Caddis · Sizes #6-22
The Mustad C49SAP is a barbed caddis hook available in sizes #6-22. It's built around its shank profile, paired with standard wire — a balance of strength and weight that works across most freshwater applications. Tyers reach for it most often when working on general purpose. 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.
Wire strength (Std.). It's made from standard wire — a balance of strength and weight that works across most freshwater applications.
Bend and gape (Wide). The C49SAP uses a wide gape, improving hook-up rates and leaving clearance for a bulkier dressed body.
Eye type (Straight). It's finished with a straight (ring) eye, the most versatile option — it keeps the fly tracking in line with the leader, which suits nymphs and streamers.
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 C49SAP runs from size 6 through 22. The smaller end of the range (down to size 22) covers midge and small mayfly work, where fine tying thread and sparse dressings matter more than bulk. 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 Mustad C49SAP is out of stock, the closest match in the database is the Mustad C49XSAP. 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.
Log every hook, material and pattern on your bench — free on the App Store.
Download FreeThe Mustad C49SAP is a caddis hook used for General Purpose. It's available in sizes #6-22 with a 1XS Curved shank and Std. wire.
The closest equivalents are: Mustad C49XSAP, Ahrex PR 380, Daiichi 3847, Fulling Mill FM-6060 Black, Fulling Mill FM-6080. These match on the specifications that matter most — shank length (1XS Curved), wire strength (Std.) and bend (Wide).
The Mustad C49SAP 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 #6-22.
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