Octopus Circle Hook?

[Uncle_MC]

The ice just melted where I'm at and I'd like to drift fish with lip-hooked live minnows while the water is still in the high-30s-low-40s. I've reviewed many past forum posts on this topic with the search function, and I see that @roadwarrior is often considered the resident expert around here on this type of fishing, and he has recommended Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hooks many times to previous posters.

 

My question is are these hooks considered octopus hooks? Or circle hooks?? I understand that a hook-set is not required with a circle hooks, and is with an octopus hook. So I am confused on if these "hybrid" Octopus Circles require a hookset or not. 

[roadwarrior]

No hookset. Firmly lift your rod and reel quickly

keeping your rod at10:00.

[Uncle_MC]

49 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

No hookset. Firmly lift your rod and reel quickly

keeping your rod at10:00.

Thank you very much, sir. I'm looking forward to getting out and hopefully on some big smallmouth in the coming days with this technique!

[Fishlegs]

It can be hard to resist doing a big hookset, but do it exactly like @roadwarrior said, and the hook will do its job. He knows what he's talking about.

[CrankFate]

I have done great with them with fish that bite the bait in their teeth and then throw it back to chew with the chewing teeth on the insides of their Gill rakes. Fish that inhale with large suction mouths are basically immune circle hooks.

[Deleted account]

9 hours ago, CrankFate said:

Fish that inhale with large suction mouths are basically immune circle hooks.

While I'm not a huge fan of circle hooks, as long as the fish gets the bait and the hook in it's mouth, it will work. Not the hybrid hooks like discussed above, but a true circle non-offset hook with a straight eye, snelled and line passed through the eye. Where they don't work well is with very small fish, where the wire gauge prevents it from setting properly. The bigger the fish and the stronger, faster runoff, the better they work. The really hard part is to just reel and add pressure quickly but smoothly when the fish doesn't, specially for bass guys, most can't seem to help themselves and have to heave back. 

[BrianMDTX]

With mono or YZH on the reel, I have had 95% hookups with Gammy 1/0 circle octopus hooks on wacky rigs. Have had a bit of an issue with lost fish lately with 20# braid to 6 lb leader, but that’s not the fault of the hook. 

 

With non-braid, it’s just as @roadwarrior described. Lift the rod tip up and reel in the slack and the fish sets the hook itself. Normally in the side of the jaw. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 4/1/2021 at 7:15 AM, Uncle_MC said:

My question is are these hooks considered octopus hooks? Or circle hooks?? I understand that a hook-set is not required with a circle hooks, and is with an octopus hook. So I am confused on if these "hybrid" Octopus Circles require a hookset or not. 

Octopus hooks have a bigger rounded gap.  The point facing the shank of the hook at a 90* angle makes it a circle hook.  I think the Octopus Circle is just the most popular today.  The first ones I used years ago for floating bloods were Mutu lights and Nautilus circles which just had a different bend.