Daiichi 1718

The Daiichi 1718 is a barbless nymphs hook available in sizes #10. It's built around a shank two sizes longer than standard — the usual choice for longer-bodied insects like stoneflies, hoppers and larger caddis pupae, paired with heavy wire, one step stronger than standard, adding a little sink rate and useful margin when fishing for larger fish. Tyers reach for it most often when working on nymphs, beadheads, subsurface. The sections below break down what each specification actually means at the vice, which patterns suit it, and which hooks from other manufacturers you can substitute when it's out of stock.

Shank length (2XL). This hook has a shank two sizes longer than standard — the usual choice for longer-bodied insects like stoneflies, hoppers and larger caddis pupae.

Wire strength (1XH). It's made from heavy wire, one step stronger than standard, adding a little sink rate and useful margin when fishing for larger fish.

Bend and gape (Round). The 1718 uses a round bend that distributes pressure evenly and holds well.

Eye type (Down). It's finished with a down eye, the traditional choice, which sets a good hooking angle for dry and wet flies fished on a tippet.

Barbless. This hook is barbless from the factory, so it's ready for competition use and catch-and-release waters, and it does noticeably less damage to fish. Keep a steady line tension when playing a fish, as barbless hooks drop out more readily on slack.

What can you tie on a Daiichi 1718?

The Daiichi 1718 is tagged in the Woolly Bug database for nymphs, beadheads, subsurface. Patterns that sit naturally on this hook include Hare's Ear Nymph, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Copper John, Beadhead Hare's Ear, Beadhead Pheasant Tail, Diawl Bach. Because the hook's proportions drive the finished fly's silhouette, it's worth matching the pattern's intended shape to the shank rather than forcing a recipe onto the wrong blank.

What size Daiichi 1718 should you use?

The 1718 runs from size 10 through 10. This is a larger-size range, better suited to attractor patterns, streamers and bigger quarry than to delicate imitative work. If you're buying this hook for the first time, the mid-range sizes see the most use at the vice, and tracking exactly which sizes you own is where an inventory app earns its keep — it's the detail most tyers forget at the fly shop counter.

What can you substitute for the Daiichi 1718?

If the Daiichi 1718 is out of stock, the closest match in the database is the Daiichi 1720. When substituting, the specifications that matter most are gape and shank length — these determine whether the finished fly keeps its intended proportions. Wire strength is the next consideration, since it changes how the fly sits in the water: a heavier wire will sink a pattern that was designed to float. Eye type is usually the most forgiving difference, though switching to or from a jig eye changes how the hook rides entirely.

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