Three popular ways are used to hook anchovies. The most popular is the nose hook. The hook is inserted from the bottom of the jaw up through a point mid way between the eye and the tip of the nose. The main objective is to keep the penetration towards the tip of the nose. Insertion near the eye will immediately kill the bait.
Collar hooking the anchovy is the most effective way for fly line presentation.
The bait is more active and swims with a less restricted attitude than the nose hooked bait. Sinkers can cause the collar hooked bait to pull sideways in an unnatural way and the same occurs when you try to pump the bait. But finicky bonita, bass and yellowtail really prefer the fly line method. Tail hooking the anchovy is the least desirable method. There isn t anywhere to place the hook for stability and many times it s thrown off during the cast.