Gama Hook Failure

[FerndaleFrog]

Hooked up on a Texas rigged Senko with a 2/0 and hook failed - broke in half. Would have chalked it up to a fluke but another fishing club member experienced the same thing. Anyone else experiencing Gama hook failures lately?

[Kenny Yi]

What's your rod's power?  For the 2/0 Gamakatsu EWG hooks (which are a light-wire hook), I never go past a medium power rod.

 

Although, I do think it's very odd for the hook to snap in half... I've never experienced that before, only had hooks get bent out from improper rod power.  I've always liked Gamakatsu hooks and never had problems with them.

[Hammer 4]

Was this hook a recent purchase, or was it an older hook.?

I've used hundreds of gamy hooks, both light and heavy wire types and never had one fail in any way.

As with anything, nothing is 100%, maybe you got a defective hook.? 

[Deleted account]

Are we looking at a MH (or heavier) rod and braid, with the stereotype bass hookset?

[Sam]

Using braid, fluorocarbon, copolymer, or mono line?

[fishwizzard]

Strangely enough, the only time I’ve ever broken a hook was a Gama drop shot hook.  Light line, a ML rod, and a not very big bass.  The hook just snapped as I was bringing the bass in.  I took the rest of the pack and destroyed half of them with pliers, but couldn’t get one to snap cleanly without bending first. 
 

I chalked it up to random bad luck and have used dozens and dozens more of that same hook with no issue. 

[the reel ess]

Gammy is my preferred brand and I've never had any issue with one.

[Darth-Baiter]

Maybe a batch got a bad heat treat?   Mine bend, never break.  Not wise, but sometimes I simply bend them back.  Now it will probably break since it has been work hardened. 

[J Francho]

Wow, two in a million.  Probably a coincidence, a bad batch of hooks, or improper gear setup that is strong enough to break the hooks.  I'm betting on the first and last scenarios.

[CrankFate]

Gamakatsu hooks are the most popular expensive brand hooks. They are also the most counterfeited. If your gami snaps and the metal looks like it’s a tiny cracked piece of metal concrete with black/bronze shell on it, it’s fake. I have seen fake gamis in many bait shops. The small shops in the bigger markets of the northeast love to stock the fakes. To steer people to something else more profitable. It’s one of the things that drives me to the big box stores. I use 2/0 EWG gamis in place of bigger recommended sizes 3/0 and 4/0 all the time. If they are real, they bend. They don’t snap. Especially if it’s a 2/0. Anyone who regularly uses them would know.

[desmobob]

I don't have a good tackle store near my rural location.  I've bought almost all my terminal tackle from Tacklewarehouse and FishUSA so I'm confident I'm getting the real McCoy when it comes to brands.

 

I lost what would have certainly been my personal best largemouth when the big, heavy, wide-gap hook in my 5" Pit Boss bait broke during the fight.  I don't remember the brand... it was very likely either a Gamakatsu or an Owner.  I put all my hooks in a Bass Mafia hook box by type/size so the brands sometimes get mixed.

 

Anyway, I was certainly bummed, but it didn't seem all that odd to me.  There's not much diameter to a hook wire and all it takes is one little impurity, defect, of a heat treat glitch to weaken it.  It's the only hook that I ever remember breaking on me and, honestly, I'm surprised it doesn't happen every once in a while...

[Bankbeater]

I've been using them for a few years now, and have never had any issues.

[TOXIC]

Another thing to be aware of is to remove your plastics from the hook at the end of the day.  After using the hook for a period of time the salt in the plastics may compromise any nick or spot on the hook that gets exposed.  If you fish in rocks and nick the protective covering, they eventually will rust and become brittle.  I always check my hooks every time out and especially those that have been used for a while.  Same goes for trebles on crankbaits.