If you could only choose from these two brands of hooks which would you use for Salmon and Steelhead? I'm hoping to settle a little argument with my brother.

Don't know about you guys but a lot of the VMC hooks I have fished, the hook point breaks off real easy. Get a snag it comes off and the tip is broken off to the point where it isn't even worth shapening.

I switched from Gammi to VMC a couple years ago. I like the grey (vanadium?) coated hooks. They sharpen up nice....The Gammis are rust-o-matics compared to VMC. I thought you guys liked the fancy owner and other yuppie hooks. I'm surprised VMC was chosen for this poll.

i don't touch vmc. poor quality and break very easily.

french garbage as far as i'm concerned.

Got the popcorn popping..a couple .nice lounge chair...this should get interesting.



MB

Gammi or Owner.Nuff said.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

I figure this should run 3 pages by morning.

Gammy fan.

I bought one pack of VMC's once and tied up some leaders for trolling silvers.
First time I hooked up that day the hook broke at the bend and I lost my fish.
Bubbye VMC. Threw the rest of those rigs out.


Does that make your point to your bro?

Red Gamakatsu (Barbless) Baby!!!

VMC alway's, never had a problem with them.

Looking at the poll most everybody here are gammy fan's.

Owner, Owner, and Owner. The biggest difference between Owner, Gamakatsu and VMC is simple. VMC is not worth the metal they are made from. Owner and Gami both chemicaly sharpened but owner will temper the hook after it is sharpened. Cant straighten them out! The cutting point has problems with the point breaking off below the barb. I think this it because the steel is thin at that point due to shaping the point. I only use the super needle points. I never carry a hook sharpener with me either. I'd rather tie a new hook on. throw away the old one.

Slab likes the VMC but uses the TDR rods too....He did win the Sekiu derby this year though....So he isn't totally stupid.

I like the Gamakatsu hooks and change them enough they don't rust for me. Once they're dull though forget sharpening.....I bought some VMC hooks that I think were 6/0 and I used them for tying up hootchies....got my biggest Chinook ever on those hooks and they didn't break of bend.

Seems like this BB tends to support the "flash" products as part of the "uniform" more than practical perfectly good products that cost much less. Nothing unusual there though. We all suck in for flash....except Slab , of course, but then he isn't too smart normally. all right then.

OK Bri,now do you believe me?

I guess we can assume that Mustads are garbage, too

I've broken VMC hooks also. Gamakatsus do suck to resharpen, but I'd rather have to tie up again because of a hook being dull than to be worrying about it breaking at the bend. Gamakatus get my vote.

I don't use VMC hooks simply because they are french. I still boycott french made anything. I guess I hold a grudge.

A sissy product, made by a sissy country MHR.

Until Gamakatsu came along I always used Mustad hooks. I read alot about some of their newere thing wire hooks from some of the salmon "gurus"....I tried them last season and the Chinook bent the hell out of them. Now that I know VMC hooks are from France I guess I'll boycott them too.

Yeah, I don't like the fact that the VMC's are from gay Paris one bit.

But I don't like rusty hooks every morning, either. I can sharpen VMC's and use them for days (til I lose them). They hold up to B10 chinook - B10 is home to the world's hardest takedowns in my book.

You yuppie river guys can change your hooks after every other cast and do a hard hook set on a rock with your braided line and break tips. That way, you don't have to learn how to sharpen

I expect in a few more years, all hooks will be made in SE Asia, anyway. BTW, where are Owner hooks made?

Oh, and GP,

I have a couple TDR rods, but don't use them myself. They are for inexperienced guests.

I like Gamakatsu, they've always worked for me. You can't beat how hard Owner hooks are either. I always replace my treble hooks on Kwikfish and other plug lures with Owners. The needle points are great, sometimes the cutting points will tear through a fishes mouth if it isn't hooked hard in the jaw or nose area.

VMC are French, the French can take their VMC hooks and wipe their ass with them as far as I'm concerned.

In all the hook debates I rarely see any mention of the Lazor Sharps. Thats what I usually use. Never had any problems. Seems campareable to sharpness with Gami but not as expensive. I think the Owners are the most expensive but might have to take out a loan to get some.

Do a side-by-side.........there's no comparison, the Gammies are sharper by a mile.

Never had a problem with rusty Gammies, with broken Gammies, or with dull Gammies. I've never been so attached to a hook that I wouldn't just toss it when it loses it's point.

Of course, trying to put a point back on a Gammy is an exercise in futility. Not worth the time or effort.

Gammies are easy to sharpen you just need the right type of file. One designed to cut in the Rockwell range of Gami hook points. They used to sell them at lowes for.99 each.

Geez, how would I know what brand my hooks for other than fly fishing are? I just pick 'em up from the litter in the river as I'm wading and fishing my way through the pools. I figure I've got an assortment of the most popular brands, styles, colors, and sizes. So when I need a bait or drift fishing type hook, I just pick from my little stash. I do re-sharpen them, however. Oh, and I've got 100s of the best color and size corkies, too. They're the ones fishermen are using and losing. I tried using the little ones as a strike indicator, but don't really care for them. Guess I could make bead necklaces or something.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

:D :p

I would have voted, but there wasn't an option for neither.

I have used Gammi's, but not any VMC's, so I can't make a comparison as to which one I like better.

As others have pointed out, what you use in the salt may not be the same for what you use in the rivers, etc.

What hook I use (and like) depends on the what's, where's, and how's of the fishing I am doing at the time.

My normal answer is I almost always like the hook at the end of my line, that is buried in the face of a fish. I generally don't care to much for the hooks that are just sitting in my tackle box, lost on the bottom, or are fluttering in the water looking for a biting fish.

Wow parker! I wonder when Bob (The really BIG one) installed the new post filter?

Fortunately, I have found a way to circumvent it, and have taken the liberty of re-posting your response in its true form:

Originally posted by parker -

"I would have voted, but there wasn't an option for Vision.

I have used Gammi's, but not any VMC's, so I can't make a comparison as to which one I like better. Doesn't really matter anyway 'cause they both suck compared to Vision.

As others have pointed out, what you use in the salt may not be the same for what you use in the rivers, etc. unless you use Visions.

What hook I use (and like) depends on the what's, where's, and how's of getting my free supply of Visions.

My normal answer is I almost always like the Vision hook at the end of my line, that is buried in the face of a fish. I generally don't care to much for the hooks that everyone else uses, are lost on the bottom, or are fluttering in the water looking for a biting fish, except my Visions! :p j/k

Gammies, never had any problems so never really tried anything else on a regular basis.

Wow, The economy really must be worse than pres Bush claims if just the fishing hooks are causing so many people to go broke. :rolleyes:I think most guy's out there spend more on their morning espresso. Mabey we can get the government to allow food stamps to purchace hooks and a fresh spool of Danielson fishing line. They can eventually lead to food.

Gamakatsu, baby!

LOL. Do you people know how to read???

He asked if you had to choose between the two, what would you pick. Not, what's your favorite brand. He's trying to settle a bet (or a debate) with his brother. Out of the two, it would be Gami for me. The old VMC's used to be great. But over time, quality went down. Gami is by far better.

But to add my plug. Owner all the way. LOL.

Well, let's see:

VMC = sissy french
Gamakatsu = remember Pearl Harbor?
Mustad = big, dumb Norwegians
Owner/Vision = made in Sri Lanka? (probably cost the distributor $.03 per 1000)

From now on it's.......


EAGLE CLAW!


U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

JERRY

PAGE 2

I knew this was going to happen when I posted the poll. The debate started when my brother told me how great VMC hooks were. A friend of his told him VMC hooks were made by Airbus,and that VMC are the best hooks on the market,bar none. :rolleyes:

I laughed when he told me this. I asked him why Gamkatsus and Owners were so popular if the VMCs were sooooooo much better. Thats when I said we'd take a little poll,here and at Ifish,to maybe settle the debate.

From the responses both polls have given,I'd say I won.

All those hooks seem to be fine for me. I used the #3 Visions last fall and winter for the Hatchery brats and they worked fine. I may go through a lot of hooks fishing for brats, so the price was attractive.

HBP - You settled the question of which of those two hooks are the most popular. However, it's not clear which is the better hook. That will always be a matter of personal perference. Both VMC and Gammie are good hooks. I've lost more fish with Gammie than VMC, primarily because I use more Gammie's than VMC. Gammies are sharper but they also have a very small barb, which makes it easier to throw the hook. VMC isn't quite as sharp but they are thinner and the barb is considerably larger. But my favorite will always be an Owner hook.

I get very tired of the issues related to the origin of the manufacterer. Yes, VMC's are made in France. And Gammie 's are made in Japan. Owner's are also made in Japan (and Sri Lanka). The folks who make a big deal over who makes the hooks seem to imply they support hook makers in the USA. If so, why aren't they singing the praises of Mustad and Eagle Claw hooks? Perhaps it's because there isn't much to say about those hooks........

Some folks might not like VMC's very much because they're made in France; but they are certainly much higher quality than any hooks made in the USA. Next time, take a poll on Mustad, Eagle Claw, and VMC hooks. My guess is that VMC wins in a landslide.

I also agree with Salmo g. I get most of my hooks and corkies by picking them up from the shore. My best day ever is 60 corkies on the North Fork Lewis River in one day. Based on my observations, pink is the most popular color and Gammies are easily the most common hook found along the rivers in SW Washington.

as far a hooks go the VMC is a better hook because (VMC straight point) they BEND instead of break like the Gamakatsu hooks. Owners cutting points are the hook of choice for me. The Mustad Ultra Points are reasonably sharp but, the best attribute is their incredible finish. No eye gaps, burrs, etc, Almost as nice as Owner SSW's

Aunty M you and I have to talk to SlabQuest,we have to teach him some manners!

Don't you guys have anything better to talk about? Come on. hook me up. I'm on a need to know basis.

i've used a lot of laser sharps in the past. not a bad hook for big, heavy fish since they're quite strong, but maybe a little heavy duty compared to something like a gami for summer runs or silvers. they also seem to have a shorter shank which i don't like quite as much as other brands.

i haven't had any real problems with mustads myself. the price is certainly right and they aren't flimsy like VMCs. pretty much anything outside of a gamakatsu is dull to me so that's a moot point(pun intended)

i just have always had terrible luck with VMC hooks. fit and finish is below the level of gamakatsu, and even mustad or eagle claw

what's the specifics on these? not sure what the rockwell range is, but can you point me in the direction of one of these hook files?

There is no way to beat owners. I think they hold up better. The point on a gammy goes to hell quick. I hate to even think of using french hooks.

Geez, the blatant discrimination towards VMC and overwhelming approval of Gamakatsu is mindboggling. Every hook was designed with specific application(s) in mind. And even those hooks that are designed for salmonids aren't always good performers. Even within a single make of hook, one size might differ in performance from another size. For example, say Brand X markets a line of hooks designed for salmonid fishing. There are many possibilites but I will only name a few. It is possible that the hook is better for catching trout than it is for holding salmon. In this case it is a matter of hook size. In another case a hook might be touted for salmonid fishing but have a somewhat short point. Clearly a hook like this would have less holding power. Yet another hook could be of either a thin wire or slightly thicker wire. My point in all this ranting is that there is a hook for every application, no one brand can cover all the bases.