Commonly used for fishing big game sharks, Marlins etc. Mustad 7691 large hooks remain widely used to hunt large Marine predators. Today, it's been manufactured using Stainless Steel (7691S-SS) or with Duratin coating (7691-DT) to resist corrosion. Sizes range from 1-5/0 to 12/0.
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| Size: 10/0 7691-SS |
During the earlier eras (decades ago), smaller sizes of 7691 Southern and Tuna hooks had been manufactured in Mustad's hometown of Gjovik Norway. Smaller sizes such as number 8 is not found in Mustad's recent catalogs. Mustad had most likely ceased manufacturing such sizes, instead they focus productions on large sizes for big game angling/commercial fishing uses.
Brown-stained retail's box of 100 hooks, containing 10 individual packages of 10 hooks in each.
(As indicated on labels)
Left unnoticed in the tackle shop's dusty stockpile for at least 2-3 decades. It was re-discovered & brought back to sales.
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| 9 pieces counted out of a box of '10'. |
Originally white colored cardboard boxes, turned horribly stained due to dusts, moisture & negligence/multiple handling.
Even though the labels indicate 10 hooks in each individual box, 1 or 2 hooks were found missing in each of random few boxes. BEWARE when buying loosely packed fish hooks, count them if you can!
As a result, i'd received 92-93 hooks, when i paid for this box of 100. That roughs up to approximately an individual box's worth of hooks missing.
Fish hooks were traditionally counted by hand, and packaged into folded-up boxes with waxed paper separating products from gaps between folded cardboard. Miscalculations were possible, meanwhile not ruling out hooks disappearing during shipping & period of handling or abandonment through decades. . . (missing hooks not found anywhere in retail sized box).
The tackle shop owner helpfully replaced the missing pieces with a similar 10 pieces/box of size: 10, Qual 7690 Southern and Tuna.
Lets do a comparison between a similarly boxed 7691 & 7690. Both being Southern and Tuna hooks.
Just as the contemporary productions, the old 7691(bottom) was forged, knife edged & braze ringed.
It was Cadmium-plated & tinned before the use of Duratin.
7690 (Top) differs by having a needle eye, in this is a spaded end with hole drilled in the center.
These are remains of some aged MUSTAD products which held reliably strong despite it's small sizes. With good washing using some warm fresh-water, every hook is re-usable multiple times without rusting easily. It is upsetting to learn these toughly built old school's Qual. 7691& 7690 of sizes below 1/0, are incredibly tough to source even from online
. . .
Well, we've got to move along with time.
