Gamakatsu Hook vs Cheap Bulk Fishing Hook Test and Review
Gamakatsu Hook vs Cheap Bulk Fishing Hook Test and Review
Surprising results on this Gamakatsu hooks vs. eBay bulk fishing hooks test and review to see if the Gamakatsu fishing hooks are worth the money. Cheap fishing hooks may do just as well given the amount of fishable time before getting hung up – but are they even worth trying? I got the ones in this video on eBay from Tackledrop but the ones I tested are not available any longer. There are many inexpensive options on Amazon – https://amzn.to/2D2quNx
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1:28 he cut it out and did the math 😂😂
Ive bought the cheaper hooks,tested… and dont like the eyes on them. They cut your line when you tie a snell knot.
If I’m spending $ 1500 to $2000 for a long range fishing trip, there’s no way I’m buying the cheap hooks. But if your just fishing locally than go with the cheap hooks.
I’ve been buying these "cheapo" generics hooks for years with no problems. The main part of in the field testing is the length & rating of the rod. A shorter thicker rod would put more stress on the hook compared to a longer thinner rod. Also if you use braid it’ll put out more "lift" because it doesn’t stretch like monofilament does.
I have switched over to the bulk CDM hooks and found the only thing different is how much money I have left over at the end of the season from what I spent on terminal tackle. The thought on how long a hook lasts on your line is the one most people don’t think about. If I fish heavy all day I am certain to lose at least one or more hooks on that trip. Also even the good hooks need sharpening after a couple fish or snags. You hit lumber once and fight to get that hook off you have either torqued that hook or dulled it. Great video as usual!
Great video. Get them from Wish, they will be even cheaper.
But how sharp are they?
IAM looking for about your product please leave a message.When I post this, I am looking for more information on this . Can find the the fish hooks you bought for 500 please get back to me soon Spencer I’m a catfish fishing mad about this fish catfish I’m looking for some books I can use please get back to me so it’s possible appreciate that you sent for reals that I used some for juggy and some for trotline
I always buy the generic 25 hooks for $5.00….5 sizes, 1/0 thru 5/0, 5 of each. Yes they get dull faster but who cares, tie another on.
All I know is that the Gamakatsu octopus hook in #2 size is the best hook I’ve ever used. You can catch bluegills on up to big bowfin and catfish. And my hooks still look brand spanking new. Also, Gama has a thicker wire hook that should have been tested against that generic. He used a finesse hook.
Anyone else get annoyed when people call Gamakatsu a name brand? That’s like saying BUM clothing is a name brand
Haven’t tried Gamakatsu hooks yet, I only use owner I’m betting you would have got total different results especially in the strength test with owners 🎣 🎣 🎣 🇮🇪 ☘️
Eventually the cheaper hooks get dull faster than the Gams.
Along with sharpness as others has mentioned, I would also want consistency. I would be interested to find out if the generic band hooks have the same QC and the entire pack are equal
i like your test
Nice test.. Thanks
Interesting that you tested two of the well-known, more expensive, widely-trusted hooks, but only one of the bargain hooks. I’ve worked in manufacturing all my life, and one of the things that make manufactured items costs more is the CONSISTENCY of the product. I would have preferred a video in which you tested 100 of the bargain-basement hooks and just one of the name-brand hooks.
I’ve used both the generic circle hooks from eBay as well as the Gamakatsu circle hooks. I prefer the Gamakatsu hooks when I’m saltwater fishing for bigger fish like Leopard Sharks & BatRays, and the generic hooks for fresh water channel cats. If using the generic hooks, make sure to check them before you use them. Some of them are not sharp and some have bent tips on them. Either way, you’re getting a good deal.
Also, you should not have to cut off from StingRays & instead, should learn how to handle / deal with them. When I encountered my 1st few stingrays, it was nerve wrecking to remove the hook while they flop around. I went home, watched some videos on how to handle them, and now I feel more at ease handling them. Since then, I’ve caught a few BatRays and also felt nervous handling them. I went home, watched videos on how to handle BatRays, and now I honestly feel more comfortable handing BatRays over StingRays. StingRays are much smaller and flop around a lot more, leaving more potential to get stung. For the most part, as long as they are on their back, you don’t have much to worry about. Some people will put a rag on top of their tail and step on it, to prevent them whipping their tail around.
I’ve also found that removing circle hooks are a bit tougher than they look. The next time I go fishing for BatRays, I’ll be experimenting by using circle hooks with the barbs flattened. I did this when fishing for channel cats and had no problem keeping them on the hook. I think most fish will stay on the hook as long as you keep tension on the line.
Use generic hooks mostly and never had an issues. The fish do know the difference between generic and Gamakatsu hooks.
The rust test was absolutely useless. The hook requires exposure to air after being in the salt water to really see how they hold up. I would run the test again dipping them and then let them sit for a couple weeks on a paper towel. Lastly they make salt water hooks for a reason. Just saying. I’ve used generic and gamakatsu for many years. There is no comparison and that’s why they get so much for them. For fly fishing especially in salt water I’m sticking with the quality over quantity. Sure if you’re a fresh water only guy and loose a ton of hooks it may be worth it. I guess…
my experience is that expensive hooks stend to stay scharper longer.
I got no problem with a generic or no brand hooks. Honestly, speaking I caught a 4.50 kg. of Red Pacu with my 12# circle hook.
I buy these cheap hooks and got lots of friends who say they aren’t sharp enough. Well, if you’re setting the hook like no tomorrow, it really doesn’t matter how sharp the hooks are. As long as it has a point, you’re gonna penetrate a fish’s mouth. Been fishing cheap hooks all my life along with friends and family that buy high end stuff. I don’t miss any more or less fish than they do.
Hey man. Since you don’t like touching stingrays, or other
"Undesirable" fish…… Keep a pair of good side-cutters with you. Instead of cutting the line… you cut whatever end of the hook you can manage. ( usually the shank side)
At least that fish won’t swim around with hook.
It’s a good way to make sure it falls out fast.
I agree, I usually get my hook in packs of 50 on Amazon. 👍👍
This is the reason why I don’t fall for that "buy American because it is better" anymore! I used to lose tons of money buying nothing but expensive American and Japanese lures to snags and thefts and then a couple of years ago I started buying some really inexpensive Chinese lures from Aliexpress and Chinabrands.com, I couldn’t tell one bit in the quality of the lures and the amount of fish I caught! In fact, I actually caught a lot more fish with the Chinese lures since they were 1/8 of the costs of the American lures and so I wasn’t afraid to throw them into snaggy areas where the fish like to hide! I found that if you do some research and check the ratings for these Chinese lures and go check Youtube videos to see if other people have done a review on them, you could get yourself some true gems that work every bit as good as your top brands of American and Japanese lures, at a fraction of the costs! In fact, a couple of these Chinese lure companies even say on the packages of their lures that they are an international company that manufactures high quality lures for top-brand American and Japanese companies! I guess I could end up using the same lures that many "buy-American only" fishermen use, but with different names printed on my lures!
Buy cheap don’t be stupid . Stop pay rolls royce prices
Does anyone know of an American made hook that’s comparable to Gamakatsu? China gets TOO MUCH of our money as it is.
How are you even going to use the hook like you did in the video. You hook fish and pull it with the line not the hook.
I’m using the cheap ones and having no issues.
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We always buy generic bulk …. if I loose one …. I don’t freak out as much lol
Steve it has been a while since you did this test. Are you using the generic hooks now and if so, are they performing well?
Great video, thanks. Is more flex bad? Might stop the hook snapping…..
I caught 7 kilos pangasius on my #12 generic hook. in fact I do have photo of it. 🙂
Thx for this got the same reasons for buying bulk
So, let’s compare apples to fruit.
Very interesting. Just stared to buy generic brands from China. Did my own test and had the same form of results. Doesn’t mean Brands are better
What about sharpness? Strength and rust resistance are good qualities, but the hook needs to puncture the fish’s mouth to be any good. Which ones stay sharp longer? I personally wouldn’t want to go through a lot of generic hooks if they keep getting dull to quickly.
As long as you can keep the cheap ones dry In your box you’ll never go back. I was always a gamakatsu user them tried these cheap ones off eBay.. never had one break or fail. But if you fish in the rain or submerge or box and it’s not water proof the cheap ones will 100% turn into a ball of rust.
I have been using a generic circle hook in sizes 8/0 and 10/0 and have been very satisfied with these hooks performance… They stand up well to big fish and the saltwater environment…
People have been questioning the sharpness. Doesn’t take much to sharpen a hook. With a cost differential of 20 to 1 stoning a hook doesn’t seem like a big deal unless you don’t mind overpaying for a brand name. Realistically, most of us are recreational fishermen and the fish don’t care what brand you use. Granted there are times and applications where you might want to use expensive Kamakazi fish hooks but for the most part these will do.
it totally depends on what you are fishing for. if you are fishing for catfish or saltwater bottomfish use whatever. if you are fishing for hard fighting palegics like tuna, mahi or yellowtail (amberjack) use the best hooks money can buy. why risk llosing a great fish with some cheap ass hook made out of who know what metal with zero quality control.
fishing is an expensive sport but no reason to go cheap on hooks or line when the cost difference is small.
I bought circle and j hooks on ebay and both work very well for the price. I would love to see a bigger sample size but a random pick test seems to show they are as good… And definately worth the price.
Yes some are thicker wire, but when throwing a rage craw/rodent, who cares. Keep a few good ones on hand, but stick to cheapo!!!
I’ve never bought these types of hooks as they rarely give you a size listing or at least something to compare their relative size too.
That being said China produces a LOT of fishing tackle for a lot of well known brands. China has always had a problem with "generic non named products" but more often than not a lot of these "generic non named products" are actually name brand products sold without the label. I don’t know why it’s so common but a lot of factors source products for a company to their specification than turns around and also sells the same product under no name.
Stuff like this is extremely common for automotive parts and even OBD scanners without a label. The parent (copyright owner/company) claims they are artificial clones but folks have time and again taken things apart and found they where 1 to 1 exact matches just sold in a back channel maybe to make a manager some money or something (selling the products wholesale to employees) who than turn around and sell them themselves.
While I’ve not finished the video (only a min and a half in) I would not be surprised if they turn out to be some decently well known brand without a label.
it’s all about marketing…unless you do research on the hook company you will never know where the hook comes from…fancy packaging doesn’t make the hook better..IMO!
What are the generic hooks??
Totally unscientific, the cheap crap hooks are thicker wire. I hate this s…..
I use both ….still catching shit