Why Eagle Claw stays in the USA (and why that means better hooks for its customers)
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Some American tackle brands long ago sent everything away to be manufactured offshore. And some, more recently, have gained powerful PR by bringing manufacturing back to the USA.
But there is only one US hook maker that has never compromised on its commitment to always manufacture on American soil. It has been that way for almost 100 years, and at Eagle Claw that matters. Not only because the company’s ‘American Made’ signature creates a powerful brand identity, both at home and in international markets. No, it goes deeper than that, says Marketing Manager Chad Hamilton.
It’s about values.
Eagle Claw puts people before profit, says Hamilton: “When other companies off-shored production to improve profit margin, Eagle Claw held steadfast to its values and stayed put. It’s in our spirit to put our customers and employees first and do the right thing for these stakeholders, even when it’s difficult.”
It means Eagle Claw can be trusted. ‘American Made’ means sticking to your word – and sticking around, says Hamilton, and ultimately results in great hooks. “The company puts tremendous value in its employees and customer relationships. Those values permeate our culture and result in honest, well-made and thoughtful products that anglers can depend on now and into the future.
“Our loyalty is rewarded with the commitment of our employees. The result is in-house engineering inventing the technology that makes great hooks under our Eagle Claw, Lazer Sharp and Trokar brands. We have a skilled American workforce driving innovation.”
That American workforce is based at Eagle Claw’s HQ in Denver, Colorado. It uses proprietary machinery designed, developed and optimised in-house; and it continuously refines the process of ‘turning a straight piece of soft wire into a finished hook purpose-built for a given fish species or fishing condition.’
“We succeed thanks to the diligence and commitment of our employees to meeting the expectations of anglers,” says Hamilton. “We continue this tradition by employing designers, engineers and product managers who are passionate about fishing and about delivering quality and value to other anglers.”
There is something else too, about being American Made: and it’s simply that Eagle Claw is close to the people that matter in sportfishing. It is close to the most vibrant college fishing scene in the world; close to the most demanding professional anglers on the planet including two Bassmaster Classic champions – Jason Christie most recently; and close to the largest and most competitive consumer market anywhere. And that makes a difference, says Hamilton. It gives Eagle Claw an extra edge.
“A key component of our success is being responsive to angler needs. Through support of youth anglers and field staff programmes and involvement in the professional circuit [in the USA], we are afforded the opportunity to promote our brands but, more importantly, to stay in close contact with anglers through every stage of fishing.
“Our relationship with anglers is critical to being able to serve the angling community everywhere with products that meet expectations and to anticipate and solve problems. We have pro-anglers, captains and guides who also play a large role in R&D for new hook designs and ideas. These men and women spend up to 200 days a year on the water and are experts in their chosen disciplines.”
Little surprise then that Eagle Claw sells its hooks in all 50 states in the USA, and that so many of its hooks have stood the test of time, perhaps most notably the 084 Plain Shank Hook. “It’s a versatile and reliable tackle box staple,” says Hamilton. “It is a high-performing hook that stands as a figurehead for the Eagle Claw brand: hardworking, dependable and effective.
“We take a humble approach to business and customer relationships, but there is true value in American-made products,” he adds.
3 American-made hooks from Eagle Claw
Lazer Sharp LPS kits
A common frustration faced by beginners and intermediate anglers is having to overcome barriers to entry when progressing to new techniques. Eagle Claw’s Lazer Pro Series kits seek to solve this problem. Each kit contains American Made fish hooks and professionally matched, technique-specific tackle which allows anglers to try new presentations without guesswork.
Trokar TK2 Octopus hook series
Eagle Claw’s Trokar range features its patented surgically sharpened technology™. Octopus hooks feature a turned-up eye and a forged shank for added strength and durability. The extremely sharp Trokar point and twenty-two degree offset work together to help ensure higher hook-up ratios. The TK2 is the medium wire option. Says Eagle Claw: “The TK2 series provides anglers with the necessary options to vary presentations and entice strikes in heavily pressured areas or when the bite is tough.”
Trokar TK25 AXS Drop Shot (pictured)
A newer release in the Trokar assortment and a ‘whole new system for securing and presenting baits’. They feature the AXS Keeper with its ‘groundbreaking’ design that enables the bait to move along a three dimensional plane. Where other hooks and rigging styles afford motion primarily along a fixed two dimensional X and Y axis defined by the shank, the AXS Keeper allows the bait to wander along the three dimensional Z axis – away from the two dimensional profile of the hook shank. The result is a keeper that enables unprecedented bait movement that fish can’t resist.
