The one thing that unites all fisherman (saltwater, fresh water, boat, shore, bait, lures, or flies) is the hook. The best rod, reel, line, bait, and perfectly tied knots will not land quality fish consistently without the aid of a strong, sharp, and penetrating hook.
My selection of a hook starts with the species that I am targeting and the method, which in turn define the appropriate hook geometry. For example, when I target Stripped bass and Bluefish from the shore or boat via mackerel, menhaden, herring, clams, sea worms, or eels, my first choice is the Owner SSW In-Line Circle Hook:
This hook is sharp! It’s point can penetrates my fingers with minimal force. I NEVER leave home without band aids and waterproof first aid tape. This hook is also strong! It’s fabricated with high quality wire that is fully round.
I like the geometry of this hook. First, I like the in-line point; from my experience, circle hooks with off-set points gouge and penetrate internal organs. Second, I like the wide gap between the point and the shank, which I believe facilities penetration. Thirdly, I like the “belly” of the hook because it allows for a good sized chunk to be hung. These physical characteristics have contributed to more landed fish than any other—particularity on nights when the fish are spooky and selective about their meals.
When the conditions are right, I switch over to a J-Hook. My top choice J-hook that landed Striped bass and bluefish consistently from shore or boat that was:
That is until a fish of a lifetime snapped it at the “bend” during the last fall run:
This hook does have a sharp point. And it does penetrates well. But! It’s not strong enough for trophy fish. The strength of a hook is determined by several factors; but all factors being equal, it comes down to wire thickness. The thicker the wire, the stronger the hook; but, the slower the penetration speed. Hence, a hook needs to be “just thick enough” for the species you are targeting.
After Goole’ing to the last page on the Internet, I narrowed down the candidate list to two models, from two different manufactures. Unable to decide, I called Owner directly to get additional technical details. The knowledgeable person who returned my voice mail, listened to my story and recommended the Owner SSW hook.
The “Cutting Point” validates the sharpness of this hook:
I am convinced that it’s stronger than its predecessor because it’s wire is fully round, thicker, and of higher quality material. (Yes! I did measure the thickness of the wire via vernier caliper.)
When I am targeting trophy fish via plugs, sharp and strong treble hooks are not a option. The plug itself can give the fish additional leverage to straighten a hook. The pedestrian hooks that decorate the plugs of trophy hunting anglers are VMC 4X treble hooks— for good reason! However, for this upcoming season, I am going to replace my VMCs with the Owner 4x treble hooks. Why?
“My preference is the Owner 4x-strong “ST” (for super tinned) trebles. I have never found a treble hook that could match their strength, sharpness and anit-corrosion properties. It’s as simple as that.”
– Leo N. Orsi. Striper Chronicles East Coast Surf fishing Legends and Adventures.
Getting to the point, when it comes to selecting a sharp, strong, and penetrating hook, I start with Owner because they have bleeding sharp points and “just thick enough” wire for the species being targeted. Owner hooks deliver awesome penetration.
