Ad swiers are the only hooks I use for pike flies as the are easy to remove and the long shank is good to tie on, but I've been wondering about whether the alternatives might perform better.

A fair proportion of my takes do not result in hook ups no matter how I strike/strip/ tighten (although big hits tend to stick well enough). I keep my hooks sharp and mainly use size 4/0 and 6/0 for flies 5-8" long.

Rather than just stating what you use/like, I'm interested in comparative experience. Has anyone specifically used and moved on from ad swiers to something else and found a significant difference in converting takes?

I'd also be interested to hear any views on the relative merits of smaller/larger hooks, circle hooks, offset or inline points. I prefer larger/offset and have no experience with circle hooks

AS hooks are the worse hooks I have ever used.

We use standard sea hooks like the Varivas Big Mouth series. Cheap as chips to.

I have fished a variety of different hooks and i still think AS are the best i also find i lose less of my fish on smaller hooks a lot of my flies are tied on 2/0 and 4/0

I would side with JT. I dont get on with the A Swier hooks at all.

Varivas Big Mouth and other light weight hooks work for me.

Thanks all. No takers on circle hooks I gather!

JRT/Squimp - is it perhaps that they're barbed that you find them better fish holders, or do you flatten the barbs?

Cheaper helps - I tend to aim for all the snags or undercuts I can see with predictable attrition rate consequences!

Mark