Fish hook designs, shapes, and materials are all variable depending on the intended purpose of the fish hook. Fish hooks are manufactured for a range of purposes from general fishing to extremely limited and specialized applications. Fish hooks are designed to hold various types of artificial, processed, dead or live baits (bait fishing); to act as the foundation for artificial representations of fish prey (fly fishing); or to be attached to or integrated into other devices that represent fish prey (lure fishing). The fish hook or similar device has been made by man for many thousands of years. The world's oldest fish
Dry fly fishing where wet flies and especially nymphs are used. They typically only come to the surface to feed when there is a large bug hatch during which thousands of aquatic insects grow wings and leave the water to mate and lay eggs. Particularly during the summer months and on smaller mountain streams, trout also often feed on terrestrial insects such as ants, beetles and grasshoppers when they fall onto the water surface. It is on these surface-feeding occasions that the dry fly can be an effective lure. At certain times, Salmon will also rise to a fly on the surface and