Gammie has a new hook on the market, the Treble 23RB or Magic Eye. This is definitely a hook to consider for swimbait fishing. They have a longer shank and a stronger construction than the typical gammie trebles. They're similar to their 2X trebles but the wire looks slightly thinner and the black hooks are more a a dull chrome black vs a jet black color. The innovation if you will on these hooks is the flattened eyelet to make them easier to put on a split ring. If you use split ring pliers, it may not actually be any easier to put them on but it should make it easier by hand or with standard pliers. I just got a few boxes today so I don't have any on the water experience to report, but just wanted to get the word out. Here's a few pix.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/4062-magic_eye_box.jpg


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/4063-magic_eye_detail.jpg

The "Magic-Eye" area isn't weakened IYO?

Dan

It looks solid to me, I don't think it would break or anything. I pulled hard on the individual hooks to see if they would bend out and they're very solid. A lot of hooks will flex out and some (like certain VMC's) will bend out very easily but these are very strong. It's a nice hook, definitely one to consider trying.

what size of these hooks would you reccomend for say an 11" slammer? does the long shank change the sizes of hook you would normally buy for your baits?
thanks , brian

Brian,
I'm not sure what sizes the magic eye trebles are available up to. For the large size slammers I usually stick with the stock hooks and sharpen them or use 3/0 owners. If they have a 4/0 or 5/0 version of these hooks, they could be an option for that bait.

I've been using the 2/0 magic eye trebles on some large rubber swimbaits last month and caught a bunch of nice fish on them. They're definitely a lot stronger than the regular gammies, I think even stronger than the Owner stinger hooks. I never had one start bending out. I'm not sure about the longer shank yet on the slammer. I generally wouldn't think having the hooks hang further away from the bait would be a good idea, but we'll see...

I believe these are also offered in red.No one put out a good large hook in red till now!..Nathan
www.Bettencourtbaits.com

The welds on these hooks are as good as I have seen before. They are a very rigid hook too so I don't have to worry about straightening them out of a fish like some other hooks. These are going on a lot of my baits this season.