Gamakatsu

Gamakatsu at Charlie's Fishing: sharp Japanese hooks and the Luxxe Laughin glidebait

Gamakatsu is a Japanese hook maker that started in 1955, when founder Shigekatsu Fujii made hooks by hand as the smallest hook manufacturer in Japan. It is still family owned, developed its own needle-honed hook points and the extra wide gap (EWG) hook shape, and under the Luxxe name it also makes lures. At Charlie's Fishing we stock two Gamakatsu wacky hooks for finesse softbaits, the Wacky Worm 318 and the G-Finesse Weedless Wacky, and the Luxxe Laughin 170 glidebait for pike. Below you find what each one is for.

Gamakatsu wacky hooks: Wacky Worm 318 and G-Finesse Weedless Wacky

A wacky rig hooks a softbait through the middle, so both ends move on every drop and twitch. The Gamakatsu Wacky Worm 318 is made for exactly that, and for drop shot: a wide gap with a natural round bend lets the bait move freely, while the very sharp point still hooks the fish when it takes. It comes in sizes 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0 and 3/0, six hooks per pack, and fits softbaits up to 15 cm. The Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Wacky is the version for fishing around cover: a flexible wire weed guard helps it slide through vegetation, along docks and over snags, and still gives a solid hookset. It has a black nickel finish and comes in 1/0 and 3/0, four hooks per pack. Both are a natural match for the HideUp Coike: size 1/0 for the HideUp Coike 17 mm and size 3/0 for the HideUp Coike Fullcast. More in Hooks and Rigs, Ned's & Worms and HideUp.

Gamakatsu Luxxe Laughin 170: jointed glidebait for pike

The Gamakatsu Luxxe Laughin 170 is a slow-floating jointed glidebait of 17 cm and 48 g. A slow retrieve gives a smooth side-to-side glide, and controlled taps of the rod tip make it walk the dog with wider slides, like a struggling baitfish. It runs shallow to mid-water depending on your retrieve, casts well and comes with two strong, sharp Gamakatsu trebles. It is made for pike and also works for black bass. Choose from nine colours, from natural Crystal Ayu and Akkah Shad to Firetiger and Chart Back for coloured water. More in Swimbaits & Glidebaits and Pike Hardbaits.

Which Gamakatsu product for which situation

• Wacky rig or drop shot in open water: Wacky Worm 318.
• Wacky rig through weed, along docks and around snags: G-Finesse Weedless Wacky.
• Small HideUp Coike 17 mm: size 1/0.
• Bigger HideUp Coike Fullcast: size 3/0.
• Pike on a slow, wide-gliding hardbait: Luxxe Laughin 170. See Pike, Perch and Black Bass.

Why buy Gamakatsu at Charlie's Fishing

We picked the Gamakatsu hooks that match the finesse softbaits we stock, in the sizes that fit them, plus the Luxxe Laughin for pike anglers who like a glidebait. Every product ships from our own stock in the Netherlands with fast delivery across Europe, and we can tell you which hook size fits your softbait.

Where does Gamakatsu come from?

Gamakatsu is a Japanese company that started making fish hooks in 1955. Founder Shigekatsu Fujii began by making them by hand, and the company is still family owned.

Which Gamakatsu wacky hook should I choose?

The Wacky Worm 318 for open water and drop shot, the G-Finesse Weedless Wacky when you fish through weed or around snags. For the HideUp Coike 17 mm take 1/0, for the Coike Fullcast 3/0.

What is the Gamakatsu Luxxe Laughin 170?

A 17 cm, 48 g slow-floating jointed glidebait from Gamakatsu's Luxxe range, with a wide side-to-side glide and a walk-the-dog action, made for pike.