Everything You Can Do With A Circle Hook

[Gator Jeaux]

I haven't fished since before I started high school (which was a long time ago). I've spent the entire summer so far researching everything about fishing from the basics of it to very detailed explanations on how to work a jig and such. When I read about different hook types, I was very intrigued by the circle hook. I'm a sport fisherman who loves catch-and-release, only twice on my young fishing trips did I take my catch home (once when I caught my first shark, the other time when my aunt wanted to eat what I caught).

I watch a lot of videos that explain different fishing techniques using all sorts of tackle, but it seems circle hooks are usually saved for discussions specifically on them. I know circle hooks are the ideal choice for catch-and-release fishing, and I want to learn all the options that come with using a circle hook. What rigs will the circle hook work for? What soft bait will work for a circle hook (only thing I've ever seen anyone put on a circle hook is a worm)? Where can you use a circle hook, and where can't you? Are there times when you just can't use a circle hook and it's best to go to something else? Etc.

I hope this thread will really provide a lot of information on circle hooks. Talk about ways you like to use the circle hook. Maybe you've noticed certain disadvantages to it as well as some great advantages. I'll really appreciate the information.

[papajoe222]

I started using circle hooks when my kids were new to the sport. They were either gut hooking the fish or forgetting to set the hook. Circle hooks eliminated both problems when using live bait. I transitioned them and the wife to fishing plastics, but continued using the circle hooks. Now I use them for most of my finess worm presentations from wacky rigs to drop and splitshotting For the big stick worms I've been using cat fish. Circle hooks when wacky rigging. I have to remind myself that it's a circle hook so that I just raise the rod and reel, but it's getting easier to remember as I only use those presentations with spinning gear.

I have tried them when Texas rigging, but found it difficult to rig, even when skin hooking. A hook with a pronounced bend above the barb comes through many snags fairly well if you use the rod to maneuver through them. Reeling with the rod tip high will get you hung.

[jignfule]

IMO, you take away the HOOK-SET, you take away the fishing.

[Gator Jeaux]

I started using circle hooks when my kids were new to the sport. They were either gut hooking the fish or forgetting to set the hook. Circle hooks eliminated both problems when using live bait. I transitioned them and the wife to fishing plastics, but continued using the circle hooks. Now I use them for most of my finess worm presentations from wacky rigs to drop and splitshotting For the big stick worms I've been using cat fish. Circle hooks when wacky rigging. I have to remind myself that it's a circle hook so that I just raise the rod and reel, but it's getting easier to remember as I only use those presentations with spinning gear.

I have tried them when Texas rigging, but found it difficult to rig, even when skin hooking. A hook with a pronounced bend above the barb comes through many snags fairly well if you use the rod to maneuver through them. Reeling with the rod tip high will get you hung.

 

That's some great info! I often wonder why tackle companies don't create a circle hook with a bend on the shank that would be perfect for many soft baits. I find myself wanting to use the Carolina Rig more than the Texas Rig. And Kevin VanDam really got me interested in trying the Double Zulu Rig.

Another thing I was thinking about was using fresh bait from squid and bait fish. I do a lot of saltwater inshore fishing, and the best bait for that is always fresh bait. Around here, that's usually squid or cut-up mackerel. I did find saltwater-specialty circle hooks, so I assume such bait would be perfect on them.

 

[Catch and Grease]

IMO, you take away the HOOK-SET, you take away the fishing.

Exactly, and even with circle hooks you sometimes don't get a good hook set when it comes to bass.... I'll use a octupus hook on a drop shot but not your traditional circle hook with the curved point.

[Gator Jeaux]

Exactly, and even with circle hooks you sometimes don't get a good hook set when it comes to bass.... I'll use a octupus hook on a drop shot but not your traditional circle hook with the curved point.

 

I think you can get a bad hook-set with just about any hook. It all depends on how you're using it.

I'd use octopus hooks on hard bait lures. I know for some soft baits, I'd have to use a J-hook with a bent shank. But for the most part, I'd prefer to use a circle hook with my soft baits.

 

[Catch and Grease]

Yes, obviously its true that every hook isn't gonna work 100% of the time but it seems that circle hooks which are supposed to hook the fish with no hook set don't work well with bass.

I've used them for catfish and saltwater fish and they work great.

[georgeyew]

Yes, obviously its true that every hook isn't gonna work 100% of the time but it seems that circle hooks which are supposed to hook the fish with no hook set don't work well with bass.

I've used them for catfish and saltwater fish and they work great.

 

That's not true. They work very well with bass. I use circle hooks exclusively with my wacky rigs and dropshot rigs. I don't usually swing for the fence when I use normal hooks, so the "no hook set" does not bother me. I am more interested in fighting the fish. Also, I have only lost 2 fish in 3 years of fishing with the circle hooks. Once they are hooked, they rarely are able to throw the hook.

[Gator Jeaux]

Yes, obviously its true that every hook isn't gonna work 100% of the time but it seems that circle hooks which are supposed to hook the fish with no hook set don't work well with bass.

I've used them for catfish and saltwater fish and they work great.

 

I do see more people use circle hooks when saltwater fishing. That's the fishing I mostly grew up doing. I only did freshwater fishing about 3 times.

 

That's not true. They work very well with bass. I use circle hooks exclusively with my wacky rigs and dropshot rigs. I don't usually swing for the fence when I use normal hooks, so the "no hook set" does not bother me. I am more interested in fighting the fish. Also, I have only lost 2 fish in 3 years of fishing with the circle hooks. Once they are hooked, they rarely are able to throw the hook.

 

I agree with you on using it for bass fishing. Right now, I'm watching videos of people bass fishing with circle hooks. I'm not going to find a ton of videos on it because people don't usually specify their hooks when talking about their catches or fishing methods.

That's why I started this thread specifically on circle hooks.

 

[Catch and Grease]

A bass is going to spit a bait the second it feels something unnatural, it can take half a second for a bass to fully bite down on a bait and then spit it out, a circle hook only works good when a fish bites a lure/bait and keeps it in its mouth and turns and swims away, hooking it in the corner of the mouth.

This is why circle hooks work well with live bait and small lures, a bass will hold onto live bait long enough to give a circle hook a chance to work.

But if the bass bites a lure and instantly starts to spit it out you'll never catch him without a hookset.

And I'm sorry but I just find it hard to believe you've only lost 2 fish in 3 years....

But hey, if its working for you that's all that matters. From my experience they are less than ideal for bass fishing

[georgeyew]

And I'm sorry but I just find it hard to believe you've only lost 2 fish in 3 years....

 

 

I've lost many fish with regular hooks and treble hooks, but only 2 on circle hooks. With sickle shape of the hook, once it is hooked around the mouth it is very secure.