NEW REVIEW: Trokar Hooks

[Kevin]

Hi Guys,

You've probably seen the marketing for Lazer Trokar Hooks... the supposed sharpest (and priciest) hooks on the market for bass fishermen.

Well I bought a bunch of packs and have been testing them out.

I share my impressions of Trokar hooks in our latest review...

Trokar Hooks: My First Impressions

Click here to read the review.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on Trokar too!

Thanks and take care,

Kevin Scarselli
BassFishin.Com

[zooker]

i've been using them since i got my grubby paws on them last spring.. most of the ones i use are 4/0 and 5/0 ewg.. i have found that they are killer on a carolina rig,and for some solid bodied flippin baits. i agree with kevin the hooks are under rated for there size..i likly wont buy any more as the price is a big turn off...


zooker

[TN_Bassin]

I've been using these since this year started for anything flipping. They are amazingly sharp, and I honestly believe the sharpness of this hook is attributed to my enhanced hookup to bite ratio. The price is a turnoff, however as a pack of 5/0 EWG hooks is 10 bucks with only 5 hooks in the package. The size of the hook is also underated as Zooker and Kevin both pointed out. I found that a 4/0 EWG Trokar is comparable to a 3/0EWG Gamagatsu.

[Rebbasser]

Hey Kevin-have you tried them on the big hollow bodies like a shadalicious?

[Kevin]

Thanks for the great feedback guys. I'd be interested in continually hearing your thoughts on Trokar.

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

Hey Kevin-have you tried them on the big hollow bodies like a shadalicious?

I have only used a 6/0 Trokar MagWorm with a 3:16 Mission Fish, which isn't a typical "Hollow-Bodied Swimbait". I have not tried any of their swimbait hooks. While you could use the big MagWorm for a hollow body swimbait, you'd have to insert weight into the lure body... which I haven't done.

Weighted Swimbait hooks are notoriously dull out of the package. I'll be testing the Trokar hooks further, since they show great promise with the bigger hooks.

[nofearengineer]

Very interesting read, Kevin. However, on a side note, have you ever tried using a whetstone to sharpen your larger hooks instead of a file? My intuition tells me that it would work better. (Not that it's very convenient...just a thought.)

[BassFeverJohn]

Honestly, they scare me. I am a hook magnet and get speared all the time. I can only imagine a surgically sharpened hook would have a better chance of piercing me deep enough to catch the barb.

[ALL]

Sharper is not better especially if your sacrificing reliability. I would rather have an electro-chemically polished hook with the appropriate point then a super sharp point that is bent over. The faceted point design has been used on many other hooks in the past. One issue with this design is they tend to cut the flesh upon hook set which results in a larger opening. A larger opening will usually result in lost fish. IMO Trokar Lazer is doing a very good job of marketing a mediocre product. They are a poor value.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Very interesting read, Kevin. However, on a side note, have you ever tried using a whetstone to sharpen your larger hooks instead of a file? My intuition tells me that it would work better. (Not that it's very convenient...just a thought.)

Hi Nofear... I haven't ever used whetstone before. I only own one sharpening file, and even then, rarely use it. I'd be interested in seeing if the whetstone would get a big Beast or ProX sharp enough to be confident with it. I think it has something to do with the material they make the bigger hooks out of... I don't think it is exactly the same kind of metal... but I can't say for sure.

Originally Posted by ALL

Sharper is not better especially if your sacrificing reliability. I would rather have an electro-chemically polished hook with the appropriate point then a super sharp point that is bent over. The faceted point design has been used on many other hooks in the past. One issue with this design is they tend to cut the flesh upon hook set which results in a larger opening. A larger opening will usually result in lost fish. IMO Trokar Lazer is doing a very good job of marketing a mediocre product. They are a poor value.

Hi ALL... Have you noticed Trokar hook points bending over/chipping a lot? This is a problem even with standard hook points and why I test the hook point on my skin after most fish or snags. If Trokar hook points do bend over more frequently, that would certainly be a downer, but I think I'd still use them until the hook point gets damaged, then retie a new hook. Until damage is present, the Trokar (for the big hook sizes) seems to be the sharpest and best performing via my experimentation.

As far as the Trokar design cutting flesh and making a bigger hole in the fish's mouth... I haven't noticed anything yet on this, but I'll certainly keep a close eye to see if I notice anything.

I've lost too many fish with a Picasso ProX (and Beast) to go back to them after using Lazer Trokar. Is there a similar big hook brand you recommend?

Thanks for your input!

[nofearengineer]

I see All's point (pun completely intended ) about the faceted hookpoint.

I guess it would be like comparing getting stabbed with a sword, which has edges, and a rapier, which just has a conical point. I can see the sword would tend to slice the flesh as it goes in, whereas the rapier just pierces and makes a hole slightly smaller than its diameter.

I just see the rapier-like hook point as being difficult to reproduce for the fisherman who doesn't have a machine shop in his bass boat. I don't know...maybe it can be done in an easy way.

[ALL]

I have seen the points get rough, but not bent. I really don't plan on testing them anymore in the future because of the cost. I have enough experience with the cutting point by Owner to know that the faceted point is less then ideal. In general I have had very good luck with Gamakatsu and the Owner needle point hooks.

Originally Posted by Kevin

Hi ALL... Have you noticed Trokar hook points bending over/chipping a lot? This is a problem even with standard hook points and why I test the hook point on my skin after most fish or snags. If Trokar hook points do bend over more frequently, that would certainly be a downer, but I think I'd still use them until the hook point gets damaged, then retie a new hook. Until damage is present, the Trokar (for the big hook sizes) seems to be the sharpest and best performing via my experimentation.

As far as the Trokar design cutting flesh and making a bigger hole in the fish's mouth... I haven't noticed anything yet on this, but I'll certainly keep a close eye to see if I notice anything.

I've lost too many fish with a Picasso ProX (and Beast) to go back to them after using Lazer Trokar. Is there a similar big hook brand you recommend?

Thanks for your input!

Good analogy nofear. A well produced conical point will penetrate with the least interruption, but is more difficult to manufacture and that is why only the premium hook manufactures use this design.

If you were to examine a Gama or Owner before they were prepped/honed by electro polishing they would be as sharp or sharper then the Trokars.

The hooks sharpness is reduced slightly using this controlled process to yield a point that matches the hooks general magnitude and intended use. If your punchin with 20-25# FC or 50-65 braid you do not need the same point that a DS hook requires.

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

I see All's point (pun completely intended ) about the faceted hookpoint.

I guess it would be like comparing getting stabbed with a sword, which has edges, and a rapier, which just has a conical point. I can see the sword would tend to slice the flesh as it goes in, whereas the rapier just pierces and makes a hole slightly smaller than its diameter.

I just see the rapier-like hook point as being difficult to reproduce for the fisherman who doesn't have a machine shop in his bass boat. I don't know...maybe it can be done in an easy way.