I use the regular wide gap Gamakatsu and Owner hooks but I've seen alot of people recently using Straight shank hooks, whats better for flipping?

I use the regular wide gap Gamakatsu and Owner hooks but I've seen alot of people recently using Straight shank hooks, whats better for flipping?

I like straight shanks but if it works and you like it... Why change? Best is always subjective... Straight Shank results in better hooksets for most people.

Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Flippin' Hook is decent for the money.

Trokar Flippin' hook is awesome. The only hook they make that I really like but its expensive.

Paycheck and Mustad both make good ones as well.

I still like the Mustad Denny Brauer. I've used the Trokar and Owner as well. Straight shank, J bend- allows for more leverage on the set to drive it home, or so we're told.

The design with the heat shrinking tube keeps beavers on the shank of the hook very well too.  I like the angle of the hook when hooked in a plastic, it's pointing almost straight up ready to penetrate.

If you find a heavy wire straight shank hook without the Heat Shrink Barb, it's very simple to make your own.

I use Owner and Gamakatsu flippin hooks. But if I run out I use a wide gap. I think the flipping hooks allow for a smaller profile so you can get the baits through heavy cover. I haven't noticed a huge difference in hook up ratio.

Does anyone find gut hooking more of a problem with straight shanks hooks more than wide gap?

I always flipped with EWG Superline Gamakatsu hooks, I never really had a problem with hook sets, slipping the bait into the thickest cover, or any of the other things "they" say I was missing by not flipping with a straight shank hook. So last year I flipped with a straight shank Trokar flipping hook. No difference in anything for me, no matter which way I rigged it. I tied diect, I snelled, I had pegged, and unpegged weights, I tried everything to justify in my mind the need for those hooks, I just couldn't come up with one. The only thing.......ONLY THING.......they did different, was hold the bait in place better with that big plastic barb, which led to maybe a fish of two more out af a beaver. But by the end of the season I was back to the EWG Superlines. I will probably try them again, this time the Gamakatsu's and at least have them as an option "in case" Part of the reason I didn't think too highly of the ones I used were because they were $10 Trokars, that didn't perform any better than $4 Gamakatsu's or Mustads.

I use big old salmon bait hooks, 5/0 Owner SSW or 6/0 Gamagatsu Octopus, with a heat shrink bait holder.  They are relatively cheap, and easy to find.  No issues with gut hooking.