A history of hooks

Mustad, one of the industries leading manufacturers of fishing hooks has put together a nice piece on the history of hooks. Hooks have been made from sticks of wood, bones, antlers and metals. It is an interesting look at the history behind the sport we all love, and the basis of what we as fly tyers are.

The oldest known hooks seem to be the ones that have turned up in Czechoslovakia during the excavation of the skeletal finds from late Palaeolithic times. Ancient hooks have also been found in Egypt and Palestine. The oldest, found in Palestine, is believed to be 9,000 years old.