Matzuo Sickle Hooks

[SGT Rico]

What’s the verdict on these? Specifically the Matzuo 152 Sickle Jig Hooks. Have any of you may have used them on flipping jigs? If so, how did they work for you? I just picked up some 5/0 to test, and was just wondering if y’all had any experience with them. Any pros and cons you guys have with these hooks? Thanks, 

[Bluebasser86]

Didn't like them, Lil Nasty hooks are way better.

[Munkin]

Haven't poured any yet but not a fan already. About half the flat-eyes are not bent right with some so bad they could pass for a straight eye hook.

 

Allen

[smalljaw67]

I think you guys have the wrong hooks than what the OP is looking for help with. The lil nasty hooks are 90 degree light wire and the 152 is a 60 degree regular eye flipping hook and not a flat eye. As for 152, I have 3 sample hooks, 1 in each size and I never used them yet. I will say this, they are a little heavier than the Owner 5304 deep throat which does the same thing as the sickle bend and that is hold fish. If you want to try that hook I'd say get a small amount first, Matzuo doesn't have good quality control, their Aberdeen model sickle hooks as well as the 785 wacky hooks they make for Do-it are all over the place on the dimensions. If you intend to use them in your custom mold I'd say forget it as they tend to be off on the eye leg length with a lot of their hook, you can get away with some variance on a Do-it mold but not on a machined custom mold. As I said, if you want to see how they are try buying a small amount, I know some guys like them and they would be fine if they had even a little QC but I've sent back so many Matzuo hooks over the years that I no longer use that brand at all.

[Tim Kelly]

I refuse to tie anything Matzuo on my line anymore. Just not good quality. There are plenty of other options out there, so I wouldn't even waste my time trying them.

[Munkin]

6 hours ago, smalljaw67 said:

I think you guys have the wrong hooks than what the OP is looking for help with. The lil nasty hooks are 90 degree light wire and the 152 is a 60 degree regular eye flipping hook and not a flat eye. As for 152, I have 3 sample hooks, 1 in each size and I never used them yet. I will say this, they are a little heavier than the Owner 5304 deep throat which does the same thing as the sickle bend and that is hold fish. If you want to try that hook I'd say get a small amount first, Matzuo doesn't have good quality control, their Aberdeen model sickle hooks as well as the 785 wacky hooks they make for Do-it are all over the place on the dimensions. If you intend to use them in your custom mold I'd say forget it as they tend to be off on the eye leg length with a lot of their hook, you can get away with some variance on a Do-it mold but not on a machined custom mold. As I said, if you want to see how they are try buying a small amount, I know some guys like them and they would be fine if they had even a little QC but I've sent back so many Matzuo hooks over the years that I no longer use that brand at all.

The hooks I have are 60 degree flat eye heavy wire barbarian. The guy working quality control must have an alcohol or meth problem as these are ****. Never have I seen so many defects in a single pack of jig hooks.

 

Allen

 

 

 

 

 

[smalljaw67]

15 hours ago, Munkin said:

The hooks I have are 60 degree flat eye heavy wire barbarian. The guy working quality control must have an alcohol or meth problem as these are ****. Never have I seen so many defects in a single pack of jig hooks.

 

Allen

 

 

 

 

 

You have the 327, the OP is asking about the 152 which is a regular eye hook. I don't disagree with your issues with the hooks you have, I remember getting 1000 of the size 1 Aberdeen sickle hooks for smallmouth hair jigs and I sent back 331, that is 33% that were bad. Actually 33% were not able to be used, I had about another 100 or so that weren't right but I was able to work with. I like that bend as it really holds and it makes the light wire stronger so it was awesome to see Eagle Claw introduced the Lil Nasty and now Mustad has a sickle as well. I'm not sure if it is true or not but I have heard Matzuo is out or going out of business and if that is true the last hooks produced may be even worse. I also want to let you know that they have very limited QC, I was told by a vendor that they contacted Matzuo America about all the hook issues and they were told that they don't have dedicated quality control, instead workers do "self inspection" but they also have to meet quotas so bad runs don't get reported as often as they should. The vendor no longer deals with Matzuo and even Captain hooks has changed their policy with them, if you got them from them you could send them back to them for replacement, now they won't take them back and instead you have to send them back to Matzuo directly. So don't feel bad, Matzuo had a good product but they kind of get a pass because they are cheap but when you get so many bad ones that 1/3 aren't any good, well that makes them a little pricier and not worth it in my book.

[SGT Rico]

Thanks guy for all the responses! 

[Comfortably Numb]

Not sure what hook OP is looking for but in general Matzuo hooks are garbage. 

[sll]

Got a bad batch of 1,000 sickle hooks one time. They apparently were not tempered right and would break in the hook bend easily.

[Big Swimbait]

I remember when I first saw the Sickle in a worm hook. I bought a pack of the red ones before a trip to Toledo Bend. We absolutely slayed them for numbers, but biggest was probably 5+. They performed flawlessly. When I got back to Dallas, I bought four 25 packs and on the first pack probably straightened every other one on a fish. Tried the 2nd pack - same thing. The rest are still sitting in my fishing shack somewhere.

[ChrisD46]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 10:50 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Didn't like them, Lil Nasty hooks are way better.

+1 , where ever you can get the sizes you need -  try to use the Eagle Claw 'Lil Nasty hooks versus the Matzuo if you are looking for a sickle hook . I only tend to use them in a size #4 , #2 and #1 for Mid West finesse jig  heads .