I realize that most of us aren't fishing for trophies every time we go out, but that being said, these jigs are a good basic tool to have in the armamentarium if there are some really big walleye or stripers to be had. Nothing holds a big fish better than new quality line, and a sharp solid hook.
One expert that I used to consult with said that he believes most big fish that just "come off" during the battle are because the hook flexes during the fight.
Makes sense to me.
I think that statement is truer than you realize. I've been fishing where I could only keep a fish on for about 30 seconds, and I've had hooks break right at the barb (Eagle Claw and Gamagatsu), or in the bend (Gamagatsu). I've slowly gravitated to Owner hooks after having 2 Gamagatsu's break on me, and having to sharpen and re-sharpen less expensive hooks just to have a chance of hooking something gets tiring. Yes, they're more expensive, but when you figure out the total cost of fishing, the hook, even an expensive one, is a small part of the total cost. I think they're worth it.
