Reds Swallowing Circle Hooks ??

Saltwater Inshore Discussion
1

Last Fall while fishing for reds, I had problems with reds (particularly the smaller reds) swallowing the circle hooks I was using.
The medium to larger slot size fish & over were not swallowing the circle hooks.
I think I was using 3/0 to 4/0 Gamagatsu circle hooks.

Any ideas on what was the cause of this? Switch to larger or smaller hooks maybe?

Will be starting back up this weekend and would like to “remedy” that situation from happening this year.

2

If the line is tight they will not swallow the hook.U can not leave the line out with a mess of slack in it.

Stonoman

3

Lines were not slack, but the rods were in holders.
It may be that the smaller reds did not bite as hard and were not “detected” on the line as soon as the larger fish were.

Thanks for your response. I’ll make sure to keep a check on that next time.

4

had the same thing happend today. Caught 7 reds, all mixed sizes, but every time i go, the smaller reds (13-18 inch) categogry fish swallow the circle!

Insert Funny Line Here

5

I had a lot of fish swallow 3-0 circle Owner hooks last year. Rarely had this happen with the 2-0 or 4-0 hooks. I stopped using 3-0.

6

We use 1/0 - 2/0 daiichi circle. These have landed 35"+ fish… No need for bigger hooks

Insert Funny Line Here

7
quote:
Originally posted by 4JS

…I think I was using 3/0 to 4/0 Gamagatsu circle hooks…

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>I use 5/0 for small reds and 7/0 for large. The reds can handle that size with no problem.

Also, some circle hooks have slight offsets. I test the hooks by pulling them between two fingers. If it grabs you, it will grab the fishes gut. Keep your palm flat and pull the hook between two fingers. Obviously you don’t pull the hook too fast. :wink:

8
quote:
Originally posted by TyOneOn
quote:
Originally posted by 4JS

…I think I was using 3/0 to 4/0 Gamagatsu circle hooks…

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>I use 5/0 for small reds and 7/0 for large. The reds can handle that size with no problem.

Also, some circle hooks have slight offsets. I test the hooks by pulling them between two fingers. If it grabs you, it will grab the fishes gut. Keep your palm flat and pull the hook between two fingers. Obviously you don’t pull the hook too fast. :wink:

I’m with you on the larger hooks. They are less likely to gut hook with the larger hooks. I’ve caught Whiting on a 7/0 circle, so don’t worry about the hook being to big. (I wasn’t fishing for Whiting with the 7/0, in case you were wondering [:0])

9
quote:
Originally posted by pawayne

…I wasn’t fishing for Whiting with the 7/0…

Man, if I caught a 'whitening' big enough to grab a 7/0... I'd be bragging! :smiley:

I’m not sure if it’s better to go bigger with the hooks or smaller but… just passing along my experience, I go as big as I can. The offset (even if it’s just the tip of the hook) has definitely caused me problems. I haven’t used the offset hooks for years. And I test the ones that I use like I talked about above. Hooks can get bent inadvertently.

PS I caught a 22" whiting while surf fishing, some years back. I’m pretty sure it was on a 5/0 circle.

10

mutus, ssw and octopus circles are garbage for inshore redfish, imo. Use a large non offset standard bend circle hook with a fixed weight close to hook and have your boat positioned where your bait is downwind/current. Sometimes its unavoidable as they are so ravenous, I even gut hooked a tailer on a topwater fly recently.

11

Use a shorter leader.
Hook size depends on the bait you’re using, not the fish you’re trying to catch

12
quote:
Originally posted by feather thrower

Use a shorter leader.
Hook size depends on the bait you’re using, not the fish you’re trying to catch

X2

Karma is 360 degrees

13
quote:
Originally posted by feather thrower

…Hook size depends on the bait you’re using, not the fish you’re trying to catch

Ummmm... so the next time I'm fishing for tarpon and only have menhaden on the smaller size, I should move down from 7/0 to 4/0?
14

My experience it all comes down to slack in the line. If you keep the rods in the holders you probably have slack but don’t realize.

15

X2 on the non-offset circle hooks. Why do they even sell them with offset? I can’t figure that out.

2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”

16

i use 4/0 to 7/0 offsets. i feel that redfish are not fended off by a larger hook and that the offset allows the hook to be more true and parallel with the line for better hook ups…but that may just be my imagination. never really have problems with spots swallowing those hooks.

256 Sea Fox cc
twin onehundredfiftys