer their flipping jigs to have standard, vertical eye hooks on their jigs, there is a growing movement of anglers who maintain that flat eye hooks allow jigs to navigate through wood better than their vertical eye counterparts.

Whatever your preference may be, it’s hard to go wrong with the Gamakatsu 5941.

Put it in a flipping jig.

Put it in a bladed jig.

However you choose to use this high quality hook, you’ll enjoy how much strength you get from such a slender-wire hook.

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here.

👉 Eagle Claw L3886 Swim Jig Hook

Last but not least is yet another outstanding hook from the fine folks at Eagle Claw – the Eagle Claw L3886 Swim Jig Hook!

Like other Eagle Claw hooks, L3886 offers a lot of bang for the buck!

Not only is this premium hook very heavy duty, but like other Eagle Claw hooks it is also made right here in the U.S.A.

This hook fits a lot of the jig molds used to make swim jigs and chatterbaits. If you are interested in making either of those, then you should strongly consider giving this hook a try!

Get yours today via my affiliate link at Barlow’s Tackle 👉 here. 

“I love these hooks, Blaine! Where do I go from here?”

First off, determine what kind of jig you want to build. Design is king here!

Here are a few tips for picking the right hook (and jig) for the job!

Fishing for trout or panfish ➡️ try a jig with the Eagle Claw 570 hook! This light wire hook pairs perfectly with light tackle and micro jigs to catch jumbo gills and acrobatic trout.

Fishing for steelhead or salmon ➡️ try a jig with the Mustad 32833 hook. This hook is unbelievably strong! It’s the best choice for battling those bruiser salmon and steelhead.

Fishing heavy cover for bass ➡️ try a jig with the Owner 5304 hook. In my humble opinion, this is one of the deadliest hooks of all time for bass jigs. Super sleek and strong, this hook keeps bass pinned. End of story.

Fishing finesse for finicky bass ➡️ try a jig with the Owner 5313 hook. With this hook, you can build stout little finesse jigs. It allows you to make a very compact jig without sacrificing on hook strength!

Armed with these tips, you can build amazing jigs with purpose, designed with the most important element in mind – the hook!

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