fish hook heartbreaker

[larson1951]

digger brought this hook over
he found this and the chert point this morning
i think the little point has been re-sharpened

 

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[PrimitiveOne]

Cool finds-That is a huge hook--I always try to find the reality in the items used by paleo folks-It just occurred to me that a hook of that size would not be used with bait on it, but thown out in the water with a weight on it and used to snag a fish. Maybe even some of the smaller cheerio looking rocks would be slid partially down the shaft of the hook and throwing line attached. That way the hook would be weighted like modern day snag hooks.then JMO

 

[SOHIO]

woulda been sweet esp due to its size cool lookin point

 

[Harry Pristis]

digger brought this hook over
he found this and the chert point this morning
i think the little point has been re-sharpened

These are both fascinating pieces. I assume that this bone piece is the shank of the hook, the scribed area at the end being for securing a cord.

If that's the case, the hook does not seem huge and certainly would not be an adequate snag hook. My question is about the missing part of the hook. Is it a compound hook with the business part missing? . . . Or, is it a simple hook, just broken?

Here are a couple of fishhooks from Florida rivers for size comparison:

​

 

[PrimitiveOne]

They look metal and really heavy! I have never tried to use hooks that large for fishing and would love to see anyone catch a fish on something that large. The hooks they use for gators are that size and are made of stainless steel. I live inland a deal with much smaller type fish...But I have seen hooks like that found in fresh water areas inland from any ocean and find it hard to believe that a fresh waterfish could get it down its gullet. The mechanics of it seem all wrong.

 

[Hot zone]

I wouldn't let the size bother me. Cat fish have been caught in the mouth with a hay hook and half a possum for bate.

 

[Hot zone]

I wouldn't let the size bother me. Cat fish have been caught in the mouth with a hay hook and half a possum for bait.

 

[larson1951]

thank you everyone for the opinions and complements,
to primitive one, i am a fisherman, and very knowledgeable one(don't mean to be smart) so i know what you mean about snagging a fish
in the dakota's people snag paddlefish in the spring spawn , and they approach 100 lbs or better
in the fall salmon are snagged in the salmon snagging season, which is when they spawn
the hook you posted is the same ones used here today
as far as the indians, these hooks were not that big, especially when used to catch catfish weighing from two pounds up to 30-50 lbs or better
but the hooks were baited and laid on the bottom and were swallowed which is why they worked (with the corresponding weights keeping them on the bottom) i don't think they would have worked for snagging however
the bone hooks would only work if they were swallowed all the way down to the stomach
i hope this helps explain how the fishing on the missouri river used to be hundreds or thousands of years ago, not just for catfish but many other species i could name
like a freshwater drum(sheephead) which was prized for the pearls in it's head, which we find from time to time at this site

 

[SOHIO]

like a freshwater drum(sheephead) which was prized for the pearls in it's head, which we find from time to time at this site

cool

 

[Hot zone]

The catfish I saw, that was caught on a hay hook was almost as big as the boy who was pictured with it. In the 80s a guy of about 50 showed me the picture of himself when he was about 12 that would have put it the 1940s. He was a tall kid of 6 ft. and some old timers convinced him to stap a hay hook that had been extended in length to his wrist. The two men held straps tied to his ancles as he reached into an Eddie of the missouri where he caught a record cat. He referred to the procedure as "Cat'n Eddie hay hook!" I believe it had been a state record, but the officials had no idea of the method used to catch it. I would agree that snagging was a real possibility for the broken hook. Salmon are not hungry when ready to spawn and are more easily speared,snagged, netted and clubbed.

 

[11KBP]

thank you everyone for the opinions and complements,

as far as the indians, these hooks were not that big, especially when used to catch catfish weighing from two pounds up to 30-50 lbs or better
but the hooks were baited and laid on the bottom and were swallowed which is why they worked (with the corresponding weights keeping them on the bottom)

Precisely

11KBP

 

[larson1951]

yup harry,
it is just a regular hook with the end broke off
i like those hooks you posted here
thanks 11kbp

 

[old digger]

Cool finds ''digger'' thanks for sharing Steve. That small point could have been used for small game (birds or rabbit), and it's too bad the hook is not all there. Still worth the hunt.

 

[PrimitiveOne]

Thanks for the schoolin'-that's why I love this site, I learn something new every day. For some reason catfish didn't even cross my mind and I fish for them all the time. Also I guess when you need to survive you wouldn't have to reel it it just get it close and beat the snot out of it or spear it.

 

[steve71]

nice little point and a barb from a hardhead or catfish i dont think it was a hook but maybe a bone needle. snagging paddlefish during peter paddle fish days i did long ago