O. Mustad & Søn A.S. presents what is described as the most revolutionary concept in the fish hook business since the invention of the fully automatic hook machine in 1877.

In the beginning ... In the early Stone Age, mankind learnt to craft fish hooks from bone. The next development was to use metal in order to make sharper and better hooks. In the 15th century English, Scotish and Irish craftsmen had mastered the art of making fish hooks from good-quality steel, which secured a leading position in the business for quite a long time. Then something happened in Gjövik, Norway, in 1877: Mathias Topp, a local technical genius employed by O.Mustad & Søn A.S, invented the first fully automatic hook machine. Since that time Mustad has defended the position as the world's largest fish hook manufacturer, now selling its products in about 150 countries.

These days, Mustad is launching a totally new series of fly-hooks, which has already received remarkable acclaim from the international fly fishing community: the Mustad Signature Series.

New terminology and nomenclature
The Mustad Alpha Code system, for the first time introduced with the Signature Series, is a concept that represents a totally new way of characterising and classifying fish hooks.

Previously, there has been no standard for classifying different fly hooks with regard to gap, length, wire diameter and bend. Terms such as 2 extra long or 2 extra heavy have only had a meaning when talking about one and the same hook pattern. There has never been a logical system across different hook patterns for knowing what is "the standard" shank length, wire diameter, etc. The introduction of the Alpha Code HookSelect system, developed by Geir Sivertzen at Mustad, has solved this problem. In co-operation with some of the best fly tiers in the world, Sivertzen has come up with a simple system that makes sense.

Optimal technical design and quality
New terminology alone is not enough to have success with a product. But, if you can offer hooks that are considerably sharper and stronger than before, with all the patterns fly tiers and fly fishers can dream about, the chances of success should be quite good.

Packaging and graphical design
Functional and unbreakable plastic boxes offer several advantages: · the rounded bottom makes it very easy to pick up individual hooks from the box · the boxes can be linked together, which allows you to create your own system for keeping your selection of different hooks and sizes in order (or whatever else you should choose to use the boxes for later on)

Internet support material
The Signature Series is backed up with presentations and in-depth information on the Mustad website: www.mustad.no/signature. Among other things, we have made an interactive chart explaining the structure and the Alpha Code HookSelect system. In the time to come, we will update the site with more technical information, fly-tying recipes, fishing tips and fishing action from all over the world.