Lee Blanton: Daiichi Pro Staff
Lee Blanton: Daiichi Pro Staff
I am asked often why I use Daiichi hooks, “they are so expensive”. My standard answer is yes, they are more expensive than other brands, but I believe the best materials produce the best fly. I want consistency in my flies whether I am tying for some of my custom fly boxes for a customer or tying for my own fishing; Daiichi hooks give me just that. Since I started using only Daiichi hooks, I have missed/lost fewer fish. No one wants to miss that fish of a lifetime whether it be a state record Green Sunfish, a 30 inch Brown, or that monster 200 + lb. tarpon. There is no worse feeling in the fishing community than missing that big one. We all know that sharp hooks catch more fish and there is nothing more annoying than having to sharpen “brand new” hooks. These Daiichi chemically sharpened hooks will be ready to go ‘rip some lip’ right out of the pack.
When I started using Daiichi as my only hook, not only did I find them to be sharper than any other hooks I had found, but I caught 3 straight “unofficial” (I am waiting on the confirmation) 
state fly rod records in 3 consecutive weeks, all on Daiichi hooks. The first fish hit a #2 deer hair popper; the hook barely fit in his mouth. He measured a whopping 10 1/4 inches. The second and third fish hit a rubber legged dragon, size 12 on a 1710 Daiichi hook. That second fish measured 10.5 inches; the third and final fish measured 13 1/4 inches. I can’t say that the hooks made the difference and that I wouldn’t have caught these fish on different hooks, but I can say the hook sets were deep and solid, and that those three fish made me more of a believer in these hooks. Included are some pictures of the three fish.
