The Gorge Hook is a highly effective and simple to make primitive fishing tool… In this episode I demonstrate how to make, bait, and use the gorge hook in an actual fishing situation. This tool is among the simplest of the primitive fishing hooks. It is in essence a straight bodied device tapering down to points on each end with a groove notched in the center to accommodate the attachment of line or natural cordage.
Gorge (or toggle) hooks were historically created from wood or bone, and work based on the following principle: Bait is threaded on the hook in such a way as to keep the hook running parallel with the line. When a fish engulfs the bait, the hook comes free from the bait, turns sideways, and then lodges in the fishes throat. The primary difficulty with this style of primitive fishing hook is matching the size of the hook to the approximate size category of the fish that you are most likely to encounter. The smallest of these hooks should ideally be made from bone so that they don’t break due to their smaller size.
