fished price’s inlet on new year’s eve with a good buddy. caught about 10 redfish with the largest at 20". all carolina rigged with mudminnows. most interesting was this 18" with a broken stringer hanging out of his lower jaw. caught several others with leaders hanging out of their throats but must have been no fun dragging this thing around! mike
That’s his lip piercing… all the redfish kids are doin it these days 
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Tarpon 160os
That a north chuck fish!
Curious but since you mentioned the cut leaders, since using circle hooks I’ve had more gut hooked reds than ever before. Anyone else?
Wow that fish is fortunate that you found him!
Fred67, maybe try shortening your leader, or increasing your sinker weight? I don’t fish with bait much anymore but when I did I rarely if ever gut hooked one using a circle. Make sure they are non-offset, and sized right. Once they feel the hook they usually turn, thus setting the hook in the corner of the mouth. Sounds like your fish don’t know they are hooked thus the hook gets beyond the crushers. Just a thought.
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A circle hook is designed to be swallowed and then slide out of the gut and throat and set int he corner of the mouth. Gut or deep hooked circles in my experience are from off set or bent circle hooks or setting the hook like a “J” hook. Once I stopped setting the hook with circle and either let them go til it bit or just picked it up and started reeling I don’t think I have gut hooked a fish with a true circle in about 4 years.
“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- www.SCKayakfishing.com
www.lowcountryflyshop.com
Tarpon 160os
Carolina rig with no more then 6 inch leader will help prevent gut hooks.
Stonoman
What an interesting catch this was. That fish should be called lucky in many ways.
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quote:
Originally posted by stonomanCarolina rig with no more then 6 inch leader </font id=“red”> will help prevent gut hooks.
Stonoman
Second one to mention the short leader</font id=“red”>. That is the key!! You’re very unlikely to gut hook a fish with a non-offset circle hook on a 6" leader.
Amazing that that fish was still eating with the stringer hanging out of his mouth. Those Reds are tough!
I always had this problem prior to switching to gamakatsu 3/0-4/0 NON-offset hooks, now when using bait, i rarely gut hook a fish. Offset circle hooks seem pretty counter-intuitive. Also, remember to keep all slack out of the line as well.