I was just wondering how others rig big baits? 1. Around 10" and 2. 10-16" Big gizzards or trout? These baits will be free lines and planets.
I was just reading an article where the person prefers to use treble hooks for larger bait and for the real big baits a treble hook thru nose and another treble hook trailer by the dorsal fin.
Does anyone just use a large kahle hook?
I used to use a treble stinger with an appropriately sized circle through the nose …
Now I just use the circle through the nose …
If a fish is going to hit a gizzard that big it’ll get hooked up … or the gizzard will get stuck in its throat … 
… it’s my Wife’s fault we HAVE to fish !!!
2005 Sea Pro 2100cc / Yamaha 150hp 4-Stroke
I might use a treble stinger if pulling big baits over deeper water but if fishing shallow water, and the treble stinger gets hung up on stickups and then your big bait is gone… consider how many big baits you have to work with… I think a big J-hook in the mouth and out the bridge of his nose should get you adequate results… I’ve hooked quite a few fish outside of the mouth that I would have never hooked with a circle hook. “When” a circle hook sticks a fish, that fish is hooked very good, no doubt… If you get a chance, watch Tim Adrien’s video “Monster Stripers Vol. II” , he pulls big baits without stinger hooks and also makes comments against the use of circle hooks… Who knows how many fish over 30 lbs he has on video and has been part of 2 Striped Bass National Championships…
Team Shad Up & Fish
If you’ve had fun catching fish on the transom bait, you are welcome…
I’ve spent about 85% of my life’s wages on fishing, the rest I just wasted…
Not going to convince me against the use of Circle Hooks …
We’ve caught everything from 20 - 40 pound Stripers to 50 pound Redfish to 100 - 180 pound Tarpons and everything in between … ALL on Circle Hooks …
I’d rather miss the fish than gut hook it and kill it … 
I’m just contributing to the discussions… Everybody has their own reasons for what they use and what they are confident with. An open mind is critical to this game for sure…lol I’ve used circle hooks plenty, but not by choice… That’s How I’ve made the observations that I have. I’m glad you’ve experienced catching those big fish, but so have I. I’ve caught 4 stripers over 30 lbs in tournaments and my largest was 39 lbs. I can’t tell you how much my largest redfish weighed but it was 49 inches long…But oddly enough, this discussion isn’t about the fish caught, where circle hooks are concerned, its more about the fish missed… Do you know why circle hooks were designed? They were designed to help reduce instances of gut hooked fish, not to catch more fish…Do you know why marlin tournaments sometimes give bonus points for releases of fish caught on circle hooks?
Team Shad Up & Fish
If you’ve had fun catching fish on the transom bait, you are welcome…
I’ve spent about 85% of my life’s wages on fishing, the rest I just wasted…
Come on man … LOLOLOL … I know the hows and whys, brother …
I wasn’t trying to be critical - just responding to the comments you originally made … You ended your original post with “If you get a chance, watch Tim Adrien’s video “Monster Stripers Vol. II” , he pulls big baits without stinger hooks and also makes comments against the use of circle hooks… Who knows how many fish over 30 lbs he has on video and has been part of 2 Striped Bass National Championships…”
So I figured size mattered so I responded accordingly …
As for missing fish … I don’t know much about “missing” fish … because I don’t miss very many … I’m not saying that to brag - I’m just saying that as a matter of fact … We simply don’t have that happen all that often and when it does it is more due to our not paying attention to the rods … (you have to look at the rods more than the fish finder … LOLOL )
I think I’ve lost maybe 6 - 10 fish in the last year …
Three of those came at the last tournament and that was my fault …
I always use new hooks for tournaments … Yes, I’ve been called “obsessive” blah blah blah … but as much fishing as we do, changing your hooks out once a month or every other month really isn’t that big a deal … My hooks were last changed out before the December SBC so they were overdue … and I had fish come off as a result …
When I checked the hooks either they were stretched out and/or the barbs were gone … No excuse other than I got lazy and didn’t change them out … well, that and the Postal Service lost my last order of 25 Gamakatsus and I didn’t think to re-order until it was too late …
I’m all for keeping an open mind for sure but I’ve seen more fish come undone due to guys trying to set a J hook than a worn out Circle … Just sayin …
Tight Lines …
I hate circle hooks. I have used them on other people’s boats but they don’t have a place on mine (except for summertime downrods) even then it’s kinda a hybrid circle.
I typically just use 6/0 or 8/0 for big bait. No stingers. Every now and then I may put on on a 14"+ gizzard but only if it’s a tall one. I like fishing long gizzards that aren’t very tall. Have had some discussion about this and think these are male gizzards. Just a guess though.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
115 Evinrude
I have just been using large Kahle hooks, but the idea of trebles on big baits kinda made sense. Sometimes I think the striper mouth a bigger bait to get it positioned right in order to swallow. I think with just a single treble hook thru the nose you might get more hook ups instead of pulling the hook/bait out of there mouth. Its hard to have a little patients when that reel starts screaming and giving them time to get it in there mouth.
Lawcrusher-That is a phenomenal hook up rate! I have lost that many in a weekend of fishing.haha. Im guessing you are just using bluebacks?
Chip hates circle hooks because he’s one of those guys that like to “set” the hook …
It’s not a Tarpon, guys … It’s a Striper … SMH …
BG - we run Shad and Herring in various sizes … I predominately use a 1/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle when pulling boards with 3/0 - 5/0 if we’re pulling bigger baits …
In the summertime when it’s downrod season we scale back to #1 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle or Owner Lightwire Mutu Circles and pull only Herring …
Stripers almost always eat the baits head first so the need for stingers isn’t really that high IMO - but ask 10 anglers the same question and you’ll get 10 answers … The main reason why I don’t use a stinger is because it presents a danger when handling the baits and we almost always have kids on the boat …
If you prefer to use J hooks and you get on someone’s boat that uses circle hooks and you miss a fish, you blame it on their hooks. The opposite is true too.
Missed plenty of fish this year…let me rephrase…plenty of fish have missed us. If a fish hits a bait from behind midway up the bait its hard to hook em no matter what hook you use.
Having said that, Im a big fan of the J hooks…don’t use circles anymore. Gut hooked fish either go home to the fryer or the fish swims away with the hook. Hook rusts away in a couple of days or less anyways.
Team Shad Up & Fish
If you’ve had fun catching fish on the transom bait, you are welcome…
I’ve spent about 85% of my life’s wages on fishing, the rest I just wasted…
Has any one ever brideled bait like we do in salt water? I have always wanted to try but keep forgeting to put the dental floss in my striper boat1! I learned to tie them in Coata Rica with big bonetos.