Gamakatsu Hooks 2024

roadwarrior reply :

Wait a minute...This isn't a "What's Your Favorite Hook?" thread.

I fish Owner, XPoint, VMC, Mustad and Gammies. The question

is, "Have you had issues with Gamakatsu?" Tin was bashing them

on another thread and it got me wondering if others have had

problems with this brand of hooks?

I have been fishing Gamakatsu worm hooks for more than a decade;

their Octopus Circle Hooks for 6 or 7 years. I have never found

a bad point, broken or bent a hook on a fish or had any other

problem with their hooks. Some of the other brands I fish may

be negligibly sharper or have a unique design, but Gammies are

sticky sharp. I rate them a dead solid 10.

So, issues?

8-)

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

I dont have any issues with the single hooks.

I prefer Owner trebles though.

KYntucky Warmouth reply :

I have bent a few of the Light Wire Gammies but between 15lb P-line CXX and still rooted trees, something had to give.

Bigbub reply :

No problem with the gammies for me. I use them for my plastics fishing.

Grey Wolf reply :

Their good enough for me , never had any issue with them.

dave reply :

Been good to me. At a good price.

J Francho reply :

They seem to do a good job with their smaller, finesse hooks, like the Wide Gap Finesse and Split Shot/Drop Shot hooks. The bigger worm hooks are terrible. I bend them, break them, and frequently have the point roll over in cover. The trebles are a no-no with most baits due to the eye to hook alignment. One hook should be perpendicular to the hook eye.

Skinnyh2ofishin reply :

I've had a few EWG's bent out of shape by smaller fish than I thought should have bent them, but I never lost any of those fish due to the hook straightening. Plus, against my better judgment I've continued using many of those hooks after a quick rebend back into shape, and haven't had a single one break or lose a fish due to straightening after being fixed.

Like you, RW, I use a myriad of hook brands and have been happy with all the big/well known companies. I'm still quite confident in my gammie's and have never felt they weren't doing what I needed them to do...catch fish!

K_Mac reply :

I've used them for years and never had a problem.

Shimmer reply :

I like my gammies, I've tried a few other brands. Some rusted, some were slightly bent after a fish etc. They are my choice of hooks for sure.

Catt reply :

While I don't use Gamakatsu I have personally witnessed on several occasions the point breaking completely off; something I attributed to the bend radius being to tight and something Gamakatsu has corrected.

Daniel My Brother reply :

I fish 40+ times a year. Before I joined this website I used Eagle Claw worm hooks and never gave them a second thought.

But Gammys got good reviews here, so for a few pennies more I made the switch.

Now I read more positive reviews about Owner hooks than Gamakatsu, so when my supply dwindles I'll try the Owner hooks.

I have bent the lighter wire Gammys, just like I've bent the lighter wire Eagle Claws. I've never bent a Gammy Superline hook. I've only rolled one hook point on a Gammy, that I can remember.

I like Gamakatsu hooks just fine, but I don't know that I catch more fish now than I did with Eagle Claws. Maybe I'll notice a bigger difference with Owner.

Al Wolbach reply :

I have rolled the point on several and straightened several but none on fish. However I have landed some heavy limbs, trees and other objects. No complaints here...........Al

I.rar reply :

never had any issues with any of the gammys ive had. ive got into fishing (seriously) maybe a 2-3 years ago and have been using gammys for the most part. ive set hooks on trees and who knows what else and ive never bent or broke one.

with the difference in price between owners and the gammys , ill stick with the gammys untill i see something myself that will make me switch.

Bassin_Fin@tic reply :

I frequently have the points roll on the Gam EWG hooks of all sizes. The 1/0 and 2/0 I use will bend out quite easily too. I am also using braid though. I still prefer them to mustad or eagle claws.Owners would be my favorite though.

Bantam1 reply :

I find that Gammy hooks are super sharp but the point does roll. I have bent a few in my time as well, but I have bent Owner 2/0 2X trebles too. Its metal and it can bend if not properly tempered. It also depends on the wire they use for that certain batch.

From what I have learned is that all the Japanese hook manufacturers get their wire from the same suppliers. I was also told that all the manufacturers are pretty much in the same area of Japan. This could be wrong, but it makes sense. Just like Detroit and car manufacturing. The wire supplier could be running the metal through the mandrels too fast/slow which will create softer or harder wire. The result is a hook that can bend too easy or break with little pressure.

I find myself using Mustad and Owner along with Gamakatsu. Each manufacturer makes slightly different hook designs that work for certain lures/situations. This is why I am not loyal to any one brand. I find what works best for me and then stick with it.

SPAZ reply :

I've never had any issues with Gama hooks. I'm sure Owner's are better but they cost more and since I've never had issues with Gama which happen to be readily available by my why switch?

Glenn reply :

Better be careful in what you post RW, or you'll be accused of promoting Gamakatsu! ;D ;D Oh wait, they're not a sponsor here, are they? So....then you're talking about a non-sponsor product? GADS!!! Then maybe....maybe you're being, umm..... honest! Funny how that works.

All joking aside. I've been using Gammys for, wow, nearly 2 decades now without any major issues. Yes, the lighter diamer hooks eventually bend out over time, but every light-wire hook I know about does.

Well, there I do again with my .02. Apologies if anyone thinks I'm doing it for $$. :

Stringjam reply :

Faulting a light-wire hook for bending is like complaining about having diarrhea after eating at Waffle House. It is what it is.

I've never had problems with Gamakatsu hooks. I use Mustad Ultra-Locks simply because their design holds up soft plastics so well, but I used the Gama Superline worm hooks for years with no problems.

Lately I've been using the Gama EWG Trebles on my cranks and am supremely pleased with the result. So much so that I believe I prefer them over the Owner Stingers (which are a of benchmark of sorts among crank enthusiasts).

D4u2s0t reply :

I use mostly ewg 3/0's for my plastics, and have never had one break, bend, or do anything else that prevented me from using it.

Jake. reply :

I switched to Owner because the points on Gamakatsus bent too often. I don't have a problem paying an extra two quarters for a pack of hooks that last longer.

Chaz Hickcox reply :

I bent a small Gamakatsu 1/0 Octopus hook on a bowfin while fishing with live bait. The bowfin was about 4-5 pounds and I was using 30# braid. I wouldn't consider this bad though. I had an 8lb bowfin destroy a Strike King Tri-Wing buzzbait too. Those buzzbaits are tough as nails, and bowfin are some strong fish.

VolFan reply :

If you leave a hook in a salty plastic too long, the salt will eventually degrade the hook. Also happens with moisture in your box rusting them ever so slightly. With the strength of some of the braid people are using lately, bending a hook doesn't really sway me at all. Bent points can happen, mine are usually from setting the hook on a rock. I don't don't really believe I've lost a fish from a "faulty" hook of any brand. Now me keeping them sharp? That's another matter.

Chaz Hickcox reply :

Hey Roadwarrior and Glenn - I never said you weren't being honest. I have a friend that manufactures AK47's (LEGALLY WITH AN FFL). His may not be the best, I have one, it works, and I recommend it to everyone I know. I'm not being decietful when doing that, but I definitely am being biast. It's human nature. Keep on keepin on guys. Regardless of anything y'all have a great site, and I wouldn't keep comin back if you didn't.

Pantera61 reply :

Gammy is good hook

-nick- reply :

I only use gamakatsu hooks for plastics but when i got some trebles to change out with some cheap stock ones, they started bending. Definitely won't be buying any more gammy trebles but will stick with their single hooks for sure.

-nick- reply :

Quote
Better be careful in what you post RW, or you'll be accused of promoting Gamakatsu! ;D ;D Oh wait, they're not a sponsor here, are they? So....then you're talking about a non-sponsor product? GADS!!! Then maybe....maybe you're being, umm..... honest! Funny how that works.
All joking aside. I've been using Gammys for, wow, nearly 2 decades now without any major issues. Yes, the lighter diamer hooks eventually bend out over time, but every light-wire hook I know about does.

Well, there I do again with my .02. Apologies if anyone thinks I'm doing it for $$. :

It's ok you don't have to be sneaky. We all understand how under-the-table sponsorships work! ;D hhaha

roadwarrior reply :

There is nothing "under the table". We get some samples.

Some I like, some I don't. If I have positive comments I will

post them, otherwise not. If you join us at the Road Trip, you

too will get a $100+ goodie bag. Some of the stuff you will like

and the rest you can give away or throw away.

On top of all that, our sponsors give a lot more away in the raffle.

Back on topic, I appreciate all the responses to this thread.

8-)

-nick- reply :

Quote
There is nothing "under the table". We get some samples.
Some I like, some I don't. If I have positive comments I will

post them, otherwise not. If you join us at the Road Trip, you

too will get a $100+ goodie bag. Some of the stuff you will like

and the rest you can give away or throw away.

On top of all that, our sponsors give a lot more away in the raffle.

Back on topic, I appreciate all the responses to this thread.

8-)

No no i wasn't being serious I was just joking. Can't tell from the internet but it seemed like from your response you thought i was being serious.

MALTESE FALCON reply :

I use Gamakatsu hooks exclusively for one reason.................they've NEVER failed me.

Falcon

Tin reply :

Their drop-shot hooks are the best finesse hooks on the market. But their EWG's and Superline's just cannot be used with braid from my experiences. They just cannot compare to Owner.

senko_77 reply :

I'm a huge fan of Gamakatsu and always have been. I was ecstatic when they came to me offering a sponsorship because I was such a huge fan. This reply has nothing to do with my relationship with them, just my experience.

Like Tin said, Gamakatsu has the best finesse/drop shot hook on the market. Their Weedless Finesse Wide Gap hook is also nasty on a wacky rig.

Now for the issue of the EWG and Superline EWG with braid here is what I have seen. I for one have only bent out the normal EWG a couple times and that was with 65lb braid. No matter what company you use, if your not using a Superline or 2x, 3x, 4x hook, it's going to bend on some cases. I have never bent the Superline hooks.

I also worked in North Carolina as a guide this entire Summer. We have all of our clients throw braided line and Gamakatsu EWG and straight shanked worm hooks. We easily landed 100 fish 5lbs or better most of which came from some pretty nasty cover. Not one hook ever bent, rolled, dulled, or broke. The only bending that ever happened was when they set the hook into a log.

As for Gamakatsu trebles, I use them on all my baits, but I don't do enough cranking to give an honest opinion on which company does better. I just use the Gammies because I have a good number of them. From what I have heard, Owner definitely has the upper hand in this department.

This is just what I've experienced and like I said, my opinion has nothing to do with my relationship with Gamakatsu. I don't get sponsored by companies I don't believe in 100%.

SimonSays reply :

I bought a HUGE lot of gammy superlines about 3 years ago 2/0 - 5/0, I've never had one bend or roll.

Chris W reply :

I had issues last year with the Ewg's bending badly and breaking on a few of the lighter wire hooks. The lighter wire hooks I would expect to bend but when they started breaking I switched brands. Never had an issue with them in the 15+ years of using until last year.

cart7t reply :

No issues here.

TheHammer84 reply :

I've used them for about 3 years now without a single issue.

chubaka reply :

No issues for me so far.

Hammer 4 reply :

Points roll on the lightwire worm hooks, otherwise no problems. I must say that I did start buyin Owners and so far so good. Is it me, or do the owners seem to be pointer/sharper..?

ww2farmer reply :

100% Gamakatsu for me. Nothing against Owner or Mustad, just like Gamakatsu's better, mainly a confidence thing. I know my hooks are sharp, strong, and won't fail, why mess with it? And as an added bonus if I ever run out of something a quick trip to Wal-Mart is all I need to do to find a Gamakatsu product.

The Guy reply :

I had a point break off the rear Gamakatsu treble break on my spro dawg the other day when I caught a 4lber. It was a new lure and only the second fish on it. It may have been an isolated incident though.

rondef reply :

I like both the Gamakatsu and Owner hooks.

Randall reply :

I have lost way too many fish on them in the past due to the hook bending out with the larger trebles and EWG types. I use Owners for those types of hooks. Owners are stronger and take less pressure to penatrate. If tips rolling over etc. are a big issue or problem where and how I am fishing I will sometimes use a Mustad Ultrapoint but not very often.

looking4structure reply :

I've used them for 3 years or so and love them.I haven't had any problems with them bending or tip rolling over(I use mono only).My favorites are the G-Lock and the wide gap finesse for my wacky rig.I haven't tried the trebles for replacing hooks on cranks.I use Mustad triple grips for that.All in all Gammys are hard to beat and reasonably priced.

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Gamakatsu Hooks 2024

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