I have read what Graham had to say about these hooks in his review and he has left me very little scope for my long term review but I'd just like to reinforce a couple of points he made and give FM readers some personal feedback.
I have been using the S3 hooks since they were first introduced around June of this year. On opening the packet one or two things stood out instantly, the first being the gauge of the hook. I am a firm believer that we are all being dragged along with the carp anglers and manufacturers ploy that bigger, longer, stronger is the way to go with any fishing tackle.
This is absolute rubbish.
Some of the hooks on the market could not be straightened if you hooked a porbeagle on 200lb braid and their chief, and sometimes only, marketing point is their strength. What they don't mention is the thicker they are the heavier they are, and are more likely to affect the action of the bait. The Korum S3 has a strong but sensible gauge, it will not straighten on a straight pull on 15lb mono (I've tried it) and as I can't imagine putting any more pressure on any fish than that then it is good enough for me.
Big bream caught on a Korum Seamless Hook
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The second thing that jumped out was the Teflon coating; this just has to be an advantage in shallow / clear water conditions and so became another plus over my current hook choice.
Running my finger over the point they seemed exceptionally sharp, but so do most hooks these days straight from the packet. The real test would be in using them.
The first venue I tried them was the Ribble. Prior to using the Korum Seamless hooks I used ESP Raptors, and although I still rate these as an excellent hook and have had few problems with them, one continuous problem I did have was the point of the hook was regularly turning in, sometimes after just a few casts.
This is due to the fact that the Ribble is absolutely full of pebbles, boulders, rocks shelves, etc, and even when casting onto relatively clear areas the hook points often take a battering.
It was not unusual for me to have to replace my hooks six or eight times over every session and as well as the fact that this can become expensive and time consuming, it also increased the chances of a missed bite if the damaged point is not noticed in time. This I'm pleased to say has now become almost a thing of the past as these hooks seem almost impossible to damage and are well up to the challenge.
I would be lying if I said it never happened but the frequency has been reduced to almost nil. Like Graham I won't pretend to know what manufacturing process is used to achieve this but what I can categorically state is that this hook point stays sharper, for longer, than any other hook I have used in these conditions.
Big barbel caught on a Korum Seamless Hook
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I know since their launch some people have been denouncing the seamless eye as nothing more than a gimmick, but in truth, I don't believe it is. I don't know whether it is because I am right handed or not but I always hold the hook in my left hand and whip clockwise with my right and this always turns the first whip into the 'seam' of a traditional hook.
I know you could say “well turn the other way” but I can't seem to get the correct 'tightness' and it just doesn't seem right doing it that way, so it works for me. Also I still put bait on hooks (shock horror to all you hair rig freaks!) and whichever knot I use I always seem to end up with the line sticking in the seam when I come to tighten it on traditional eyed hooks. So, those two reasons alone are enough for me to like the seamless design, and when you also take into account all the other properties of the hook that I have described above, you will understand why I rate them so highly.
Chris Wallace
