I’ve grown pretty fond of extra wide gap (EWG) bass fishing hooks over the last decade or so. Where I used to use different style hooks for several different presentations, I’ve now transitioned to an EWG for a pretty wide spectrum of techniques. Everything from a weedless drop shot with a small, thin-wire EWG to a toad with a bigger, beefier EWG hook.
I prefer the extra wide gap hook when using lots of soft plastics because there’s less of a chance of the soft plastic balling up, getting in the bend of the hook and interfering with the hookup. In other words, it’s easier for the hook point to clear the bait and make its way into the fish. Having used one particular brand of EWG for a long time, I decided to test out the Lazer Trokar EWG Worm Hook and this is what I found.
Get straight to the point
When you first look at one of Trokar’s hooks, you’ll immediately notice the point is very different. It’s surgically sharpened on 3 sides, so the inside of the hook point has a slant to it like almost all other hooks but now the outside of the hook point also has a slant to it on each side. Most hook manufacturers just let the round wire run out on this outside section of the hook point.
This obviously makes the hook a good bit sharper, requiring less effort for a hookset which makes all the difference in deep water and on long casts. But what I like about this point in particular, is that the hook cuts through the soft plastic better on the hookset.
When I Texas rig a bait, I like to bring my hook all the way through the plastic and then tuck just the tip back into the bait to ensure it’s weedless. The only problem with that is some soft plastics are tough and the hook won’t come out on the hookset, at times even digging further into the bait. The point of the Trokar EWG has that unique sharp edge on the surface side of the bait that slices through the plastic with minimal effort.
Nice strength and size wire
This hook has a smaller diameter than its beefier brother in the Lazer Trokar EWG MagWorm Hook. Most brands that offer an EWG worm hook also offer two different diameters. But this lesser hook in the Trokar brand seems a bit stronger than those of some of the other EWGs I’ve used. It’s hard to gauge strength of a hook sometimes. A lot of people think that a hook bending a little means it’s weak. But really, a hook has to bend or else it will break. Those are the only two real options once force is applied because the hook can’t simply stay the same.
This hook gives a little without breaking, and then returns to its original shape once the pressure is released. This allows you to set the hook fairly hard without worrying that the fish might be headed in the opposite direction and straighten the hook on you. And it lets you fight the fish with a fair amount of confidence.
Still, I would use this hook mainly for finessier presentations like small worms and Flukes, and move up to Trokar’s beefier MagWorm EWG for toads and flipping baits. But for those finesse deals, it’s nice to have a lighter wire hook that you can feel confident still setting the hook on pretty firmly.
Good bend to the neck
Several hook manufacturers over the years went with a 90-degree neck bend intended to keep a soft plastic in place. Unfortunately, that was found to be ineffective in lots of situations and the bait would slip down the shaft of the hook on a regular basis.
Exaggerating that bend in the neck makes for a much better bait keeper. Trokar does a good job with that here, giving the neck of the hook more of a Z shape. There’s also another subtle difference between this EWG hook and many from the past.
In the past, EWG hooks like this had a point that, if continued, would run straight into the neck of the hook. Anglers noticed the hook point would have a hard time getting into the roof of the fish’s mouth with this design. So we would take the bend of the hook with a pair of pliers and open it up slightly, and then move the pliers towards the tip of the hook just below the bard and bend that part back down. This effectively raised the hook point to where it was no longer in line with the eye of the hook. Trokar does that for you with this EWG as you can see.
In conclusion
A solid hook, extra sharp point and great design. The Lazer Trokar EWG Worm Hook leaves nothing to be desired if you’re looking for a quality weapon to add to your arsenal. It’s a great hook for finesse to midrange soft plastic tactics with a big brother available in the MagWorm EWG if you need it.
Yes, the price point is a little higher than most hooks. But many anglers don’t know that this is one of the only hooks Made in the USA anymore. The Trokar hooks are all sourced and made in Colorado.
The hook is the most critical part of most soft-plastic presentations, second only perhaps to the line in particularly finesse situations. So a strong, sharp hook you can rely on is worth the investment, especially to anglers who have been bit before by a bad hook.
You can find the Lazer Trokar EWG Worm Hook here:
