I've caught some pretty large fish on a #10 Owner Mosquito hook. A single Stubby Steves will float with one. I put the hook thru the corner of the pellet to leave a lot of the hook exposed for a better hook set.
If you are worried about breaking or straightening out a hook, get a digital or regular scale that will stay at the highest reading that it sees. Tie the hook that you are planning on using on a heavy line. Pick up a weight with the line attached to the scale by putting a line on the weight with a loop in the end. Put the hook thru the loop and pull up. When the hook bends or breaks, stop and look at the weight that the scale saw. Now when using that hook, adjust your drag accordingly (under the failure weight) or 1/3 the breaking strength of your line, whichever is less.
Go fishing.
I like using that hook because it's very sharp and it has a turned up eye, leaving more room to get the hook a bigger bite on the fish (at least that's what I tell myself).
I can't remember breaking one.
Owner hook at Cabelas
