It’s common to ask, “What size hook for surf fishing?” when getting your angling gear together.
As expected, many types of hooks and hook sizes can be paired with your line, and they make a massive difference to the success of each fishing trip.
Today, we’ll dive into the details to help you pick the right fishing hook for your surf fishing needs.
Before You Get Started
Before you choose the type and size of hook you want for an upcoming fishing trip, it’s essential to know a couple of details.
Ideally, you’ll need to consider the following:
- The style of fishing you have planned
- Your target species
- The average mouth size of your target
- The bait or prey you’ll be using
With surf fishing, you’ll want to ensure your chosen hook is small enough to fit inside your target fish’s mouth without the risk of it swallowing it or getting gutted.
It’s also important that you match your bait to your hook, as you might notice a difference in the gap between your point and shank.
Whether you need smaller or bigger hook sizes, your bait and hook should reach the sweet spot for your target fish species.
The final thing to note is the type of fish you’ll be going after, as this has everything to do with the types of hooks you’re looking at.
Luckily, we know this will be surf fishing, which makes it relatively easy to narrow down to a few of the most popular hook types on the market.
What Are the Best Hooks for Surf Fishing?
There are many options when looking for the ideal type of hook for surf fishing.
Let’s dive into the most popular varieties to keep in mind.
Treble Hooks
Treble hooks are undoubtedly the most popular option for surf fishing, as they’re designed specifically for the activity.
They’re fantastic to use with artificial lures, but it’s important to note they’re quite tricky to remove.
In fact, treble hooks can be so challenging for beginners that they’re starting to be replaced by inline J hooks instead.
It’s also important to note that treble hooks could be banned in your local area for fishing.
For example, Florida fishing regulations prohibit anglers from using this type of hook with natural bait.
Octopus Hooks
If you’re hunting for larger hooks for different surf fishing species, octopus hooks are one of the top solutions.
They’re easily recognizable as the hook eye opens backward, allowing easier snelling exits.
Also, the overall hook shape is pretty fluid, creating one seamless hook that’s rather refined compared to other options.
The most important thing to note about octopus hooks is that they are massively different from circle hooks.
Octopus hooks typically don’t have the barb and point to form a 90-degree angle.
That said, they’re the perfect design for tying a snell and allowing for an amazing presentation with less interference with your hook set.
Mosquito Hooks
At a glance, mosquito and octopus hooks look similar to beginner surf anglers.
However, they are pretty different, as mosquito hooks usually have a longer shank and barbs on the shank’s rear.
These barbs can help ensure your bait stays fastened to your hook.
Mosquito hooks are our favorite type of hook to recommend to beginners, especially if you have shaky hands when going after common species.
They have more shank that’s easy to grip, helping you set your bait more efficiently.
You’ll also find they can be easier to remove, especially as the shank length is longer than expected, as long as you’re mindful of the barbs.
Circle Hooks
Circle hooks can often be used for surf fishing and are some of the most popular varieties for bait and wait anglers.
With circle hooks, the shank and barb form a 90-degree angle, creating a narrow gap for hooking fish in the corner of their mouth.
Although they are quite challenging, their engineering is particularly effective and impressive.
One of the largest advantages of circle hooks is that it’s relatively impossible to gut a fish using one.
A pro recommendation is to reserve your circle hooks for larger species and massive predators, like sharks.
They can also be a great solution if you leave your rod in a holder and wait for the right catch.
What Size Hook for Surf Fishing Is Best?
When looking for the perfect hook size, the most important thing to note is the type of fish you’re going after.
With that in mind, you can find the ideal hook with ease and the perfect type of larger baits for all species.
Let’s look at the most popular size of hook for anglers to help you find the sweet spot with any species of fish you’re going after.
Overall Best: 2/0 Hooks
Before diving into species-specific hook sizes, it’s important to note most anglers agree a 2/0 hook is ideal for all types of surf fishing.
What’s even better is a 2/0 circle hook, which makes it particularly simple to get your hands on pompano and whiting, as well as larger varieties like flounder, snook, and tarpon.
That said, some anglers prefer to reach for #1 hooks when setting for small fish and a 5/0 for larger predators, like sharks.
#1 or 1/0 Hooks for Whiting and Pompano
When saltwater fishing for smaller species, 1/0 or #1 hooks are a fantastic solution for most anglers.
You should be able to hit the sweet spot for croakers, whiting, and pompano while using fish bites or the all-time favorite sand fleas.
Again, it’s important to note the mouth size when organizing hooks in sizes for your upcoming fishing trip.
As whiting have tiny mouths, your hooks should match.
The best pairing for these types of fish would be a 1/0 J or circle hook for smaller varieties.
3/0 Hooks for Bluefish
Bluefish are arguably one of the most popular species for surf fishing enthusiasts to go after.
That is because they present quite a challenge and are fighters that actively go after dead and live bait and lures in your tackle box.
That said, they’re also known to have particularly sharp teeth, so using a wire leader can be helpful.
Most anglers agree that a 3/0 circle hook is best for dealing with bluefish.
This is because it’s the right size to catch small or bigger 15-pound varieties.
It’s often decided that circles are the best choice of hook style because bluefish tend to be messy eaters and are likely to swallow a J hook.
1/0 to 5/0 Hooks for Mackerel
You might be wondering why there’s such a massive difference in the choice of hook size regarding mackerel.
That is because mackerel tends to either be pretty small, which works well with 1/0 hooks, or quite large, ideal for a 5/0 bait hook.
Certain varieties, like Spanish or Cero mackerel, are best suited to a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook paired with dead or live bait.
However, if you’re on the hunt for King Mackerel, you’ll need 5/0 circle fishing hooks at the least to capture these 50 lbs monsters.
With a 5/0, you’ll have a better chance of catching them when nearshore.
3/0 Hooks for Snook
When browsing the aisle of hooks, investing in a few 3/0 hooks can be a great option, especially for snook anglers.
When looking at a chart for hooks, you’ll find 3/0 circles do the job perfectly for snook, who are ready for dead or live bait and lures.
Most anglers find a great way to get their hands on snook is to first use a 1/0 to capture croakers and use them as live bait.
5/0 Hooks for Tarpon
As we get to the larger fish species, we’ll also dive into the largest surf fishing hooks you’ll find.
5/0 is the exact size hook that works perfectly for tarpon, regardless of their total weight.
Some species can be 30 lbs while others can get over 100 lbs, which is why 5/0 is versatile and great to use.
One of the most important things to note when going after tarpon with all fishing hook brands is their preferred bait.
Like a finger mullet, live bait brings a tarpon off the beach.
5/0 to 10/0 Hooks for Sharks
The final tier for the largest fish hooks you’ll find goes to sharks, the largest predators you’re bound to capture while surf fishing.
You’ll find a 5/0 circle hook works well for sharks up to six feet, but if you want to go for something larger, try your hands at a 9/0 or 10/0.
Of course, there’s a lot of danger with 10/0 hook sizes, as these shark species tend to have a lot more fight in them, which could take hours.
Alternatively, targeting four or five-footers right off the coast can be a great option for surf anglers.
You can use a modest 5/0, have 20 minutes of fighting fun, and avoid the danger of going after massive species.
The Right Hook Size for Surf Fishing
When asking, “What size hook for surf fishing is the best?” you’ll want to consider the size and type of fish you’re going after.
If the fish is smaller, anything below a 3/0 will be more than enough to capture them effortlessly.
However, when going after the bigger fish species, expect your fish hook sizes to extend anywhere from 5/0 to 10/0.
