Deep Hooking on Circle Hooks

[brandonmccray]

I was catfishing with Magic Bait on  3/0 Eagle Claw circle hooks and was still deep-hooking them. They were extremely subtle biters. I wouldn't even feel most of the bites. I would just see my line slowly moving, set the hook, and get about a 3-4 pound fish. Is the subtlety of the bite causing me to react later, letting them take it in deeper, or something else?

[CookieMonst3r]

With circle hooks, you don't need to set the hook. Just keep you rod kinda low, and start reeling. Doing this I have never gut hooked a fish (at least 200 caught) with circle hooks.

[DawsonH]

try something that doesn't have an offset, that may help. You are also correct in that missing the bite for a while is helping to cause this.

[SmokeRise1]

If you have your drag really loose it will give the fish time to swallow the hook.  I keep my drag tight when going for cats.  They pick up the bait and as soon as they swim away, the slack goes out of the line and the circle hook drops right into the corner of their mouth and sets itself.  I don't see the line move, I see the rod bending over.  Best so far this year is an 8lb bullhead on nightcrawlers.  That's pretty big for my little lake.

[Busy]

As everyone else has said, the circle hook should do the work for you on cats.  Keep the slack out of your line and your rod a bit lower.  I make my own rod holders as I don't like mine sticking straight up and down.  Cats literally inhale bait.  If theres slack in the line the hook will go further in them than you want.

[DawsonH]

If you caught an 8lb bullhead then you d**n near caught the world record. You should check for your state record for sure, i would bet good money you broke it.

[SmokeRise1]

I guess it was a flathead and not a bullhead.  I need to learn the difference.

[dave]

Maybe a large hook?

[brandonmccray]

Thanks to you all for the advice. My line was a bit slack. I'll be better prepared next time.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

Deep hooking is actually how my dad catches his cats, we eat all the cats, crappie, gill, and walleye he catches.  From my experience, it doesn't take long for them to get it down, once they start to run, chances are it's been swallowed.  This is my observation on mud and bluecats.  Appaloosa seem to be a little more finicky and don't swallow baits as fast.

[Crestliner2008]

As has been said here, keep the drag relatively tight until you're fighting the fish. That's no. 1. Next, are you using "In-Line" circle hooks or "off-set" style? Loose the off-sets and get yourself some of these in-lines; your lip hook-up ratio will be improved dramatically.

Two more things, one of which has been mentioned: Do NOT set the hook! Just lift the rod and start to reel. Adjust your drag at that point (lessen it) and you're home free! 90%+ will be lip hooked. To facilitate hook removal, crimp down the barbs. Not needed with this style of hook.