Siwash Hooks
 

What is your favorite siwash hooks?

I am looking to upgrade the tail hooks of my plugs.

Looking for strong wire, sharp point, and saltwater grade finish.

I am thinking VMC....but I welcome input from the sharpies on the board. ;-)

Thank you in advance.

Investigate stainless salmon hooks. Thats what Habs would use on his special plugs.
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http://pacificnetandtwine.com/?prod_...55&filter=This is what he liked.
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Mustad duratin hooks if you can find em.

That's what most guys use for their rigged eels.

The hook is heavy duty so keep that in mind cause it will effect the action of lighter plugs.

They need to be sharpened more regularly too, but probably one of better hooks out there

Owner makes a single inline hook that a lot of guys are using lately too, haven't tried em myself but another option
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I use VMC 5/0 and 6/0 4X and 6X

I'm no fan of SS hooks they are brittle and snap easy

Same here. Mustad stainless were very brittle. I would always use their 3x tinned Siwash. I have heard that Norway's strict enviro laws forced them to change their metallurgy, so they may not be as strong as they used to. I stopped using their trebles quite some time ago, but I had a huge stash of their tinned Siwash hooks from the 1980s.

Ditto. I still have a whole box of 6/0 Mustad SS Siwash. They tend to break at the bend in the hook. Years ago, I lost several good fish because of this.

The ones Habs used were so sweet. I can imagine ever snapping One :huh:
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And yet you haven't thrown out the whole box.
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The ones Hab's used were from VMC and they stopped making them about 6-7 years ago

Everyone on this thread should realize that any stainless steel
hook, siwash or otherwise-will not rust in the mouth of a fish
that breaks off. I threw out my ss siwash hooks about ten
years ago after holding them of ten years. Get rid of them and
any other fish killing hooks. Change any ss to galvanized on any
or don't buy that plug.

Beamie, you are right. I need to clean out a file cabinet I have full of hooks I have saved for years and years. I only use VMC now so I'm gonna clean out all the crap.

I'm the same way too Lots of stuff I'll never use
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I like mustad 9510 xxxdt (?)
Siwash

As far as clutter goes, i am sick of clutter an holding on to " just in case " gear. If i don t use it, im getting rid of it. If i end up needing something, i will buy it later.
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Thanks guys!
VMC it is for me.

PS

Chemically speaking, stainless Steel is nothing but steel with Carbon mixed in. It will actually rust (slowly). But, there is a 50/50 chance that the fish may die before the hook actually rusts out enough for it to break off. :-(

I don't buy the story about steel hooks "magically" rusting out if they break off in a fish's mouth. A fish will rub it off on a rock or simply die with any hook in its mouth. Tinned VMC hooks are "corrosion resistant"... Do you know what that means?? it's designed TO NOT RUST.

We can all make up excuses that justify that catch and release fishing is totally humane but it isn't. You're ripping lips and injuring fish for your enjoyment and it isn't going to make much of a difference if you use a tinned hook over a stainless hook.
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That's what I'm doing.

Yup.
Bought a bunch of that age from Crafty angler :( 8 or 9 years ago. Still have maybe 50 in my basement. it is my stock 6/0 tailhook.

Not a siwash but the forged VMC inline hooks have been great so far

I ended up going with VMC Siwash open eye hooks. They are high carbon steel. 6/0. Model No: 9171 PS

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/06053e...d92e164d69.jpg

Good hooks. That's what I use on my plugs. Found many of the newer stainless open eyes to be brittle and would snap after being closed. That's the big reason I went to VMC 4x 6/0 on my plugs.

Problem I found with the VMC hooks was that they dulled pretty fast when I used them on rigged eels, and they were impossible to sharpen. The Mustad plated hooks were good, easy to sharpen. They would rust a bit but not important on riggies. On plugs they rust at about the same rate as the VMC trebles that are on the lure.
On riggies I've been using Owner Siwash for 5 or 6 years with very good results. They are super sharp and can be touched up with moderate effort. They'll eventually rust, but I've yet to throw one away due to rust. They are very pricey.

This just in : "Hooks hurt fish"
Caught a blue shark once with 6 different hooks in its mouth.
No hook is "rusting out"! they either fall out, or the fish dies with it in, sooner or later.
#frownyface
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Why is it that the Siwash / Salmon style are common on plugs instead of say an O'Shaunessy shaped hook. Never understood this. Has it been proven to have a better hook up ratio or is it pure looks to the eye of the fisherman?????

The loop on the siwash is bigger making it easier for the hook to swing plus a shorter shank so it hooks on the back treble less.