Crankbait Circle Hook

[Lottabass]

I had 2 goals in mind with this experiment.

Reduce getting hooks in hand.  I have Parkinsons and my hands shake and less feel and strength in my grip.  Been to ER 4 times in the last 3 years for hook removal.

Make it easier to remove a lure when it is in the gullet of a fish.

My fears were that I would hook less fish, or that I would lose fish after they were hooked.  I realize that this is early in this experiment as I have only fished 3 days this spring but the results are promising.  I replaced the trebles on some of my jerkbaits and crankbaits with Gamakatsu Crankbait Circle Hooks.  In the 3 days I fished I caught 17 bass and 2 crappie, all on jerkbaits except for 1 bass on a Frittside Jr.  All had the rear hook firmly in the corner of the mouth.  No big fish, all 12 to 16 inches.  Didn't seem to affect the action of the lures and I hooked and landed everything that bit.  I'm excited to see how this experiment plays out this year.  If it goes south I have plenty of baits with trebles!

 

Size 1 hooks

[Tim Kelly]

I'm impressed! Couldn't imagine you'd hook any of them with circle hooks, normal singles yes, but not circles. I think I'd debarb my trebles before switching to singles though. 

[Lottabass]

2 hours ago, Tim Kelly said:

I'm impressed! Couldn't imagine you'd hook any of them with circle hooks, normal singles yes, but not circles. I think I'd debarb my trebles before switching to singles though. 

@Tim Kelly  I have no experience with circles but read somewhere that they were fish grabbers, even though they don't look like it.  

[RRocket]

This is great! I had been wondering about it since I saw this at Icast and you had mentioned it here.

 

Am really glad it worked out, and seemingly as advertised! 

 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/264572-circle-or-octopus-hooks-on-a-crankbait/#comment-3129493

 

[GRiver]

@Lottabass please keep updating this. I’m not a fan of treble hooks ether. Where did ya get them at, hooks that is. Probably get caught and snagged less too. 

[Lottabass]

@GRiver  OUCH!  I feel your pain!  I got the hooks at Tackle Warehouse.  I will post updates on this experiment and will report good and bad results.  I intend to try these hooks on topwater baits and square bills fished through wood cover.  As they say, we'll see what happens!

[king fisher]

I would suspect you would hook far fewer fish, but land more of the ones you hook. I have tried single J hooks on crankbaits in the past, but have had issues with some crankbaits running correctly with them.  I swap to single hooks on all my inline spinners, spoons, and blade baits.   I find I hook just as many bass, and loose far fewer bass that I hook.  I use circle hooks for live bait, but have never tried them on lures.  Good luck as others have said please keep posting your results.

[RRocket]

The salt water/inshore guys seems like they've pretty much switched to inline hooks...and they're no less fanatical about gear and hookup rates than us...

[RRocket]

I forgot to ask, but I think it's important.

 

How do you size these? Did you just eyeball the treble and pick a similarly sized inline? Did you measure the gapb of the treble and match to inline? Or is it size for size? If your treble is a 1/0, is the inline a 1/0? 

 

Just wondering how these are sized since I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

[Lottabass]

@RRocket I bought size 1, 1/0, 2/0, and 3/0.  I just tried to match the circle to the treble.  I think the circles are a bit larger.  I may have to play around with sizes.

[RRocket]

20 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

@RRocket I bought size 1, 1/0, 2/0, and 3/0.  I just tried to match the circle to the treble.  I think the circles are a bit larger.  I may have to play around with sizes.

 

Disappointed it's not size for size replacement.

 

I'm going ahead and replacing the trebles on all my wake baits.

 

I primarily need a replacement for #6 trebles.

 

By chance did you replace any #6 and what did you use? 

[MeatHead1313]

39 minutes ago, RRocket said:

Disappointed it's not size for size replacement.

 

I'm going ahead and replacing the trebles on all my wake baits.

 

I primarily need a replacement for #6 trebles.

 

By chance did you replace any #6 and what did you use? 

For the regular inlines, Tackle Warehouse has this conversion table on the page for the Owner x strong single hooks. Has worked well for me when changing to inline singles on topwaters for inshore fishing. 

[Lottabass]

@RRocket Next time I order I will get some #2 circle which are probably closer to a #6 treble.   Also, will investigate other brands.  You know how different brands can be different sizes even though they call them the same number.

[RRocket]

47 minutes ago, MeatHead1313 said:

For the regular inlines, Tackle Warehouse has this conversion table on the page for the Owner x strong single hooks. Has worked well for me when changing to inline singles on topwaters for inshore fishing. 

 

Outstanding. Thank you.

28 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

@RRocket Next time I order I will get some #2 circle which are probably closer to a #6 treble.   Also, will investigate other brands.  You know how different brands can be different sizes even though they call them the same number.

Ok. I'll keep my eye out for your continued updates.