Punching is one of my favorite ways to catch them. Right up there with frog fishing. There’s something about that thunk when a fish smokes a bait falling through a mat that turns me on. It’s the same as a blowup on a topwater frog lure. Those two things, pertaining to bass fishing at least, get my heart pounding like none other.
This is why I race towards the chance to test out and review any and every frog I can get my hands on. And the same with baits, rods, reels, line and terminal tackle designed specifically for flipping and punching, knowing there’s a chance at least that these products could improve upon what is already one of my favorite ways to fish.
Today’s review is on such a product, the BKK Heavy Cover Hook. Though I haven’t had the opportunity to punch with this hook yet, I have laid into a few good ones with it rigged on a stiff flipping stick and 20-pound fluorocarbon.
I’ve been pleased with the hook and believe it to be comparable in strength to others that I’ve relied on over the years. And, there are some pretty neat aspects to this hook that might even set it apart in some ways from those other staples I’ve relied on the last decade or so. Let’s dive into the details now.
STRONG AND SHARP
This is really it in a nutshell when it comes to a reliable flipping hook. If the hook opens up on the hookset or during the fight, it’s worthless. And if the point rolls or dulls after just a few fish catches or collisions with cover, it’s a nuisance and a waste of money to have to toss it and tie on another.
The BKK Heavy Cover Hook passed the test when it came to strength and sharpness. This alone makes it a reliable hook. There are other subtle things though that BKK did with this hook design to make it a better quality hook than many others, and put it up there in the elite tier in my book. Let’s touch on the quality of this hook now.
SLICK FINISH PENETRATES
The BKK Heavy Cover Hook is noticeably slicker than most, if not all of its competitors, even the hooks I tie on come tournament time that perform all but flawlessly. Now, I’m not sure a flipping hook this slick is necessary over one that feels a little more coarse, but that’s kind of beside the point. The point is, if it’s a confidence thing for you or not, this is the slickest finish I’ve ever felt on a flipping hook that I’ve personally held in my hands.
I first noticed this slick finish on one of the BKK treble hooks that came pre-loaded on a hard bait I was testing out awhile back. It was different enough that I remember looking up the bait to see what brand of hooks were used on it. The company refers to this coating as BKK’s SS (Super Slide) finish.
It may not matter a ton on a hook this size that’s tied to heavy gear, but I would say this particular aspect of the BKK lineup of treble and finesse hooks could be noticeably advantageous when fishing jerkbaits or dropshots, for instance.
GREAT BEND AND BUILD
I like the design of the bend of this hook for flipping and punching. The gap is wide and the point is turned back in just slightly. This combination makes it easy for the hook to tear through the soft plastic on a hookset, but also keeps the point tucked into the body of the bait until the bite comes, making for a snagfree overall presentation.
The little details that round out the design of this hook are top notch as well. The eye, for instance, has been closed off with resin, as opposed to simply pinching the wire shut on itself. Many anglers like to use a Snell knot with a flipping hook. Traditional closed eyes with exposed ends to the wire can and will cause abrasions on the line and damaged the integrity of the knot. This can even happen when a more standard knot is tied with fluorocarbon line, if the knot spins around to crack in the hook eye. The best flipping hooks have this connection either covered with resin or even welded shut.
The bait keeper also showcases a touch of quality. There’s a stiff but well sized short piece of stainless steel wire attached securely to the hook, with this whole area again being covered with resin. This was one of the downfalls of early new-age flipping hooks, that would often make a good attempt at adding a durable and effective bait keeper by attaching it with tied thread. But the bond would break, the thread would unravel and the bait keeper would spin on the hook shaft. By again coating this area as well as the whole whole hook with an epoxy resin finish, BKK created a jam-up eyelet and bait keeper.
CLOSING THOUGHTS ON BKK FLIPPING HOOK
That’s about the gist of it when it comes to reviewing a flipping hook. If a hook holds up to me letting a pretty good fish have it a few times, it’s a good hook for flipping and punching. A handful of different hooks have failed this test over the years. But once they pass the stress test, like the BKK Heavy Cover Hook did, then it’s on to the finer details. In this area, too, the BKK hook excelled, with a quality bait keeper, closed eyelet and slick finish top to bottom.
A good bend, a sharp point, a strong hook and nice trimmings make the BKK Heavy Cover Hook an easy recommendation if you’re in the market. They come in a pack of four for $6.49 and are available in four sizes, from 2/0 to 5/0. The price is middle of the pack when it comes to flipping hooks that I have a lot of confidence with already. Bottom line, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you try a pack of these out for yourself.
