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Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy
I bought another gaff hook today myself and I have some questions:
What is a 2", 2.5", 3" ... etc.? What are you measuring?
Gaff hooks come as 1, 2, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 .... etc. They also come with longer or shorter shank lengths, and thinner or thicker diameter rod.
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Most guys can't translate aught sizing so I just say the gap distance in inches. Also it seems aught sizes are inconsistent between different brands.
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The hook I bought at Squidco today for $6 says 2/0. It has a 2 1/2" gap between the point of the hook and the shaft. I bought the longer shank for a total length of 7". It looks like the first photo below.
I would also like to know the importance of the bend at the beginning of the hook that determines the angle of the point relative to the wood shaft we are mounting the hook on.
 
The first hook looks like it's about 20-25 degrees out from the shaft. The second hook looks like it's about 45 degrees.
Anyone know if there is a functional difference?
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1st hook mounts outside the shaft and the 2nd one mounts inside. Angle might be bent in a way that it best penetrates the fish in relation to it's position. This is pure speculation of course.
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A few more ideas I've learned from making a few gaffs:
If you want to wrap your handles, #550 paracord from Amazon Prime is $8.59 for 100'
http://www.amazon.com/Paracord-Plane...s=paracord+550
The starting wrap is easy to overlap the tag end. Here's a way to finish off the other tag end with a reverse wrap loop that gets the second tag end about 5 wraps deep:
http://www.ifish.net/board/showthrea...ht=gaff+bamboo
Wrap it tight, push the wraps together, then twist it in the direction of the wrap to cinch it down tight. Saturate the cord with Marine Varnish (better grip) or clear epoxy (stronger but loses texture and looks more like a gel coat)
Personally, I like a simple straight wrap at the hook end, and a half-hitch spiral wrap at the handling end. If the wood is old, gnarly, shapely and/or ornamental, it might look better without the paracord wrap.
Adapting your handle from an old hardwood shovel handle looks great. If it looks too bulky at the hook end, shave it down to a proportion you like. A strong hiking stick with a root ball knob on the end would look cool but it might not fit in a rod holder. I keep my gaff in the first rod holder behind me on my right, so that's a diameter limitation for the knob, club or butt cap end of your design. There are all kinds of strong wood poles from yesteryear available at yard sales that look great and have the patina of age.
Finish with several coats of Marine Varnish. I like McCloskey gloss.
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Those are some good tips. Gaffs are pretty hard to screw up. At the same time it's pretty easy to draw first blood on yourself when building.
