Gamakatsu LS-5314F Hooks

DESIGN FEATURES
The Gamakatsu LS-5314F hook is a reversed pattern meaning that the hook point is angled over to the left of the hook shank a few degrees when pointing at the eye. Some anglers prefer this, others don't. The reason being that if this offset point angle is too much, then fish can be lost at the strike as pressure at the hook point falls the more acute the reverse angle is and given the same power of pull at the hook eye. This is NOT the case with the LS-5314F. The reverse angle is minimal and it penetrates easily!

The shank is forged for strength and has a turned-up eye. The forging may not seem necessary in hooks in small sizes like these, but it does give a degree of security if something much bigger takes a bait intended for a smaller fish.

The hook point is a beak type meaning it turns inwards slightly right at the point and it sports a micro barb for easier penetration with minimum pressure.

The hook has the standard and durable nickel finish.

Available in size 4 per packet of 10 priced at £1.68, and 8 size 2's per packet, again at £1.68.

VENUE, RIGS AND BAITS USED
Deep water rock mark on to mixed sand and rough. Neap tide over low water at night. Two hour inshore boat trip over clean sand for whiting. Very rough sea.

Standard two hook rig, lower hook trace tight behind the lead from the shore. Long trace two hook boom rig off the boat.

Mackerel strip and squid tipped cocktail
Mackerel strip tipped with sandeel
Sandeel strip with mackerel tippet

REVIEW CONCLUSIONS
This hook can be used with crabs and shellfish baits off the beach and inside the estuaries, but it's forged strength makes it a good choice for smaller species needing to be brought back from clean ground over rough ground and retrieved at speed.

On the rock mark the hooks caught whiting, dogfish, small pollack, three bearded rockling and a small conger about 4lbs. The hook handled the conger without any sign of opening out illustrating it's strength. For this reason I think competition anglers will like this hook for days when smaller fish are more likely to take the prizes, but the odd bigger fish is always on the cards.

Several hooks were snagged in rocks through the session and they slowly open outwards under extreme direct line pressure allowing release from most snags without expensive tackle loss, a useful advantage. The sharpness of the hook gives good penetration and holding power and although the point is relatively fine it proved strong and is capable of several re-sharpenings depending on damage.

On the boat, the hooks were used with a basic two hook boom rig on the drift accounting for whiting to 1.5lbs, dogfish and dabs. It was early March and the weather poor, but enough fish were caught to put the hook through it's paces.

They are suitable for small bulky fish baits aimed at gurnards and whiting, and good with a variety of other baits for plaice, cuckoo wrasse and pout. Again, the strength of the hook allows bigger fish to be lifted and the hook would easily land a double figure huss or thornback ray if it had to with a careful capable angler.

AVAILABLE FROM.......
Mick Ball
Town Moor Baits of Doncaster
26 Marlborough Road
Town Moor
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN2 5DF
Tel: 01302 738774