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What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2016 4:56 am
by Obz
I've read a bunch of reviews on TW, curious to see what you have to say. I love trokar worm hooks but I have heard the punch hooks fold like a paper clip.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:47 am
by Hobie-Wan Kenobi
Trokar TK130. Only hook I'll use for flipping. Never bent out or rolled a tip yet. Been using them for about 4 years now.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 9:29 am
by Obz
Right on. The mustad keepers looked soldered, that would be nice

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 11:02 am
by Teal101
I use these, have yet to bend em out. Well wxcept that time we lifted a tree up to get a snag out :lol:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Wi ... O5139.html

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 11:06 am
by Hobie-Wan Kenobi
Teal101 wrote:I use these, have yet to bend em out. Well wxcept that time we lifted a tree up to get a snag out :lol:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Wi ... O5139.html
You don't punch with a straight shank hook? I even regular Texas Rig with a straight shank hook. I use wide gaps for worms only and mainly weightless.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 12:25 pm
by Obz
Teal101 wrote:I use these, have yet to bend em out. Well wxcept that time we lifted a tree up to get a snag out :lol:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Wi ... O5139.html
Not one bad review on TW, I'll give them a go. Can't have enough wide gap hooks.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 1:03 am
by fishermun
ccass wrote:Trokar TK130. Only hook I'll use for flipping. Never bent out or rolled a tip yet. Been using them for about 4 years now.
+1

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 1:48 am
by Finnz922
Not the Gamakatsu :sick: . The damn keeper will come loose and twist your bait.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakats ... -GHSF.html

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:05 am
by cortman
Finnz922 wrote:Not the Gamakatsu :sick: . The damn keeper will come loose and twist your bait.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakats ... -GHSF.html
That's interesting, I've had good luck with those hooks so far. I haven't used them a lot though.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 11:10 pm
by soulfisher
Finnz922 wrote:Not the Gamakatsu :sick: . The damn keeper will come loose and twist your bait.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakats ... -GHSF.html
These are the best hooks I have found for punching really heavy cover / usually thick hydrilla and you are spot on about the hook keeper failing. I mitigate that by using Jb weld to make a thin boot around the keeper. The jb weld is slicker than the surface of the keeper and thus allows the vegetation to slide over the keeper vice constantly molesting the keeper itself. Kind of like a condom for the keeper section. Wish i didn't have to do this, but the hook is that good that I take the time to armor it up.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 1:23 am
by Finnz922
soulfisher wrote:
Finnz922 wrote:Not the Gamakatsu :sick: . The damn keeper will come loose and twist your bait.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakats ... -GHSF.html
These are the best hooks I have found for punching really heavy cover / usually thick hydrilla and you are spot on about the hook keeper failing. I mitigate that by using Jb weld to make a thin boot around the keeper. The jb weld is slicker than the surface of the keeper and thus allows the vegetation to slide over the keeper vice constantly molesting the keeper itself. Kind of like a condom for the keeper section. Wish i didn't have to do this, but the hook is that good that I take the time to armor it up.
Good to know. I am a huge Gammy fan, but this hook really pissed me off. I will have to try that.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 3:19 am
by soulfisher
Finnz922 wrote:
soulfisher wrote:
Finnz922 wrote:Not the Gamakatsu :sick: . The damn keeper will come loose and twist your bait.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakats ... -GHSF.html
These are the best hooks I have found for punching really heavy cover / usually thick hydrilla and you are spot on about the hook keeper failing. I mitigate that by using Jb weld to make a thin boot around the keeper. The jb weld is slicker than the surface of the keeper and thus allows the vegetation to slide over the keeper vice constantly molesting the keeper itself. Kind of like a condom for the keeper section. Wish i didn't have to do this, but the hook is that good that I take the time to armor it up.
Good to know. I am a huge Gammy fan, but this hook really pissed me off. I will have to try that.
Yeah I would have moved on to another hook as well if someone had not shown me this trick.

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 3:57 am
by Brad in Texas
Sort of odd isn't it, that Gammy makes such a great keeper for the Roboworm Rebarb hooks, a highly effective choice for where these can be used. Then, in another application, they can't seem to get it right.

Maybe someone else adds the bait keeper onto the Gammy hook, come to think of it. Not sure.

Interesting!

Brad

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:27 pm
by Jnkoepp
Hayabusa FPP followed closely by Owner Jungle

Re: What is the best punching hook?

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2020 7:17 pm
by mark poulson
VMC punching hooks are sharp, and they have a good, reliable keeper. I use an O ring on my baits, 3/8" down onto the nose of the bait, and pass the hook point through the nose and just past the O ring, turn the hook sideways, and pull it out until the keeper is exposed, and then turn it back to engage the O ring. I don't lose baits anymore.