Not the first 2 of these hooks to break on me, but will be the last. These 2 broken hooks cost me fish. These hooks don’t bend or straighten out, they break. They were on sale at Bass Pro by one, get one free and they are made in the USA. Really disappointed. Its only Gamakatsu from now on.
Molon Labe!
Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France (paraphrased)
RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. Still can’t get him out of my mind. What a special friend he was.
Gama and owner are the only hooks on my boat when it “really” matters. I do use some eagle claws for winter time board fishing when targeting party fish…hooks are the same with EVERYTHING you buy. You get what u pay for. There IS a reason why some hooks cost more than others.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
Send a letter to Eagle claw and tell them you expect to make it right. Most companies bank on the fact that most people won’t take the time and effort to complain. Give it a shot, the only thing they can tell you is no.
They are definitely not high end hooks, but they shouldn’t do that! I bet it was a bad batch that was not tempered correctly. I’ve used those several times for sheepshead and redfish with 50 lb. braid and never had that happen. As others have stated, you can’t go wrong with Gamakatsu and Owner.
…hooks are the same with EVERYTHING you buy. You get what u pay for. There IS a reason why some hooks cost more than others.
Hey, didn’t you get your hooks for FREE!!!
If that’s the case then those things should be breaking the second you tie them on … LOL
Well corey got a bunch owner stuff for free just by emailing them asking for stuff. He got a bunch of boa rigs and hats. Shame that the hooks on the boa rigs were too small though. But beggers cant be choosy. But I doubt owner is gonna seriously consider making a boa rig with a 6/0 nose hook and #1 trebble. Those hooks alone are almost 2$ each. Plus the time to make the rig package etc…wouldnt be a pretty price, so they use small cheaper hooks.
Sorry for the rant just got off topic there…lol…
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
Those hooks are what I had on a free line earlier this year when a nice fish straightened it out. One reason I know it was nice is that Townsend caught a 15# right behind us and at the scales showed me the two holes in its mouth. I had been using Owners for a while but still had some of these in the box. Should have given them to someone, maybe Townsend?
I had a similar experience this summer with Eagle Claw 197. I bought both the 197 (black finish) and 198 (mine were not free ) primarily for the big eye. Always used -and was very happy with -Gamakatsu circle hooks. But with my close-up vision and the small eye on Gamakatsu, I was having trouble tying a good palomar knot. Too many years looking at spreadsheets has taken its toll!!
I tried several brands of “big eye” hooks last summer and settled on the 197 and 198 - no issues at all - caught plenty of nice fish on them last year without breaking a single hook - so I stocked up on several boxes this year and switched all my FL and PB’s over.
Several of the 197’s broke on me with good fish - but never the 198. I figured I got a bad batch of 197’s. Sorry to hear that you are having same issue with the 198.
Just recently picked up several boxes of VMC 7381 circle hooks. The eye looks like it will be easy for me to tie. Gonna rig some up this weekend and give them a try. VMC trebles are the hooks found on Rapala baits.
If the VMC hooks don’t work out - I may have to invest in a fly tying magnifying glass and switch back to Gamakatsu to tie my leaders.
Dano,
I do like the big eye. Another thing is that Eagle Claw hooks are made in the USA. I try very hard to buy American made products when I can even if they cost a little more money. It means that Americans are working and American plants are manufacturing stuff. But I can’t continue to have failures of a product like this.
Molon Labe!
Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France (paraphrased)
RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. Still can’t get him out of my mind. What a special friend he was.
) primarily for the big eye. Always used -and was very happy with -Gamakatsu circle hooks. But with my close-up vision and the small eye on Gamakatsu, I was having trouble tying a good palomar knot. Too many years looking at spreadsheets has taken its toll!!