Gamakatsu hardly needs an introduction to anglers.

But some history suggests where the company's new products are headed.

The famous hook manufacturer opened for business in Japan in 1955, hand-making all of its hooks at first. The company says it was the smallest manufacturer of hooks in the country at the time.

An automated facility was opened in 1963, catapulting Gamakatsu to the forefront of the Japanese market.

Gamakatsu’s line of products was eventually expanded to include hooks, fishing rods, apparel and other fishing items.

The company in the late 1980s opened facilities in Thailand and China, locations that used the hooks made in Japan to finalize products: snelling the hooks, creating rigs with them, using the hooks to make flies, packaging the products and so on.

Gamakatsu USA was established in the United States in 1992, the same year that SPRO was opened in the Netherlands, two branches of the parent company that were created to supply its products to the United States and Europe, respectively.

Today Gamakatsu is the leading fish hook manufacturer in Japan, capturing 70 percent of the market, and aims to become the leader in the United States and Europe, the company says.

“The best of quality” has always been its goal, the company says, and so is developing unique products that were never available before.

Gamakatsu introduced a number of new products this past year, and here are a few.

Magic Eye Swivel

The Magic Eye Swivel features a flat, tapered shape on one of its eyes, designed to open split rings, so that the eye easily slips between the wires. Then a simple twist of the eye separates the wires, and the swivel is easily slipped onto the ring.

This simplifies connecting a swivel to a split ring and also eliminates the need for split-ring pliers.

Swivels with split rings are commonly used on lures or spoons to prevent line twist. But the Magic Eye Swivel is handy anytime a swivel and split ring are used.

The other eye on the Magic Eye Swivel is a standard shape so line can be attached to it.

The Magic Eye Swivel is corrosion resistant with a black finish and comes in three sizes: size 4 with a 100-pound rating, size 3 with a 130-pound rating and size 2 with a rating that was unavailable.

Magic Eye Swivels are similar to Gamakatsu’s Magic Eye Treble Hooks that were introduced the previous year.

Finger Protector

Made with a combination of thin, soft, pliable neoprene, suede leather and a Velcro fastener, the Finger Protector was designed for fly anglers.

But it also works well for spin fishers, especially surf casters.  

The protector prevents wear and pain caused by long sessions of stripping a fly line or casting line from a spinning reel.

The Finger Protector is a universal fit for either the left or right hand.

Wacky Head  

The Wacky Head is a jig with a unique, flat, round shape that creates a rolling, side-to-side type of action when retrieved through the water.

It’s made to entice the finickiest of biters.

The epoxy head is red, and the hook is a size-2, short-shanked wide gap, designed for short-biting fish.

The Wacky Head comes in 1/32-, 1/16- and 1/8-ounce sizes.

For more info about Gamakatsu, including more of its new products, visit the Gamakatsu USA web site.