Trokar TK 130 Flipping Hook Review By Bobby Saffel
Flipping, pitching, and punching are three techniques that are not for the faint of heart. They requires a strong reel, stout rod, big line, and a hook that can pull a small car. The Trokar TK 130 Flipping Hook is a must if you plan on being in a close quarter fight with big bass.
One important feature on the TK 130 is the welded eye. Most people use braided line for the three mentioned techniques and with braid, the line sizes are much smaller than the equivalent monofilament or fluorocarbon sizes. If the eye isn’t welded shut then the braided line can slip through the small gap in the eye and become costly.
Another important feature is the bait keeper. You’re going to have a stressful day if your bait is slipping down the hook every other cast. The TK 130 has a tough mold plastic keeper on the hook. This keeps the top of the bait up at the eye hook and makes sure you get a solid hook set. I personally have yet to move the keeper from its original location on the hook shank.
As with all the Trokar hooks, the hook point is a super sharp three sided design. The manufacturing process of these hooks is the same as in the medical field. The point also has a beefy barb that really bites. Several times there has been a need to use pliers to remove the hook from the roof of the fish’s mouth. The hook is heat treated to make the hook stronger, but not brittle. The hook will flex if need be to keep from breaking off and losing the fish. In my experience it takes a lot of force to bend these hooks.
In today’s market, most companies charge you six or seven dollars for a pack or four or five hooks. That adds up fast. Trokar TK 130 comes in a four pack for $6.99, however, you can buy a bulk pack of 15 hooks in select sizes for $14.99. This drastically reduces the price per hook. The TK 130 comes in sizes 3/0 through 7/0 with 4/0 and 5/0 being my most commonly used sizes for beavers, craws, and brushhogs.
I hope you get a chance to wrestle big bass with these hooks. They’ve become a staple in my bass fishing arsenal and hope they become part of yours. You can purchase these hooks and other styles of Trokar hooks at Tackle Warehouse and most local tackle stores.
