Hook eyes

[radar]

I've recently discovered this fantastic forum and have gained so much from just reading the posts....but as a novice, I do have a question.

There are more types of hook than days of the year...I was wondering why choose a hook with either an upturned or downturned eye?....can anyone tell me the significance of this?.

[arkle]

Up turned eyes used to be very popular for fry flies, when you tied them on with a turle type knot the fly stayed inline with the leader & it increased the gape slightly. Down eyes have virtually replaced them over the years on most hook styles. Anglers tend to tie onto the leader with knots that are on the eye rather than on the shoulder/head if the fly these days. There has always been a higher demand for d/e hooks as far as trout are concerned, whereas most salmon /sea-trout hooks are more usually u.e.