Custom Baits - Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: ctom on 07/09/13 20:15 UTC
-
So how many of you cast these hooks? Personally I can't see the extra expense and have seen sickle hooks as sharp out of the box as the Trokars. And those Trokars are heavy. Advantages?
-
I used the for awhile because I got them for free. I went back to Owner and Gamakostus.
-
I'm the same. I think way over priced. We all lose a fish now and then. Can't always blame the hook. It's part of fishing.
-
For pan fish I can see no justifiable advantage ( sickles are great as long as they don't have the tempering problem). For smaller cats I use a premium circle hook to get more consistent hookups Mustad 39951bln or 39954bln ( wire diameter, quality, tempering, and sharpness combined ). For larger cats I use Ultra premium hooks; Gamakatsu & Owners ( I have not tried the Trokar Circle hooks ). Bass jigs, worm hooks, the best I can find. I just got in a Trokar Do-It mold for testing. We will see. I spend a lot of money on a boat, tow vehicle, rods & reels, GAS, line, etc.. I am not going to quibble over a hook cost if I think it will mean the difference in catching a fish that is not a pan fish.
That is a big reason why I pour my own jigs. I try to stack as much of an advantage in my corner as I can.
-
Valid arguments on both sides. I tend to agree with Paul, but only if you have the resources to buy the Troker hooks without missing a meal. We always talk about confidence baits and the hook is an integral part of that bait. If you have added confidence in using that hook then go for it. What do they say, "Spend it like you got it and it will come to you." (I've never found that to be true, but they do say it.)
-
Valid arguments on both sides. I tend to agree with Paul, but only if you have the resources to buy the Troker hooks without missing a meal. We always talk about confidence baits and the hook is an integral part of that bait. If you have added confidence in using that hook then go for it. What do they say, "Spend it like you got it and it will come to you." (I've never found that to be true, but they do say it.)
It's true for me Denny! Can I help you spend yours?!? ;D LOL
-
For anything I'm tying I like the strongest and l like the strongest and longest lasting hook I can find. I've used mustard and eagle claw trebles when tying bucktail for spinnerbaits and I dislike them, they only last a year then get weak and break. I shop the clearance bins for strong trebles now. For soft plastics, mustads are plenty good enough.
-
I bought some of the Trokars when they first came out and were like 10.00 a pack. I wasn't concerned about the price if the hype was true. But honestly, I couldn't see enough difference in sharpness and hook setting to justify the extra expense. If anything, I don't think they're as sharp as Owner hooks so I quickly went back to Owner. Maybe it's like what was mentioned, Just a confidence thing. I did just recently buy some big Trokar 6/0's for fishing some big sticks because I liked the big gape on them to get through all that extra plastic and have to say they've worked admirably.
-
I have all the new trokar molds and have bought the trokar hooks for them, but haven't goten around to pouring them yet. Just part of the hobby.
-
Mustad, Gamakatsu, Owner, VMC, and Matzuo are all sticky sharp, very strong, and have durable points that stay sharp a long time. I'm happy with the performance of all these brands. I see no need to spend the extra $, but to each his own. ---Tim.
-
The Owner Beast swim bait hooks have a huge gap as well. I think they are as expensive as the Trokars.
-
I just ordered the new football jig mold that requires the Trokar hook. Now I just need to learn how to properly fish a jig ::)
-
Got my Trokar hooks in for my new Do it mold. They feel pretty damn sharp compared to the mustads for my other mold. I think you could start a blood transfusion with these things.
-
The Trokars are obviously made from high grade steel due to their strength and the flex of the hook under tension. And they are sharp. The king of sticky sharp still goes to the Matzou sickle hooks in my opinion. When I tie jigs my fingers are sore for several days. I just wish that Matzou could be more consistent with their heat treating as they have brittleness issues occasionally.
-
Everything starts in the bass market, all the cool stuff anyway. :D I agree that for bass fishing they are not needed. I mean how many fish do you need to skip across the water in a day anyway. :P Unless you are fishing for money then most of the other brands should be plenty.
I was out fishing the Ocean for Chinook a few days ago and we used Trokar hooks. We hooked 15 Chinook and landed 5. Ill give you one guess on how many of the 5 Chinook landed were on Trokar hooks! They had to be barb-less and these hooks made a huge difference in hooked fish getting into the net. It was nearly impossible to pinch the barb down with pliers, something I have never seen! We had a few fish that the hook actually went through the hard part of the lower jaw and out the other side!
(http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/1228/rgvt.jpg)
They were as sharp as any hook I have used. Until now I mostly used matzuo sickle and various owner/gamakatsu hooks. The others may feel as sharp but when you have a hook brush across your finger and it looks like a scalpel cut you open you know they are sharp! I have never seen that in all my years. I will be using these for steelhead and salmon where you might only get a few chances a day at fish so I believe that these can be an advantage. Steelhead especially are very good at hitting lures and spitting them out before you even know. I think they are worth the added expense when fishing for larger, tougher species of fish, maybe not for others. They will also work great where hooks are hitting rocks and bouncing around the bottom. With how strong they are I don't see the hook points bending very easy.
-
Mustad, Gamakatsu, Owner, VMC, and Matzuo are all sticky sharp, very strong, and have durable points that stay sharp a long time. I'm happy with the performance of all these brands. I see no need to spend the extra $, but to each his own. ---Tim.
I have had hook points bend over on all brands listed above. Especially the Matzuo. I am side drifting for steelhead a lot so many times the hooks are near the bottom of the river bouncing around. VMC are to heavy of wire for what I need them for. I know a fishing guide out here that fished Trokars during the winter steelhead season and only had 2 hook points bend all season. Thats probably a thousand rigs and 80 days of dragging hooks hear the bottom of a very snaggy river. He is on the Umpqua River where there is a ton of bed rock and basalt. Normally he will have to replace hooks after about 10 minutes of drifting from a bent tip! No comparison!