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A fish hook or similar device was made by the man many thousands of years ago. The oldest fishhooks in the world (made from the shells of sea snails) were found in Sakitari Cave on Okinawa Island between 22,380 and 22,770 years old. They are older than fishhooks in Jerimala Cave in East Timor, between 23,000 and 16,000 years old and New Ireland in Papua New Guinea between 20,000 and 18,000 years old.

The earliest fishhooks in America, dating from around 11,000 B.P, were recorded on the island of Cedros on the west coast of Mexico. The hooks were made from seashells. Shells are a common fish hook material found in several parts of the world, from time to time comparing the shapes of prehistoric mollusc specimens to determine if they provide information on the migration of humans to America.

An early written reference to a fish hooked can be found with reference to Leviathan in the Book of Job 41:1; Canst thou draw out the Leviathan with a hook? Fishing hooks are made from all kinds of materials including wood, animals and human bones, horn, shells, stone, bronze, iron, and this day. In many cases, hooks are made from multiple materials to take advantage of each material’s strength and positive characteristics. In the 1950s, Norwegians still used juniper wood to make burbot hooks. Quality crochet hooks began to appear in Europe in the 17th century, making hooks a professional task.

The most frequently mentioned parts of a hooked fish are a point, a sharp point that penetrates the mouth or flesh of the fish; the barb, the projection extending backwards from the point that protects the fish from unhooking; the eye, a loop at the end of a hook that connects to a fishing line or baits; bend and shank, the part of the hook that connects the point and eyelet; and the gap, the distance between the tail and the tip. In many cases, hooks are described using these different parts of the hook, such as a wide gape, long shank, or an inverted eyelet.

Contemporary hooks are available in high carbon steel, vanadium alloy steel, or stainless steel, depending on the application. The highest quality fishing hooks are covered with an anti-corrosion surface coating. Corrosion resistance is needed not only when using hooks, especially in saltwater, but also during storage. In addition, coatings are used to add color and aesthetic value to the hook. At a minimum, freshwater hooks are coated with clear lacquer, but the hooks are also plated with gold, nickel, Teflon, tin, and various colors.

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