CarpForum - Fishing Forum
   [Log-In] or [Register]

Advertise to thousands of anglers a day!  Click HERE to see how
      Home            Search       Help / FAQs   Rules / Usage 
Who's Online Member List      Articles           Gallery           Weather     
  New Posts: 0
 New Posts  Kamakura Hooks
 [Log-In]  [Register]
Baitman
Posts: 4944
Baitman
   Old Thread  #43 2 Apr 2026 at 11.43pm  1  Login    Register
In reply to Post #40
I had a similar episode on my barbel session a while ago.
I took a picture of a rig for my blog page, and only when I later zoomed in I saw the point was still sharp but slightly burred over.
Hard to spot on a size 10.

Screenshot-20260402-234312-Gallery
55s
Posts: 645
55s
   Old Thread  #42 2 Apr 2026 at 11.10pm  1  Login    Register
In reply to Post #41
What a wonderful reply thank you - exactly what I was looking for, advocates of something that can be an absolute game changer but needs consideration and tenacity to keep going. I absolutely applaud that and gives me real food for thought - thank you.
whataclonker
Posts: 343
whataclonker
   Old Thread  #41 2 Apr 2026 at 4.20pm  1  Login    Register
In reply to Post #40
"At least with hand sharpened once they blunt you know about it"

I've gotten into the habit of running my finger tip across all sides to feel if it's turned over or not, & obsessively stabbing the point into the soft skin on the back of my thumb..

... but yes I do agree that they are very delicate, & I can totally understand if you (or anyone else) think that it's not worth the faff.

As with pretty much everything to do with fishing - it's a matter of personal preference & doing whatever you feel works for you.
55s
Posts: 645
55s
   Old Thread  #40 2 Apr 2026 at 2.29pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #36
On the phone on the bank- the bit that worried me a little, was the first one, still felt sharp, as the point was in tact but turned, due to my eyes I took a picture and then enlarged it, in the original shot there doesn’t look a lot wrong with it.

I always knew they were 1 fish hooks but wondered if their sharpness outweighed this - I’m now not convinced - if they are 90% on the sharpness scale I think I can get longshank twister 10s to about 60% and they need touching up occasionally and can sometimes be re cast even after a fish. At least with hand sharpened once they blunt you know about it
Marshall08
Posts: 30
Marshall08
   Old Thread  #39 2 Apr 2026 at 11.12am  1  Login    Register
In reply to Post #2
I use them almost exclusively and do well on them, wide gape and not the wipe gape X which is a heavier gauge which i dont really have the need for.

With regards to 'one fish hook' at very most, lucky to get one fish tbh and any slight mishaps, miscast etc can see you needing to change the hook so a quick hook change rig needed. i use in conjunction with a traditional spinner rig albeit small korda 'd' and wafter and also pecky kombi...
whataclonker
Posts: 343
whataclonker
   Old Thread  #38 2 Apr 2026 at 9.23am  2  Login    Register
In reply to Post #33
Yes I've been using the size 4 choddys for a few seasons now & what you see is the norm. Very rarely, when all the planets align, they're salvageable, but usually they're scrap after a fish. I've found that they do touch up nicely though with a fine stone, when needed. I believe they make a difference & they're worth it.

However, it isn't a hook I would choose for a runs water, purely for cost reasons.
The-Heff
Posts: 3353
The-Heff
   Old Thread  #37 1 Apr 2026 at 7.48pm  0  Login    Register
Pretty sure the strongest metal on earth, would still probably kick over, when its got the diameter of a hook point, especially a sharpened one.
Way i look at hooks, and leads etc, the consumable items, is how much it cost per fish, and would i pay that much per fish to catch them. Answer is always yes, or i would take up golf.
Baitman
Posts: 4944
Baitman
   Old Thread  #36 1 Apr 2026 at 12.04pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #33
what did you use to take such good pictures, phone or camera?
yonny
Posts: 7889
yonny
   Old Thread  #35 1 Apr 2026 at 11.55am  1  Login    Register
In reply to Post #33
I wonder if hook technology will ever bring razor sharp and durability into a hook

Not for a long, long time.
Hooks are made of spring steel and heat treated. They're treated to a sweet spot in terms of hardness, that gives them flexibility (they act like a spring). Problem is, when the wire is sharpened to a very, very fine point, the yield point of the material is easily exceeded under load. Even when treated to the sweet spot, the points will bend/go-over. Treat them to a higher hardness, and the tip of the point will just snap off under load.

So basically until a new steel is developed that has a significantly higher yield strength, we're stuck with spring steel. You'll read blurb from hook manufacturers about fancy "new" steels like chrome/vanadium, and fancy "new" treatments like cryogenic tempering, but the reality is these have been around for donkeys years in other applications and are just variations of heat treated spring steels.

Not even your advanced materials like titanium or inconel can get near to heat treated steel for the characteristics desirable in a carp hook.

The Kamakuras are 100% a one fish hook so what you see is completely normal.
roman
Posts: 4846
   Old Thread  #34 1 Apr 2026 at 10.20am  1  Login    Register
Use these all the time on a hinge and although a 3am tinker and burred hook will test you I think it’s worth the pain. Fishing a shallow silty lake and I’ll always put half a folded bit of rig foam on covering the point. Just yesterday I had a mid twenty common and the hook point was still good. Very rare was like a double win that. Great hooks just kids gloves type stuff.
55s
Posts: 645
55s
   Old Thread  #33 1 Apr 2026 at 9.15am  0  Login    Register
Apologies for bumping an old thread. I’m a big fan of sharpening hooks and think they have made a difference for me, but a few weeks ago I stumbled on some kamakuras that I bought a while ago and they are by far the sharpest out the packet hooks I have seen - they are also sharper than I can achieve - so I thought maybe it was worth the switch - I went out yesterday to catch a few smaller soft mouth doubles and photographed a couple of the hooks after landing - does anyone actually fish with these? I’d love to know - I will be going back to what I know best but I wonder if hook technology will ever bring razor sharp and durability into a hook

IMG-3760
IMG-3759
Pizza
Posts: 2813
Pizza
   Old Thread  #32 12 Sept 2020 at 9.03am  0  Login    Register
I couldn't get on with the Kamakura hooks either. You only have to look at them the wrong way and the points go over. Not sure they'd stand up to anything but the very softest mouths.

Carried on using Hayward or JP, both very sharp but retain just enough strength in the point for me.
duggs
Posts: 5559
   Old Thread  #31 12 Sept 2020 at 8.15am  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #30
I think sometimes a super sharp hook highlights these problems more. If you hit a stone on the retrieve it will wreck the point of the hook, but it's more noticeable on the sharpest hooks.
I had similar experiences with the fox hooks, nice and sharp from the pack but always knackered when retrieved. I find the atomic and Gardner hooks stay in tact better, esp trig hammers have been pretty good too.

If it's corrosion dulling the points then candle wax protects pretty well
Telboy19
Posts: 14
   Old Thread  #30 11 Sept 2020 at 11.49pm  0  Login    Register
I've actually just hunted down my login for this forum to start a very similar thread.

The kamakura hooks are probably the worst I've ever used. They're ridiculously sharp from the packet but I'm currently changing my hook every 6 hours at the moment. Any prolonged period in the water seems to blunt these... (Even with Foam)

Typing this from the bank, on a ridiculously tough syndicate, with the feeling that my rig probably won't catch if my bait is picked up, definitely leaves a sour taste!

A question for people with far more knowledge than me... How long should a hand sharpened hook ‘survive' in the water? I've tried the hook grease but no luck.

I've just ordered some Mugga hand sharpened hooks... here's hoping 🤞🏼


Spod
Posts: 13376
Spod
   Old Thread  #29 21 Aug 2020 at 6.48am  0  Login    Register
Not had a problem with the Kamakuras ,(Krank pattern) myself, 1 fish hook, 2 if your lucky though...agree on the J Precisions, have to keep an eye on them!

Favourites are the JH though, as Yonny said they are another level, love the Muggas and Chod patterns..👍 OK for hooks they might be expensive at around 70p a go but we will happily pay more than that for a lead and drop it on the take on some rigs!
Page: 1 of 4  
   Proven, Quality Carp Baits from DNA Baits  
Carp Syndicates Croxley Hall Fisheries  
Lake Exclusive France Redwood Lake  

Consent Preferences   Advertising disclosure  
  © Copyright 2002-2026  -  www.CarpForum.co.uk contact : webmaster@carpforum.co.uk