Core Hooks Quick Picks
- Best All-Around Dry Fly: Core C1100 Dry Fly Down Eye Hooks - A traditional down-eye dry fly hook built on Ahrex wire, 1X wide and 1X fine, in sizes 6 through 24. One hook covers stonefly dries and hoppers down to midges and tricos.
- Best for Nymphs: Core C1710 Nymph Hooks - An all-purpose nymph hook with a wide gap and perfect bend in sizes 2 through 18. Big stoneflies and tiny cased caddis tie on the same model.
- Best for Stoneflies: Core C1730 Stonefly Nymph Hooks - Our best-selling Core hook, with a curve right at the thorax that matches a drifting stonefly nymph. Sizes 2 through 16 run from big golden stones to early-season black stones.
- Best for Streamers: Core C2461 Long Shank Aberdeen Black Hooks - A long-shank, straight-eye Aberdeen hook in sizes 6 through 6/0 for articulated trout streamers and pike flies.
- Best for Jigs: Core C4647 Jig Hooks - A barbless 60-degree jig hook with a black nickel finish in sizes 4 through 20. Use it for Czech nymphs, Perdigons, and inverted streamers.
How to Choose Core Hooks
Dry fly and emerger hooks
The C1100 and the Core C1110 Dry Fly Straight Eye Hooks are the two standard dries, sharing a bronze finish, chemically sharpened point, and sizes to 24. The only difference is the eye: down eye for classic Catskill and parachute patterns, straight eye when you want the fly to track flat on a loop knot or tippet ring.
Best for: One hook that floats and sinks, the C1180 Dry and Light Nymph in sizes 6 through 24 and its black-finished sibling, the C1190, which cover a Parachute Adams and a lightly weighted Pheasant Tail alike.
Best for: Parachutes, Klinkhammers, and emergers, the C1167 Parachute Dry Black with its curved shank and low-glare finish, or the C1150 Emerger with a subtle curve and wide gap. Core notes the C1150 in larger sizes is also popular as a stinger hook on tube flies and articulated swinging patterns.
Nymph and wet fly hooks
Action: Match the curve to the bug. The Core C1120 Curved Nymph & Scud Hooks are heavy-wire bronze in sizes 6 through 24 for scuds, sowbugs, and caddis larvae, while the C1270 Curved Nymph has a longer continuous curve for Stimulators, long-bodied nymphs, and cranefly larvae. The C1730 is the stonefly shape with the curve at the thorax.
Action: For straight shanks, the C1710 is the general nymph hook, the C1560 is a 2X to 3X long heavy-wire hook for stonefly and dragonfly nymphs, and the two wet fly hooks split by wire: the C1530 Wet Short has a shorter shank and heavier wire, and the C1550 Wet is slightly lighter and standard length, both bronze with a small barb.
Streamer and saltwater hooks
Best for: Classic featherwing and hairwing streamers, the Core C1720 Streamer Down Eye Hooks in sizes 2 through 16. The C2220 is a stronger-wire streamer hook for Woolly Buggers and Zoo Cougars, the C1280 Perfect Streamer Black is an all-purpose streamer and nymph hook in black nickel, and the C1750 Streamer Straight Eye is the forged, standard-length hook for Clousers and Buggers.
Best for: Big articulated flies and pike, the C2461 Aberdeen up to 6/0. For the salt, the Core C2546 Salt SW Hooks have a saltwater-resistant coating and a classic bend in sizes 8 through 3/0 for crabs, shrimp, gurglers, and small baitfish.
Avoid if: You need a hook for tarpon or offshore work. The C2546 is built for stripers, snook, and bonefish-sized fish; look at a dedicated saltwater hook brand for big game.
Why Trident Carries Core
Core is Hareline's hook line, built on Ahrex wire, and it fills the gap between bargain hooks and premium brands. The size runs are wide (many go from 6 down to 24), and the chemically sharpened points and small barbs tie and fish like hooks that cost more.
Materials & Durability
- Ahrex wire, Hareline distribution: Core hooks use wire from the Scandinavian hook maker Ahrex, which is why the points and temper feel like a premium hook at a mid-range price.
- Bronze vs. black nickel: Most Core hooks are bronze, fine in freshwater but prone to rust if stored wet. The black models (C1167, C1190, C1280, C2461, C4647) cut glare, and the C2546 Salt has a saltwater-resistant coating.
- Small barbs: Core's small barb pinches down to barbless in a second with flat pliers, so one pack covers regulated water.
- Heavy wire sinks: The C1120 scud hook and C1560 long nymph hook add sink without extra weight.
Complete Your Setup
Related Gear
- Fly Tying Hooks - Compare Core with Ahrex, Tiemco, Daiichi, and other brands by shape and price.
- Hareline Fly Tying Materials - Dubbing, hackle, and synthetics from the company behind Core.
- Fly Tying Beads, Cones & Eyes - Beads for the C1710 and C4647 and coneheads for the C2220.
- Fly Tying Thread, Tinsel & Wire - Thread and ribbing to finish every pattern on this page.
Related Guides
- How to Tie the 20 Incher Stonefly Nymph Pattern
- How to Tie the Parachute Adams Fly
- How to Tie the Pheasant Tail Fly
- How to Tie a Zonker Streamer Fly
- How to Tie an Elk Hair Caddis Dry Fly
Core Hooks FAQs
Q: Who makes Core hooks?
A: Core is Hareline Dubbin's hook line. The hooks are built on Ahrex wire and sold through fly shops like Trident, since Hareline does not sell to the public.
Q: Are Core hooks good quality for the price?
A: Yes. The chemically sharpened points, small barbs, and Ahrex wire put them close to premium hooks in feel, while most models sit.
Q: Which Core hook is best for a Parachute Adams?
A: The C1100 Dry Fly Down Eye is the classic choice. The C1167 Parachute Dry Black has a curved shank and black finish if you want the body to sit lower in the film.
Q: What is the difference between the Core C1530 and C1550 wet fly hooks?
A: The C1530 Wet Short has a shorter shank and heavier wire, while the C1550 Wet is standard length with slightly lighter wire. Both are bronze with a small barb and run to size 20.
Q: Are Core hooks barbless?
A: The C4647 Jig Hook is barbless. The rest of the line uses a small barb that pinches down easily when you need to fish barbless.
Q: Can I use Core hooks in saltwater?
A: The C2546 Salt SW has a saltwater-resistant coating for stripers, snook, bonefish, and similar inshore fish. The bronze freshwater models will corrode in salt, so stick with the C2546 or a dedicated saltwater hook.
Core Warranty & Resources
Core hooks are consumables and Hareline does not publish a hook warranty. Hareline sells only through dealers, so if a pack from Trident arrives short, bent, or with dull points, contact us directly and we will replace it. Hareline's catalog site lists the full Core range, and Ahrex's resources page is useful for comparing hook shapes across brands.
Learn More from Core
- Core Hooks at Hareline - Every Core model in Hareline's product catalog.
- About Hareline - Who Hareline is and how their dealer-only catalog works.
- Ahrex Hooks - The Scandinavian hook maker whose wire Core hooks are built on.
- Ahrex Resources - Spec sheets and a cross-brand hook comparison chart.