Circle hooks

[Buckmaster7600]

I use deadsticks with bait runner reels on a homemade flag system with live bait for lakers. I am mostly a catch and release fisherman am unless I keep 1 for dinner. I am trying to kill less fish removing hooks and am going to try circle hooks this year. Anyone else switched to circle on their tip ups or dead sticks, any advice on it? If I miss a few more fish it isn't a big deal.

[GasBlaster]

Rubber bands

[DR.SPECKLER]

i use offset circle hooks in 1/0 to 3/0 on my tipups for pike.they work great and hooks them right in the corner off the mouth.

[Seamonkey84]

I use circle hooks whenever I’m using live bait on a set line. Trick is to get the right size hooks for the fish your catching. If the hook is too small it can still hook deep instead of sliding out of the throat. Like for trout up to 12” I’ll use size 6-4, on bigger trout I use 2 or 1. Other than hook size, the thing to remember is don’t set the hook like you normally do. When you feel the fish pulling on the line, just apply steady pressure and start reeling or pulling it in.

[Nessmuck]

Nice video...might have to try the rubber band trick

[0311USMC]

2

[Stickhick86]

I have always used treble hooks, might try switching to some circles to see if it makes a difference

[Buckmaster7600]

Hopefully if the weather holds I'll be able to report after next weekend.

[Papa Sly]

I always use circle hooks in current, love them for cats and stripers. hate them in ice fishing. Tried for almost a full year and lost more fish than ever! I now use regular octopus hooks and have no problems with deep hooking.,

[Iceassin]

I am taking the advice of a seasoned veteran and switching from treble hooks and wire leader to 15# test fluoro and these hooks in 3/0 on my pike tip-ups this season. Claims he has never lost a pike using this set up so...http://www.gamakatsu.com/fishing-hooks.php?pid=1036

[stinkyfingers]

[/quote]

I am taking the advice of a seasoned veteran and switching from treble hooks and wire leader to 15# test fluoro and these hooks in 3/0 on my pike tip-ups this season. Claims he has never lost a pike using this set up so...http://www.gamakatsu.com/fishing-hooks.php?pid=1036

That just seems like a recipe for heartbreak and frustration. But as they say "one man's sweetheart is another man's sweathog".

[Papa Sly]

You will lose a lot less than with circle hooks I guarantee that. I would switch to Seaguar 30# or larger flouro leader material though.

[kasilofchrisn]

Instead of a deadstick I run the self setting rod holders.
Lip hooks everytime for me and easy to release.
Circle hooks work good at times but I have seen larger fish swallow entire setups and we had to fillet it to get the hook back.
Fortunately we had intended on keeping the fish anyway.

[Seamonkey84]

I find most people have trouble with circle hooks gut hooking, or losing fish is because they use too small of a hook (or not using true inline circles) or are setting the hook wrong. I usually recommend going up two or three sizes (which makes working with live bait a problem at times) from what you’d usually use for the target. Then when it comes to getting the hook to work, you don’t set the hook. The idea is to have enough tension and pull on the line to slide the line out of the mouth and pull the hook with it. If you go with too small of a hook and the bait is swallowed, the esophagus of the fish will have too much slack around the hook and allow it to grab ahold. If you jerk on the line like you do with a J hook, you usually just yank the hook out of the mouth without letting it rotate in the corner of the lip like it’s designed too. When you get to your trap/line, it’s best to wait for the fish to start pulling line, then just pinch or close the bail on the line and allow the fish to hook itself as it swims away. Then just start pulling or reeling in the fish as usual. With live baitfish, I usually hook it just behind the dorsal so the hook can rip out and be clear once there’s pressure pulling on it.

[WYIfish]

Two things I never had any good results out of are red colored hooks and circle hooks.

[DR.SPECKLER]

another  thing I will add is you must snell knot  circle hooks.that way it will  cam right  into the fishs mouth.all  other knots will  let it swivel on the line left, rigt and up,down.and don't be afraid too use larger circles like someone mentioned. a little test to see if it going to work I put your leader with circle hook in between your thumb and finger and  pull the leader hook setup thru them. it should cam right into the corner of your hand just like a fishes mouth.

[jacksmelt71]

That just seems like a recipe for heartbreak and frustration. But as they say "one man's sweetheart is another man's sweathog".

use the exact same setup for lakers and musky. never had a bite off or stolen bait. as long as you don't put pressure on the line until the hooks in the corner of the mouth, they can't bite you off. the rubber band trick works perfect with this setup. i give them about 2 arms length /12ft. to run. any more you get gut hooked fish.

[jacksmelt71]

take that back. i use 3/0 gamagatzu inline circle hooks.

[WYIfish]

I do ok with big eagle claw hooks, much difference and how?

[DR.SPECKLER]

take that back. i use 3/0 gamagatzu inline circle hooks.

ive had better results with offset circles but I use these also.i have better hookup ratio with offset circles.i bent my hook shank to make my inline circles offset.much better hookup ratio.never had a gut hooked fish of any species.

[stinkyfingers]

use the exact same setup for lakers and musky. never had a bite off or stolen bait. as long as you don't put pressure on the line until the hooks in the corner of the mouth, they can't bite you off. the rubber band trick works perfect with this setup. i give them about 2 arms length /12ft. to run. any more you get gut hooked fish.

I'm a big fan of circle hooks for saltwater and cats but with Northern and their long snouts, the hook needs to be well and truly past the jaw hinge for it to have a chance to catch the corner. Also, as Dr. Speckler discusses, if the hook is in the throat "backwards", it's just going to pull right on back out without penetration. I also like the concept of the rubber band trick but if Mr. Pike still has the bait out by his nose at the 12' mark then you're putting 15# fluoro leader up against those teeth. I know how I'm betting.
Still, if you've had success with that rig there's no reason to change. Carry on and good fishing.

[GasBlaster]

Rubber band trick works very well . If the fish is taking line it is facing away from the hole swimming away with the line coming out of the corner of there mouth on one side or the other . When they get to the rubber band it slowly adds tension to the line and drags  hook out the corner of there mouth if it starts up by there nose or back in there throat it still drags out the corner.

[Stickhick86]

Rubber band trick works very well . If the fish is taking line it is facing away from the hole swimming away with the line coming out of the corner of there mouth on one side or the other . When they get to the rubber band it slowly adds tension to the line and drags  hook out the corner of there mouth weather it starts up by there nose or back in there throat it still drags out the corner.

What if the rubber band doesn't break?

[Stickhick86]

What if instead of using a rubber band you wrapped the line up backwards on itself so when the fish is running, the spool has to stop and go the other direction, and when it stops it sets the hook?

[GasBlaster]

What if the rubber band doesn't break?

Most of the time it won't break . You can see when you get to the tip up your rubber band will be stretching out and bouncing back , stretching out and bouncing back over and over again as the fish is fighting to get away just setting the hook deeper and deeper each time .

[stinkyfingers]

Most of the time it won't break . You can see when you get to the tip up your rubber band will be stretching out and bouncing back , stretching out and bouncing back over and over again as the fish is fighting to get away just setting the hook deeper and deeper each time .

The rubber band idea sounds very much like a winning rig. I use a similar principle with catfish set lines, except I use a bungie cord to soft set the circle hooks. I guess my only beef with this setup would be with the 15 lb. fluoro leader for Northern. Seems dicey. If they can't see the fluoro anyway, or aren't line shy, why not jump up to 40 lb or even heavier. I'm a wire guy anyway and knot2kinky at that, based on my preference. Just think you should give them no chance at all to beat you.
Take a look at Owner Mutu circle hooks and Trokar circle hooks. They can hurt you just seeing them in the package.
Happy hunting.

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

I use circle hooks whenever I’m using live bait on a set line. Trick is to get the right size hooks for the fish your catching. Other than hook size, the thing to remember is don’t set the hook like you normally do. When you feel the fish pulling on the line, just apply steady pressure and start reeling or pulling it in. 

Bingo!  (right size hook for the size of bait too) Pair that with some patience and you're good to go, corner of the mouth all the time.

[52isntbigenough]

Bingo!  (right size hook for the size of bait too) Pair that with some patience and you're good to go, corner of the mouth all the time.

Keep these in mind when running live bait with circles for Pike. I've caught my three largest pike, my largest walleye and 90% of my largest Musky running circles.

1) Match your bait to the hook and the hook to the leader. I run 50 lb fluro and use 2/0-3/0 circles and 6-9" suckers. You don't want to run leaders that are so thick they take away action from your live bait. The entire premise around circle fishing is giving the Pike as much of a natural presentation as possible.

2) I'm not going to hijack a thread, but in my experience, I found that running offset circles will lead to more gut hooking. If I buy offset circles and pound them flat. In Wisconsin it's now illegal to run offset circle hooks on any bait 8" or greater.

[mono_mono]

Any chance this discussion is getting a little to scientific/complicated? That or I learned something new today....

[Seamonkey84]

The science is in the mechanics of how a circle hook works. It takes a bit more thought than just grabbing a hook and hoping for the best. It doesn’t help when there isn’t a standard sizing between brands, and lack of education on how the product is suppose to work.