Circle Hooks For Wacky Rigging

[J Francho]

I know this has been done before....

But I really only want to hear from those that use them, and have greater success using them than other style hooks.

I'm not interested in a debate about what is better, just wondering how the whole technique is applied, from rod and reel, line, knot, cover and hookset.

[roadwarrior]

Drop shot is the perfect application. Rarely a gut

hook and almost never a thrown look. No need to

worry about "feeling the bite" either. More generally,

other soft plastics are usually nose hooked rather

than rigged wacky.

8-)

[J Francho]

Thanks Kent.  I'm really only specifically interested in circle hooks for wacky rigging.  Nothing, absolutely nothing would convince me to change the way I drop shot, LOL.

So I'm clear, I'm not necessarily interested in using these hooks myself.  I'm just interested in how those that have success using them do it.

[Paul Roberts]

I know this has been done before....

But I really only want to hear from those that use them, and have greater success using them than other style hooks.

I'm not interested in a debate about what is better, just wondering how the whole technique is applied, from rod and reel, line, knot, cover and hookset.

Well...all I can say is there is (supposed to be) no hookset. You can edit that out.

But what do I know, I only tried it once, with 4" Zoom finesse worms and a #6 Gammy circle. I never hooked a fish. Line would move out...I'd FREAK! I would have been better off using a forked stick for my rod I think.

PM the Wacky King himself, WayneP, if he doesn't pop in.

[I.rar]

Thanks Kent. I'm really only specifically interested in circle hooks for wacky rigging. Nothing, absolutely nothing would convince me to change the way I drop shot, LOL.

So I'm clear, I'm not necessarily interested in using these hooks myself. I'm just interested in how those that have success using them do it.

how do you dropshot? if you dont mind me asking.

[J Francho]

PM the Wacky King himself, WayneP, if he doesn't pop in.

LOL, already have a dialog going. 

how do you dropshot? if you dont mind me asking.

Start your own thread, dude!  ;D

http://www.richz.com/fishing/articles/dropshot.html

[I.rar]

excellent article. one of the better or best ive read on the DS.

thanks.

[SudoomFisher]

I've been using 1/0 gamakatsu circle hooks this year on 5 inch senkos. Usually just tighten the line with the rod and then start reeling to set the hook. Was using with o-rings and without them through the summer and felt like success didn't change much when not using the o-rings. Used a Shakespeare rod that has a pretty soft tip and 6 pound trilene fluorocarbon line. Probably going to up it to 8 pound test next year so I get less break offs when fighting bigger fish, but that is mostly from my inexperience. Cant imagine to much change in technique other then remembering not to put to much pressure on the hook set. 

[Hammer 4]

I also nose hook plastics, but 80% of the time, I wacky rig em...imho circle hooks are the only way to fly, due to what RW said re: gut hooked ect.

Drop shot is the perfect application. Rarely a gut

hook and almost never a thrown look. No need to

worry about "feeling the bite" either. More generally,

other soft plastics are usually nose hooked rather

than rigged wacky.

8-)

[Hammer 4]

Re: your line, try Yozuri Hybrid Ultrasoft 6 lb in green mist. RW swears by it, now I do too. After using it for almost 6 mos...I have nothing bad to say about it. BTW, 6lb test's out to break at almost 12 lbs IIRC.

Sorry for the OT..

I've been using 1/0 gamakatsu circle hooks this year on 5 inch senkos. Usually just tighten the line with the rod and then start reeling to set the hook. Was using with o-rings and without them through the summer and felt like success didn't change much when not using the o-rings. Used a Shakespeare rod that has a pretty soft tip and 6 pound trilene fluorocarbon line. Probably going to up it to 8 pound test next year so I get less break offs when fighting bigger fish, but that is mostly from my inexperience. Cant imagine to much change in technique other then remembering not to put to much pressure on the hook set.

[Tin]

LOL! Not the way you planned on having it go.

[flechero]

John,

I had success, but can't say any greater success... 

After my shoulder surgery I used circle hooks for wacky, c-rig and flukes.  I was pushing the time frame my Dr. gave but figured with no hooksets I'd be ok.  ...lol  Anyway, the circle hooks worked pretty good...  only problems I had were forgetting and setting the hook. 

One thing I did notice was that o-rings and hitchhikers made circle hooks and soft plastic get along very well. 

[rboat]

I tried the circle hooks and special wacky hooks, but did not like them. The bass around here would swallow it all before you could feel it or set the hook. I went back to ewg for wacky and now hook each one right in the top lip.

[Tokyo Tony]

I know a lot of folks use circle hooks for wacky rigging stick baits. It's not for me. Perhaps the most exciting moment of senko fishing is the hook set! Why deprive yourself?

I can understand if you're gut hooking a lot of fish. However, using bright yellow braid, a sensitive rod, and paying attention to the line will almost guarantee that no bite goes unnoticed, which eliminates the gut hooking problem.

I use the Gammy finesse wide gap weedless wacky hooks (not sure what they're actually called). Very strong, sharp, and you can set the hook nice and hard with them. The only complaint I have is that the weed guard needs a lot of adjustment after it gets worn down. The only hooks superior to these, in my opinion, are the owner weedless wacky hooks. However, I can never seem to find them, and the biggest size they make is 1/0. I prefer 2/0.

John, I know this isn't exactly the info you're looking for, but don't be tempted by the circle hooks unless you want to deprive yourself that exciting split second - the hook set  8-)

[Bassn Blvd]

I caught over 20 bass today on Senkos.  I didn't wacky rig them but I did use circle hooks. 2/0.  Everyone was lip hooked except one.

[J Francho]

Thanks for all the replies, guys.  Like I said, I have my own style of fishing these, but wanted to hear about alternatives that would possibly aid a beginner.

I caught over 20 bass today on Senkos. I didn't wacky rig them but I did use circle hooks. 2/0. Everyone was lip hooked except one.

Care to share the details, like rod power/action, line, brand/size hook?  That sounds like a pretty excellent ratio.

[Fishing Rhino]

I prefer the circle hooks for wacky rigging, with only an exception or two.  One exception is when I wacky rig on a Jackall wacky jig head, or something similar.

Another is drop shotting, though I have given some thought to trying a circle hook for wacky rigging a drop shot.

I hesitate to do so simply because of the smaller sized hooks used in drop shotting.  I'm quite likely wrong, but it looks like too small of a gap would result between the bait and the tip.

So, it's more of a mental block than anything.

In addition, I only head hook finesse worms which leaves the business part of the hook wide open.

For baits like the flappin hog, craws, and even the Fat Ikas, I prefer to run the hook through the centerline of the body of the bait for a half to three quarters of an inch, then out the side.

This puts the nose of the bait close to or slightly over the eye of the hook.

Yes, amazingly it will work with a 1/0 hook on a Fat Ika.

I've tried nose hooking those baits, but don't seem to get the same productivity.

Sorry for the aside.  The most difficult thing for me is to remember not to "set" the circle hook for the first few casts, when I haven't been wacky worming for a day or two, or more.

Most hooksets are in the corner of the mouth.  The other thing is, when you feel the weight of the fish, by just reeling, you do not yank the bait out of the fish's mouth.

The fish can still get a better purchase on the bait.

With the other hooks, the tendency is to let the fish take the bait for a brief period to make sure they've taken it far enough to hook them.

That short pause results in more gullet hooked fish.  Not a problem once you master the technique of turning the hook, but still not desirable.

Which has a better hook up ratio?  I don't notice a distinct advantage either way.  Some will say the circle hook is better, others say the regular hook is better.

My feeling is that it's not so much that one is better than the other.  It's that one or the other is better suited to a particular anglers style of fishing.

Long liners and tub trawlers switched to circle hooks thirty or so years ago, and their catch rates went up dramatically.

But, and this is the big but, there is no one to set the hook in that style of fishing.

My take is that if you are a bang bang, quick reflex type of fisherman, the regular hook could serve you better.

If you're more of the feel, give 'em a second or two with the bait type of fisherman, the circle hook might suit you better.

I don't think there is a one size fits all when it comes to hooks, and other aspects of fishing.

[J Francho]

My take is that if you are a bang bang, quick reflex type of fisherman, the regular hook could serve you better.

Thanks Tom, I was hoping for your reply.  Sounds like I'll just have to evaluate the needs of my guests, and use the appropriate solution.

[Fishing Rhino]

My take is that if you are a bang bang, quick reflex type of fisherman, the regular hook could serve you better.

Thanks Tom, I was hoping for your reply. Sounds like I'll just have to evaluate the needs of my guests, and use the appropriate solution.

I took a fellow fishing with me this summer, on my favorite pond.  He's the nephew of the lady who allows me access through her property.

He grew up in Westport but now works as a civilian contractor at a military base in Jacksonville, Fl.

The stuff he had brought to use for fishing was pretty sorry stuff, so I rigged a couple of my poles for him to use.

I had experimented with a combination of two worms in contrasting colors on a circle hook.

The first was threaded through the center of the head then out the side an inch or so from the head.

Then, I put a smaller worm in a contrasting color wacky style on the hook.

His casting was quite unorthodox, but he was reasonably accurate, distance wise.  Direction was hit or miss, but on this pond that is not critical.

In two or three hours, he caught close to twenty fish on that rig.  All he did was cast and retrieve.  He did not twitch the rod or impart any action to the baits on the hook

When he got a hit, he just kept reeling.

For the first hour and a half, he kicked my butt, doing nothing more than any first time fishing person would do.  Throw out the bait and retrieve it at the same speed, every time.

I finally passed him in count during the last hour of fishing. 

His comment was, "This is too easy."

Thanks for your nice comment.  I may be older, but I'm not set in my ways.  There is always a better mousetrap.

The ability to adapt to changing circumstances is key, whether it be in life, or fishing.

Sometimes hard to distinguish between the two.

[J Francho]

For the first hour and a half, he kicked my butt

In the circumstances you describe, I'd say, "job well done." That you were able to turn it around, and clip his wings later is just icing.