Has anyone tried circle hooks? I was going to try them on the river next week.
woody
they are cool. try a 1/0 or bigger with a bait, run the point back into the bait a little bit. DON’T JERK when you get a bite, let the fish run and it’ll hook up. use the ‘laser sharp’ brand if you can find them.
DillyDally
-19’ Cat-
I use circle hooks, and I like them, but it was really hard getting used to not setting the hook esp. on stripers.
I was taught to catch stripers by an older man who drilled, “to catch a striper, when you set the hook you have to try to rip their lips off!”
Just a side note there is no set standard for sizes on circle hooks.
a 4/0 in one brand may equal a 1/0 in another brand and a 1/0 circle hook can’t be compared to the size of a 1/0 standard hook.
I have had stripers swallow circle hooks, but most where hooked in the side of the mouth. I’d have to say I’ve gotten LESS gut hooks by using circle hooks with live bait
Yankee sand flea on a Southern beach.
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When live baiting i normally end up with slack in my line due to the water moving, so i end up reeling more than snatching, which is how i was taught to striper fish also. I hope to prevent the swallowed hooks. I am going to try them next week if the river gets right. I will let you know how I do.
I also use circle hooks for freelines and night fishing(i am not a cut bait fan). They work great but you have to learn not to set the hook, this is tough to do. With freelines/planer boards it is not that hard but when sitting still and watching them it is hard not to set the hook. I also use them in saltwater when fishing for reds and sharks in the harbor and I really like the way the hook always ends up in the corner of the mouth.
Again DO NOT TRY AND SET THE HOOK.
1999 Sea Pro 210cc
Suzuki 225 EFI