Coley,
Thanks for the info on the finesse hooks. They seem to be llighter wire. Any issues with them bending out?
I've used Gami's for ever and they work fine, just looking for other options. I'm using these mainly in the salt and leave the loop long enough to swap out the hook if it gets dinged.

With the Gami Octopus having the more upturned eye, it seems ride a bit more point up then point straight ahead when on the loop.
I was hoping to find a hook that offered a slightly wider gap with a less upturned eye to give a more straight presentation when stripped in.
I think I'll buy a few packs of different hook designs and see what works best.

Salmo,
No loop knots for me. I rig the stingers as you described.