Hooking Up with the Tiemco 206 BL & Hanak 360 BL

Above photo: A tiny Baetis emerger on the Venerable Hanak 360 BL #20.

I often get readers who ask very insightful questions. One of my readers from Norway asked me about two hooks: the Tiemco 206 BL and the Hanak 360 BL. This was based on one of my last entries on Caenis patterns and demystifying the “fisherman's curse.” In this entry, I showed a few versions of the fly on frames, such as the TMC 206 BL and the Hanak 360 BL. His question was as follows: 

“Which hook best suits the smaller caenis fly or small micropatterns, especially dry fly patterns, the TMC 206 BL or the Hanak 360 BL?”

I think the first order of business is understanding the blank canvas first. This quasi-octopus-style hook is a “chameleon hook,” as I like to call them. It's a hook that works across multiple patterns for dry fly and nymph applications. It is a wonderful soft hackle hook! Being from Hawaii, I'm very familiar with its geometry, as it reminds me of the hooks I used to catch many different species of saltwater fish! Typically, I used a snell knot with a hook like this in my younger years. It's a hook that brings back memories of stalking bonefish and Papio on the flats in front of Niu Valley on Oahu, my birthplace. 

Above photo: The hook on the left is the Tiemco 206 BL, and the hook on the right is the Hanak 360 BL; both are #20 hooks shot at a uniform scale with a Sigma 70mm macro lens. They look the same at first glance, but there are subtle differences that will affect your choice of hook models when fishing them. Read on to find out!

Both these hooks are very similar in geometry. Upon closer inspection, we see that the TMC 206 is a finer wire, slightly stretched out, and narrower in the gape, due to the less extreme downward slope at the rear of the hook compared to the Hanak 360. The TMC hook point taper is slightly longer and more refined, i.e the taper forms a point very gradually. The Hanak 360 is slightly heavier-gauge wire; the gape is more extreme, so the curve at the rear is steeper and more vertical. The hook point has a less graduated taper. After measuring with a micrometer, I found that the hook eye is canted slightly more in the upturned position on the Hanak. These are the basic differences. Now, for a normal person who does not give a crap about these subtleties, they have already moved on from this entry and started watching another viral YouTube video about creating the latest cornea-blistering Troll Doll candy ant on a hook. So bear with me, please. 

Above photo: The TMC 206 BL #20 loop wing shucking emerger pattern. This hook is a great canvas for all types of emergers: mayflies, caddisflies, or midges.

The basic merits for both these hooks are as follows: for a barbless hook, its hook-up ratios are extremely positive in my experience; it's probably one of the most reliable fish-holding barbless hooks out there in my own personal opinion. Its lightweight wires are exceptional for dry fly patterns; the 2x-short curved shank creates awesome silhouettes for the natural insects. This hook is a natural thorax-style dry-fly killer and can even be used for soft hackles. It excels with caddis patterns of all kinds, and I use it for my biot wing adult caddis patterns. It's a wonderful hook for caddis pupa of all kinds. The Hanak 360 and the Tiemco 206 are stellar hooks by any stretch of the imagination. Both hooks are a stellar choice for dry-fly micropatterns of all kinds. Directly addressing the original question, both will get the job done!

Above photo: The Hanak 360 BL #20 has a slightly heavier wire and is my pick

 for targeting larger fish with micropatterns.

Now, if you are going to draw the line in the sand between these two hooks, I honestly believe it's based on one factor: the size of the fish you're casting to. I would take the Hanak 360 over the TMC 206 only if the fish I am targeting are 17" or bigger, primarily because I have straightened out TMC 206, 531, and 102Y's on large fish. On the other side of the coin, I prefer to fish the TMC 206 more often in general because of the lightweight, finer wire, and, in my opinion, finer point. I have a ton of confidence in the 206 BL. Sometimes you need strength over delicacy, or vice versa, depending on your adversaries.

So for all you “hook heads,” bust out your micrometers and send me more questions!

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Thanks for letting me share!            ~Clint Bova               

www.cjbovarods.com