Wet Fly · Sizes #2-16
The Kamasan B170 is a barbed wet fly hook available in sizes #2-16. It's built around a standard shank, which matches the proportions of most classic dry fly and nymph recipes — if a pattern doesn't specify a shank length, this is what it assumes, paired with very heavy wire for big fish and fast water, where hook strength is the limiting factor. Tyers reach for it most often when working on spider patterns, soft hackles, wet fly. 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 (Std.). This hook has a standard shank, which matches the proportions of most classic dry fly and nymph recipes — if a pattern doesn't specify a shank length, this is what it assumes.
Wire strength (3XH). It's made from very heavy wire for big fish and fast water, where hook strength is the limiting factor.
Bend and gape (Sproat). The B170 uses a Sproat bend — a classic rounded profile known for strength and reliable holding.
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.
Barbed. This is a barbed hook. Many competition rules and an increasing number of catch-and-release fisheries require barbless, so check local regulations — the barb can be pinched down with flat-jawed pliers before you dress the hook.
The Kamasan B170 is tagged in the Woolly Bug database for spider patterns, soft hackles, wet fly. Patterns that sit naturally on this hook include Snipe and Purple, Waterhen Bloa, Partridge and Orange, Starling and Herl. 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.
The B170 runs from size 2 through 16. The middle of this range covers most everyday trout patterns and is the sensible place to start if you're stocking a single size. 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.
These hooks match closely on the specifications that determine a fly's proportions and behaviour, so they work as substitutes.
If the Kamasan B170 is out of stock, the closest match in the database is the Kamasan B175. 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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Download FreeThe Kamasan B170 is a wet fly hook used for Spider Patterns, Soft Hackles, Wet Fly. It's available in sizes #2-16 with a Std. shank and 3XH wire.
The closest equivalents are: Kamasan B175, Partridge G3A, Partridge G3A/L, Dai-Riki #070. These match on the specifications that matter most — shank length (Std.), wire strength (3XH) and bend (Sproat).
The Kamasan B170 is barbed. Barbed hooks can be pinched down with pliers where barbless is required by competition rules or fishery regulations.
It's available in sizes #2-16.
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