Intense trebles

[Mark Harris]

After seeing recent fish pics, a few eagle-eyed folks have been asking me about the Intense trebles.

Generally I have been pleased with them. Certainly a strong hook, very sharp and well made. I have partially opened one but so what on that really... happens to all hooks.  I like the shape and proportions a lot.  The only slight negative is that they do corrode around the weld points quite readily.

Hand-made in Japan, they are available in 5/0, 6.5/0 and 8/0 in either black or silver finishes. Sadly, all barbed but the maker told me in December that a barbless version is coming soon.

For an understanding of scale, here are some pics alongside a GT Recorder.  You will see that they are big hooks.







Definitely a good alternative to the established large GT trebles.

[Dmitrii Novgorodtcev]

Hi Mark,
I also used these hooks and made some impression.

First, I was really happy to see the maker emphasizing barbless trebles. Many japanese makers are talking about environment, but I am happy to see real steps to prove their words. Though I understand that they have to think of business...

I liked the curve of these hooks very much though from the beginning I had some doubts in it. I thought that the sharp corner in the bottom of the curve will stop the thick lip of GT from penetrating further along the wire. This might put excessive leverage on the wire to bend it out. But having used it and seen how the hook sits inside the GT's mouth, I changed my opinion to very positive. The hook sits very good and it is really hard to take it out. I think that this might be a great advantage when they appear on the market in barbless version. Of course, we should continue testing and see the results further.

I also liked their ability to stay sharp after fish. Very good so far.

They have black and silver color. Silver is not bad, but blacks corrode faster. Though I heard that from new year the maker will use new coating for blacks, so this problem will be eliminated.

As for the strengh, one 6.5/0 broke at high drag. I think this is a problem of most hooks now. But Intense is very responsive. They said they will work about baking technology to improve the strengh of their hooks. I think that we have very good hook maker potentially.

 

[Andy Klaus]

Most interesting.. Would anyone be able to provide the manufacturer's link? Thanks!

[Mark Harris]

As update to this, I think these have now become my favourite GT treble (at least the favourite that is readily available).  Hook up and retention rates are good and I think that has something to do with the wide gape and short shank.

The hook maker confirmed yesterday that the 8/0 and new truly massive 10/0 are ready for production in barbless versions and that barbless 5/0 and 6.5/0 will be ready around March time.  Very good news!

I don't think the 10/0 will have a big market but good to see a barbless treble in that massive size. The 5/0 and 6.5/0 are great for typically sized GT lures.

[Nathan Tsao]

Intense 8/0 treble. Busted this hook while leader dragging a fat GT up onto the rocks a few days ago. I had the fish out of the water, and was pulling him up a seaweed covered rock when i thought the hook pulled out of his jaw. The fish fell slowly back into the water, and puked out a large spiny lobster before it swam away. It wasnt until i was walking back to the truck when i noticed that the hook was busted
   

[Mark Harris]

Damn Nathan .

Seems to be the season for big treble failures. I guess it just reinforces the point that no hook is safe with a GT.   My Recorder 7/0 on Tuesday:

[Mark Harris]

A similar snap to the one Nathan posted recently happened to me with an Intense 6.5/0 and I have heard of several other such occurrences.

Absolutely will not use these hooks again.  It's a great shame as the initial  testing was very positive and they look like a good product. Clearly there is something wrong though.

[Nathan Tsao]

Mark, was the one that you or anyone else broke, a barbless verion? The ones that us over in Hawaii have broken were barbed hooks with the barb pinched off. They have all broken in the same exact spot which is at the strike point of the barb; makes me think the barb is being struck too hard. We are very curious to know if the barbless version hooks dont have this problem. 

[Mark Harris]

Hi Nathan, all barbed and snapped in the same place as yours. Barbs were pinched down with pliers.  Here is the pic (with some others):



I have a lot of these in all 3 sizes and they are basically now rubbish as I refuse to use them.

[Mark Tamim]

i like the owner hooks (ST 76) the best, however, I wish they made a size or two larger than the 5/0.  reason being is that some of the stickbaits out there today are HUGE (Siren, Shell Shaping, even Carpenter)... a few of these sticks clearly need larger trebles that 5/0.   i was leaning towards the intense since they make big sizes till i saw everybody's pics of broken hooks!!  i know there's no immune hook, but i don't hear a lot of bad stories at all with the owner hooks. 

[Dan Konig]

Mark - if you are looking for something larger than the Owner 5/0, suggest you look at the larger sizes of GT Recorders.

The biggest sizes of those can double as a reef pick for your boat in times of need!

[Chris Dennis]

I just took delivery of a packet each of the 6.5/0 and 8/0 - doh !

[Brandon Khoo]

Sadly, I can't say that I have been shocked by this. There is a tendency for excessive fanfare on new products in this sport and when there were glowing reviews soon after they were introduced, I did think "let's see". I must have been asked a couple of dozen times whether I had tested or intended to use them and my response was no, nor did i intend to. I'm very particular on hooks and I use what is tried and true for me. I'm also very sensitive to using specific hooks on specific lures due to the impact on action.

My experience with hooks over a very long period of time in this sport has been that even the best manufacturers have had reliability and quality control issues. To be fair, it could well be that the Intense is an excellent hook but have had a problem only with a batch of hooks and conclusions are now being drawn that they are rubbish.

I would point out that over the years, we've seen problems from various batches with both the Decoy GT and Gamakatsu Recorders. I had a batch of Decoy GTs I tossed into the water in New Caledonia as they were opening up under minimal pressure but I would also point out that I have a number of packets of them from years ago which I almost guard with my life as they are strong as all hell.

[Mark Harris]

If nobody uses a new product we will never know though Brandon will we?

Just on my experience with these, I used for a total of 9 days serious fishing before posting the original review with only one small bending issue and generally excellent hook up and retention rates.  All seemed well.  The hook looked the part and had performed well.

From the same batch of hooks though the snapping occurred and I also heard of several other similar incidents as well as Nathan's post above.  As the hooks are fairly new to market, a bad batch seems an unlikely explanation.

Personally, so much of GT fishing is about confidence in my gear. Got none left in these hooks and the large number I have are indeed "rubbish" (literally) .

[Dmitrii Novgorodtcev]

Hi guys,
Some more information about Intense hooks.

After the issue with broken hooks I received new trebles made of extra heavy wire in sizes 8/0 and 10/0. They looked really stronger than those which were on sale. And barbless.

In my last trip in Socotra I and my friends could test the new heavy wire hooks. We landed two 40kg+ and two 30kg+ GTs with these trebles. Fifties all gone. Not because of the hooks, but line break :-(. And once I was even lucky to pick up the lure after line break, because barbless trebles just fell out of GT mouth and lure floated up. Hooks were ok. So, we had no hook problems with the fish we caught, though we used very heavy drag. So far, I am satisfied with the model made of extra heavy wire. But will continue testing.

Some photoes with Owner ST76 5/0 and new heavy wire flat double made by Intense.