What hook for tying airheads

[Steve S]

I'd like to tie up some airheads in custom colors. After looking at a few I purchased from Umpqua, I'm guessing given the oversize eye that they are tied on a stinger hook such as Gamakatsu's #210. Anyone know for sure?

[Darian]

Assuming that you mean Charlies or Bisharat's Airhead, I seem to recall that they were tied on a nickel plated spinnerbait hook (round bend, longer shank and circular, straight eye). Size depends on what you want but the smallest appears to be 1/0.

Carl Blackledge produces a similar fly but I'm not sure whether he uses the same hook or not. Maybe he'll post about his pattern.

[Charlie Gonzales]

They can be tied as tube flies too.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I contacted Charlie Bisharat:

"The gap of the hook is critical. You can use any hook as long as it is large and offers room to tuck the bottom of the materials neatly under the shank."

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Over the years I have seen lots of flies that had an impeded hook gap because the hook gap was too small or the material was in the way of the gap.

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill,

I have tied thousands upon thousands of air heads in every color and almost every size. Sense Charlie didn't say what hook it was I am not going to say specifically either, Now after that being said the information you posted is true and correct just about any hook you want to use will work, here is a picture of my plain Jane air head I tie for Baja roosters, and let me tell you "IT WORKS" this hook is the SP 600 in a smaller size, I do tie larger and smaller air heads then this, I hope this helps somebody, however what hook isn't the answer to the puzzle of the fly.

Carl Blackledge

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

That Tiemco / TMC "SP 600" is a bad ass hook.

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill

The SP600 hook is A "bad ass" it's also very expensive I think $3.00 each retail, that's one of the reasons I charge $10.00 each for these flies, The last time I ever seen a factory air head fly it was around $15.00 in a fly shop, my flies are tied for Baja roosters.

carlblackiedge@aol.com