|
Ultimate Walleye Hooks By John Campbell Almost every article
or TV show that you see or read tells anglers about all kinds
of equipment from the line that they use, to rods and even
to the boat presentation that they use. But what about the
hooks? Isn’t that the first place that comes in contact with
the fish? What do you want out of a hook? More fish ...sure,
a hook's job is to penetrate swiftly and cleanly. But that's
only half its battle. What happens afterwards counts just
as much. Two areas that many anglers overlook when selecting
hooks are the gap and the sharpness. The point of the hook
should be bent up to increase the hook gap. With the hook
pointing upward and a little to one side, the chance for a
solid hook set is increased considerably. Instead of the hook
point just scraping the top of the walleye’s mouth, it will
cut and burrow in. I refer to this many times in my seminars
as making the hook have a "cam action". In essence, this makes
the fish hook themselves. A walleye will many times ingest
water with the bait and pull the entire bait into its mouth.
Watch a walleye feed. They will inhale the bait and expel
the water through their gills. If the walleye feels anything
foreign in the meal he has consumed he will quickly spit out
the jig. If the walleye has just the bait in its mouth; you
could still hook the fish. But if the walleye has inhaled
the bait and the whole hook, much of the time the fish will
not be hooked. In looking at all the fishing I do in a year
I decided to use the VMC hooks. They consulted top fishermen
and with their help created new hi-quality products, such
as Cone Cut™ and Needle Cone points. They also pioneered the
use of Vanadium Steel for a revolutionary new hook quality.
VMC soon achieved a reputation as the manufacturer of the
world’s finest hooks. The reasons I selected them are vast
as well as the results while fishing. For example, when I
am looking for a hook that is strong and has a wide gap I
will use these hooks. V7199 ultimate walleye hook, the traditional
octopus style live bait hook has long been the standard for
live bait fishing for many species across the country. Made
of Vanadium Steel and incorporating the "Needle Cone” point,
the V7199 represents the ultimate in premium quality materials
and craftsmanship. Because its 25% lighter than the competition's
Carbon Steel Hooks, it allows for a more natural live bait
presentation. It is available in sizes #6, #4 & #2, and fluorescent
colors: pink, orange, green, yellow, and glow in the dark.
V7105 wide gap walleye hook incorporates the same material
and craftsmanship from the V7199 into a modified fish catching
design, and you have the V7105 Wide Gap Walleye. It incorporates
a new 'Wide Gap' bend that makes this hook ideal for spinner
rigs and live bait rigging. A radical offset design sticks
and grabs anything that it touches! Walleye fishermen were
among the first to experiment with colored hooks, and VMC
is proud to offer the Wide Gap Walleye in a variety of sizes
and colors. They are available in sizes #8, #6, #4 & #2, fluorescent
colors: pink, orange, green, yellow, and glow in the dark.
Don’t forget to check the sharpness of the hook as you improve
your hook gap. Many walleyes are missed because of unsharpened
hooks. It is extremely important that the hook is sharp. Quite
a few excellent anglers touch up the hook on every jig before
it is put in the water. That's why fishermen all over the
world are sitting up and taking notice of VMC's new "NEEDLE
CONE POINT™".
 |
Because as well as being the sharpest hook around, it's
also the strongest. Next time you are on the water remember
to get to the point and if you would like more information
about the excellent quality of VMC hooks contact them
at the following address. VMC Inc. 1901 Oakcrest Avenue,
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55113 USA, (651) 636-9649, Fax:
(651) 636-7053, jkiklas@vmchooks.com |
Or contact me on the web at www.walleye.info.
and we can talk about the need for sharp hooks when fishing
for walleyes.
|
