whats the best hook for texas rigs plastics,flukes,etc? i have some bps xps that are working fine but im almost out and was wondering what do u guys use? ive been reading that the gamakatsu bend or break easy. are the Owner hooks worth checking out? or Mustad?

Eagle Claw All The Way!!

here are the ones I've been using and they work great http://www.***.com/Eagle_Claw_Lazer_Sharp_Southern_Sproat_Worm_Hook_8pk/descpage-ECLSPR.html  , size depends on the size of your soft plastic 

There are several quality choices.

 

Owner, Gamakatsu, Lazor Trokar, VMC, Moaner and Mustad all make nice hooks.

 

The type / model you chose is dependent on several things including your tackle, fishing conditions and size of your bait.

 

Provide that info here and you'll surely get some very specific responses.

 

A-Jay

3/0 offset worm Gamakatsu for me

First: GO USA!!! (watching match)

 

I like Gamakatsu brand best. But I haven't tried them all so cannot comment on all.

 

Brands I like: Gammy, BPS XPS, Daiichi, others...

 

Things I like, for instance, with Gammy hooks is the eye is 99.9% of the time free of sharp or "non-smooth" parts which rub against a snell knot's pass through. I've tied snells and when tightening it down the line simply snaps.

 

I recently bought some Daiichi and some of the hooks have bad eyes. Fine for a clinch or palomar, but not a snell.

 

This may mean nothing to you, but it's just what I've found to be the case.

 

BPS XPS hooks are good, but I find they can go dull and need to be sharpened. Can't beat them for the price in the 25 packs, though.

For Flukes I use 3/0 EWG Gami's. For other soft plastic applications I will use 2/0-3/0 EWG's depending on the size of the bait. Gami's have been the most reliable hook i have used over the years. There are plenty of good hooks out there. Over time you will find a hook a brand that you will gravitate to. 

I use Owner Twistlock hooks for a lot of applications, if not those then I use Gamakatsu and Lazer Trokar almost exclusively. I have confidence in these and feel the craftsmanship is up to par.

I like gamakatsu always sharp long lasting and reliable I do use owner ultra head shakey though

Lazer trokar all the way. The slightest hook set and the hook goes all the way through the mouth

My favorite are Gamakatsu.

Depending on the size of the worm , I have used Gamakatsu 2/0 ~ 5/0 EWG because they were very easy to rig straight and then skin hooked texposed on top.

 

I have since been in the process of switching to Gamakatsu offset round bend worm hooks as this hook acts more like a keel on a worm and the hook ups tend to be better on a worm due to the hook point being higher than the hook eye . The only down side is that rigging the worm straight is slightly more difficult as you have to measure where the hook point goes in the worm more precisely and the hook point stays embedded in the worm .

Owner hands down, either cutting or needlepoint

Gamakatsu Ewg worm hook for sure. Every once in a while I will fish a worm on a Trokar TK190 and love it. The TK190's are best for creatures or tubes though.

1/0-5/0 (depending on worm)  Offset shank round bends for me in Gamakatsu, Owner, or VMC.  I don't care much which brand I use but have biggest stock in Gamakatsu right now.  I have turned more than one point on the Gamakatsu though.  I consider them more fragile in that than others I've used but they penetrate awesome when new.

The Academy's in my area have the Matzuo Xtra Wide Gap Sickle worm hooks in several sizes - 25 pack for $2.99. I have not been disappointed with the performance.

Lazer Trokar when they are on sale at Academy.

I have Gamakatsu, Owner, Mustad, VMC and even some old Tru-Turns. The Gama's are my favorite!

Been enjoying my xpoint hooks, on par with anything else I guess.

 

Tru turn hooks have a pretty unique idea, seems to work well.  Could be a touch sharper though.

Like A-jay said, depends on application. Sometimes I want the hook that bends and that's not always a bad thing. Having said that I'm leaning towards twist lock type of hooks because the plastic last longer.

Owner is my favorite brand hands down and the one I'd recommend first. Having said that, I feel just as confident when using Gamakatsu. As someone else already mentioned I too use Owner's TwistLOCK hooks for a wide variety of plastics and presentations. Owner just has a wider variety of hooks that I personally enjoy using so they are usually my go to brand but I've never been let down by Gamakatsu. I'd feel 100% confident using either brand.

 

Mustad makes some pretty good hooks as well, I just prefer the other two.   

Owner, Gamakatsu, VMC, Mustad for me, in that order. 

 

I like worm hooks for senkos and flukes, then EWG for about everything else. 

thanks for the feedback. think ill see if TW has a 4th of july sale and pick up some Owner and Gamis

Before I got on this forum, I thought there were worm hooks and wide gap hooks -- and that all the brand differences were a matter of small degrees.  Now, I get on the water and even though I have probably 40 or 50 different hooks, I still find that I don't have what I think I need that day.  It's crazy.   I never paid much attention to the bends, whether the eye was straight or 90.....if weighted, how the weight was shaped....degrees in sharpness....my mind gets to spinning.  I used to think that there there were decent hooks and hooks that rusted.  It's a rare evening coming off the water that I'm not searching TW for some different hook I hadn't known I needed.    While I am (still) extraordinarily cheap, I do buy better hooks now than I used to -- I have no doubt that I have fewer fish getting unbuttoned since I started paying more attention to using sharp hooks.  And, I've been unable to sharpen a cheaper hook to anywhere near as sharp as a better hook. 

Started with Owner now prefer Gamakatsu both are quality hooks.