Thought it would be fun and educational to combine our success with Steelhead hooks to see if there is one brand, color and style that is used more than others. My favorite hooks are Gamakatsu Octopus in Black and Red.

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Tight Lines & Wet Nets!
Scott

I agree, they are even better after a quick sharpening. I never run them without doing it.
Has anyone else noticed when tying 8lb leaders on size 1 & 1/0 gamis , some will not hold a bait loop. They will always break at the hook eye. Must have burs???
Tight lines and sharp hooks to all.
Rivernut

VMC cone-cut straight points in red. Cheaper and not as brittle as Gamakatsu's, however difficult to find.

Gamies are great for everything except drifting. You can't sharpen them. If you don't have the hands to sharpen hook, then use them. But if you have the skill to make hooks sharp, then use the cheap eagle claw, vmc, or mustand.

Like gammies too, but recently bought some Owners cutting point and this are nice hooks too.

I will go for the gammies too, black or gold are my favorite. keep em sharp.

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I use Mustad 92553. Only takes < 10 seconds to sharpen them with a hook hone. The areas I fish tend to be a little snaggy and $0.07/hook is the right price.

Gammies, never had one break and need minimul sharpening. Size 1 & 1/0 red octopus.

It's gammi in red & black,size 4 to 1/0 for
steelhead.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

I,ve seen the light. I used to swear by Gami's now I swear at them. For half the money I've been switched to Daiichi bleeding bait hooks in red ever since last summer. They are a thinner diameter hook but they are just as strong as a Gami and are sharper out of the box.

Hey IHOOKEM where do you find the dihatchi hooks you are talkin about. I would like to try them. thankx

Shawn, Sportco in Fife has them in the single pack but they're priced to high. I buy mine from Hagens (www.hagensfish.com or 1-800-541-4586)out of Mitchell, SD. They run about $14.00 for a size 2 100 pack. I switched last late spring when summer run steelie fishin on the Cowlitz. I had a better hook-up ratio after I switched. On the down side I have bent some when snagged on the bottem, but I have'nt straightend any on fish.

Personnally I like VMC conecut straight point. Color doesn't seem to make much difference for me but I'll take red if I can find it. Gammie's have a great reputation but to me they're too expensive, too thick, and have a curved point. I much prefer a hook with a thin diameter and a straight, knife-like point.


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MSB

Yup, the gammies are the sharpest thing out of the box but they don't straighten out on rocks and don't sharpen as well. I go with the VMC open-eye Siwash on my gear. It has a much wider gap, a longer thinner point, will bend off of rocks, sharpens nicely with a hook file and is magnitudes cheaper. Also, the gammies only come in that hideously bright stainless steel (a problem for summer fish), and the VMC's come in a more subtle bronze color.

VMC Vanadium.... Gammies....
Vision... They are all good hooks.

Quick note on Vision:
The hooks are great, if you get a whole set without any defects. Twice I have purchased small packs that have had several defective hooks (obviously bent, eye that wasn't even half-way closed, etc...)

maybe I was unlucky...

Vision hooks are my best bet they are stronger then gamies and I like the green color inthe winter and the black or red in the summer.

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work is for people who dont know how to fish

Gammies are great hooks, but at an average of $2.49 for a 6 or 8 pack...OUCH!!! For the money (less than 1/2 the price of Gammy), VISION is a helluva good hook. I've been using them for a while now with no problems and they are super sharp too because they are chemically sharpened just like Gammies.

Price no factor, I like the cerise Gammy octopus hook. But price is almost aways a factor, and I agree with Saukit about the Visions. - RT

On our limestone bedrock rivers, you can't beat a mustad 92141. Breaks your heart to use a gammy, make one drift, get a bedrock hookup with the point of your hook, and cut it off. At least the mustads can be sharpened. A $5 hook file goes a long way.

Ive always used Gammy's but there gettin too expensive @ $26.00 per 100. Went to Sportco on the way home and picked up some dihatchi hooks last night. I looked at all the hooks they had even opening a couple packs of Mustads and such and the dihatchi is very, very, very sharp and consistant at half the price of the Gammy's. I tied 20 leaders last night for tomarrow and it was hard to keep them from sticking to my fingers. Ill change now if they stay consistant and hold up well. I tied no.4 dual hook cheater rigs so I dont know how the bigger hooks really are, but if they are as nice as the smaller ones Ill change! And I swore by Gammy!!! But only time will tell Ill give a report on there ability's Monday.

Bob D

When I can find them I like the Mustad 9263 finewire hooks. You do have to sharpen them. I have found that my hook up to land ratio is the best with these hooks. They are strong enough to handle Steelhead, and Silvers. I switch to Gammies for the Bigger fish.

Hmm, don't know why, but I'm all of a suddent a Big Fan of Visison Hooks!

Wait until you see their new jigs! They ROCK!



Parker

Gammies and VMC connecut for me. VMC's have a less sharp hook bend which helps for immediate penetration. Ive also had success with Vision hooks. Hook importance diminishes if you know WHEN to set the hook.lol

- BW

OWNER Cutting Point, DUH!!!!!!

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Gammi man for years and love em but have switched to Vision for price reasons and they seem to have come around and are definently a good hook.They are worth a try guys so buy some and give em a shot..I havent had a chance to use 2/0 and 3/0 but the smaller are working great for me..TM

Ihookum -

I went to hagenfish site and could not find anything about hooks. I would like to know more.

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"Just Say No To Sovereign Nations!"

Owner needle point is also hard to beat, My friend is a sales Rep for Vision and you can't beat the price for the barrel swivels and snap swivels, seem to be the best I have found, But I think the hooks are brittle, The Owner needle point has the same style point as the gammie, And just as sharp, But half the price as the Owner cutting point 1.50 for 10 hooks at Sportco.. have a good one.

Thanks everyone,I am going to head down to
Sportco and pick up some Owners, Daiichi and Vision's to see if my hook up ratio increases. If there is one hook that seems to outperform the other I'll post it for more feedback.


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Tight Lines & Wet Nets!
Scott

I wont go fishing unless I have OWNER hooks.
PERIOD!! If I run out it's time to go home.

Riverswild, CAll the 800 number and they'll send a catalog right to you. Hagens is one of the cheapest I've found not only for hooks but also for swivels, beads, jig makeing supplies, etc. Good luck.

[This message has been edited by Ihookum (edited 03-25-2001).]

I have been a Gammie Guy for years. This season I found some Mustad Knife Point Red Octopus hooks on eBay and I thought they looked good. I bought 2000 of them @.08 each. A good price. Needed a quick touch of the file and had the same shape but a little finer wire, which I thought I liked, as the gammies. Now that the season is winding down I have wished that I would have never done that move. My landing precentage has gone from 75% to around 50%.
All my fishing is with clients and drift fishing only with bait. 2/0 Red...
Just sold the remaining hooks I had left and I am looking into some other brand.
So far Gammies for the first choice. I have never seen the other brands all of you are talking about. Tackle stores in my area pretty well suck. Guess I have to go to the city where the good buys are.
Is there a tackle rep. out there that wants to sell some good hooks? I needem'
fp