octopus hooks

[blue mule]

picked some up today. thought i might use 'em on tip ups. anyone use 'em? pros, cons. just curious.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Best hooks i've ever used. I use 3/0 for pike and bass, and the small ones for trout.

There sharp, durable, and last forever.

[coopd3ville]

I have used them on open water with good results so I just picked up some size 3, 4 and 5 for this season. Can't wait to get out and try them out.

[lives2fish]

Best hooks you can get for the ice, Here's why...When aflag goes up, it takes you some time to get to the hole. So a fish has the time to swallow the hook. With the circle hooks, when you set the hook it is designed to turn in the fishes mouth to catch the corner of the mouth. I have been using them for three seasons now and have yet to see one swallow the hook, and my hook up ratio has dramatically increased. The only difference is when setting the hook, dont yank the hook as you would with a traditional style hook. If a fish is spooling on you all you need is sharp flick of the wrist, THATS IT. I see alot of guys who try them and set the hook like their trying to send the fish airborn. They just need the wrist snap..they are very sharp and penetrate easily. Yank too hard and you'll lose them.
Hope this helped you out. Good luck and be safe

[JokersWild]

Ok, you guys all need to get on the same page.  An "octopus" is a style of hook, as is a "circle."  They are very different.  Also, many hook companies produce hooks in both of these styles so sharpness, hook finish, strength, yada yada, will all vary.  Just trying to get everyone aligned here.

[lives2fish]

Ok, you guys all need to get on the same page.  An "octopus" is a style of hook, as is a "circle."  They are very different.  Also, many hook companies produce hooks in both of these styles so sharpness, hook finish, strength, yada yada, will all vary.  Just trying to get everyone aligned here.

Actually that is not correct.

Please understand that I am not trying to be a jerk. Alot of people make that mistake.
Just rying to get everyone aligned here

[dkfry]

A octopus is a style of hook which is mainly designated by the shank and eye designs. They make plain "Octopus" hooks as well as octopus circe hooks. I don't like circle hooks so I only use them when mandated. I use octopus or mosquito (depends on manufacturer) that have a thin wire diameter on many of my spoons. Currently using Owner Mosquito hooks.

Standard Octopus hooks. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20291&rid=&indexId=cat20291&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat20291&id=0039250

Octopus Circle hooks. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20291&id=0030840116607a&navCount=4&podId=0030840&parentId=cat20291&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20291&hasJS=true

[Barleydog]

I use octopus hooks for pike and octopus circle hooks for set lines/burbot, (good for those fish who like to swallow the hook.)

[johnnyb]

I've only ever used Gamakatsu Octopus hooks on my tip-ups...and have been thinking about going with circle-hooks...the only thing stopping me is that the regular octopus hooks work extremely well, so I don't know that I need to fix something that isn't broken.

[nbourque]

I use the Gamakatsu regular octopus hooks exclusively. The are razor sharp and very light. I don't care for circle hooks in general because I don't feel comfortable "not" setting the hook. I feel I lose alot more fish this way.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

i used the circle hooks a few times, and will never use em again... never lost so many fish before.

[johnnyb]

Pike Fisherman -- was this thru the ice?  My only experience with circle hooks was for catfish on open water...they take the bait, you pull steadily and hook'em perfectly every time...

[JokersWild]

Actually that is not correct.
(Image removed from quote.)
Please understand that I am not trying to be a jerk. Alot of people make that mistake.
Just rying to get everyone aligned here

Ok then, go ahead and use those terms interchangeably.  I, and most literate fisherman, will continue to understand that there is a difference between "circle" hooks and "octopus" hooks.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Pike Fisherman -- was this thru the ice?  My only experience with circle hooks was for catfish on open water...they take the bait, you pull steadily and hook'em perfectly every time...

Yep it was, tried just about everything for hooks sets, and was running about 50/50. A couple people mentioned there not designed for pike, so maybe that has something to do with it. I know people love em', but that goes with everything, Toyota or Chevy, 308 or 30-06, dog or cat, just not for me.

[lives2fish]

Ok then, go ahead and use those terms interchangeably.  I, and most literate fisherman, will continue to understand that there is a difference between "circle" hooks and "octopus" hooks.

Again, no disrespect but literate is the ability to read, if you the read the label on the picture i posted for you it says very clearly octopus circle hooks.

[Bout-Time]

I use the Eagle Claw offset circle hooks and love them. Increased my hook-ups right off the bat, but yeah you have set the hook lighter.

[JokersWild]

Again, no disrespect but literate is the ability to read, if you the read the label on the picture i posted for you it says very clearly octopus circle hooks.

Literate also means: " Knowledgeable or educated in a particular field or fields" (such as fishing, particularly as it pertains to tackle.)  I understand that you mean no disrespect, but, why don't you read a little bit more about the different styles of hooks, at least more than one brand.  I guess I will digress and state that normally "octopus" style hooks are any hooks that are short shanked and often are made with an offset and an upturned eye, but not always.  And circle hooks will always have the point of the hook pointed back, perpendicular, to the shank of the hook and will normally not be offset as it will compromise the hooks ability to slide out of a fishes throat.  I guess a circle hook will generally be an octopus hook but an octopus hook does not necessarily mean it will be a circle hook, as you are stating it seems, since you have only called me wrong and showed a picture of a gamy package without description of how I am.  That being said i am a fan of octopus hooks for steelhead, smallie, walleye, trout, and salmon fishing but mostly open water.  If you plan to use octopus OR circle hooks they generally work best when snelled to keep the hook positioned correctly to carry out its intended task(sliding out of the throat and catching the corner of the mouth in the case of the circle hook, and maintaining maximum knot strength without compromising the strength of the leader.)  Of course this is my two cents.

[icehousepsycho]

I just got some more today.  I use small sizes for panfish and larger sizes on tip-ups.  The fish hook themselver with these hooks.  They are usually always in the corner of the mouth, too.  They don't get gut-hooked with this style hook.

[johnnyb]

The fish say that Octopus hooks TASTE GREAT, but circle hooks are LESS FILLING       Pike Fisherman...I think that the pike's mouths may in fact have something to do with it.  At this point, however, I'm gonna "stick" with my traditional (read: non-circle) Gamakatsu Octopus hooks. 

[stormtrooper]

Pike Fisherman -- was this thru the ice?  My only experience with circle hooks was for catfish on open water...they take the bait, you pull steadily and hook'em perfectly every time...

True "circle" hooks work great for big catfish and stripers.There is no hookset with a circle hook.Hookset will only cause lost fish. IMO circles and any single hook for that matter are no good for Pike,Pickeral, and Musky.I learned to use quick-strike rigs through In-fishermen 15 years ago.I stopped losing fish. Because the pike in SE PA are not huge, I only use one small 12 or 14 "double hook".Kinda like a treble but with one less hook.I hook the shiner in the head or back with one barb.This leaves the other exposed.Strike fast.no waiting. I see no need to set tip-ups a mile away.I set them within 20ft of each other and catch multiples all the time. set hook immediatly.Double hooks and quick-strike rigs have more hooks for higher hook %. Having more smaller hooks is better than one big one.I often hook toothy fish in the side of the face with these rigs.Single hooks pull out very easily on the gaping mouths of toothy predator fish.

[salmon stalker]

Octopus hooks and circle hooks are very similar however the angle on the hook point and the shape of the hook is a little different, they changed the angle and gap between hook couple degrees, other than that they are almost the same.

I have been using them exclusively for the last couple years. Once you get the hang of using them they work wonders. No more setting the hook hard, nice little pull. Also letting them run a little longer than normal works well.

Some people will say they have less hook ups using them and that is because they did not do what I just mentioned.

Great hooks

[Catdslpwr]

I used to have them on my tip ups and then my brother borrowed an put triple hooks on them. Thanks bro

[Keeper Reaper]

Octopus or, I'm hooked on using Kahle style hooks the last few years. The wider bait holder shape on bend, somewhat inward point and offset shank allow it to be used similar to an octopus. If a long runner swallows it you still end up with a side lip hook set 99% of the time. Don't loose many fish or throat hook em' either.  2/0 or 3/0 good bass and larger for toothie critters

[tubby jr]

Best hooks you can get theres no cons there perfect for using a tipup there sharp and the hook the fish great.