# Favorite Shark Hooks & Setting the Hook



## JCSHEPHE (Jun 4, 2012)

I think I finally have all this figured out thanks to 2CoolFishing. I am very ready for my trip down to the coast.

A few last questions:

You can find find and you can find bait, but if you cant get the proper hookset you are no better than not finding the bait or finding the fish.

With this being said I have always used J hooks in either a single or tandem rig. I always leave my reel set in the holder with the lightest drag possible without the current and waves taking out the line. When a shark hits I generally freespool it for about 20 seconds, let them suck it down and then hardcore set it a few times.

I am unsure if this method will work in the waves and seaweed in TX. I am thinking that the drag has to be fairly tight for the current and waves not to take line out?

How many of you use circles and how many use Js? 

With a circle are you literally just using the same drag setting for hookup as you are when fighting the fish and letting it set itself upon strike? Or are people using J hooks and doing the same thing I do?

For those of you that use circles are you just using one massive circle? Where do you get a circle with a gap wide enough to accomodate a BIG OLE sharks mouth? Do you offset them or bend them to make the gap wider? 

How are you attaching a big bait slab to a circle hook and are short strikes a problem? Does anybody bridle the bait to leave the hook exposed? 

OR once again do people just use J hooks like I have in the past?

Thank ya!!


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

I started using circle hooks 2 yrs ago for everything I fish for including sharks. I've had more hookups, less break-offs and don't really worry about the drag setting too much. Most of the time, the waves, current and weed will bring your line in rather than out and determine your drag setting. Use a decent size spider type weight to keep your bait where you cast it or drop it with a yak. The beauty of the circle hook for sharks is they will try to swallow the bait but won't get gut hooked because the circle will slide right out of their throat and hook the corner of their mouth with any force applied on the line. I always do a "finesse" hook set just to make sure before i start reeling. Whatever hooks you use, pay attention to where the hookup is and I think you will be convinced circles are the way to go. They comes in all sizes.


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## surfisher (Mar 8, 2012)

:texasflagx2 on that surfguy circle hooks are they way to go especialy the surf you would really be suprised what a10-12 0/0 hook would catch. i have landed at least 40 lb bull reds and some nice 5' sharks.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I use Mustad 16/0 circle hooks and usually a large bait this helps to keep the slimmers off most of the time.


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## surfisher (Mar 8, 2012)

:texasflagmy big rigs will run min 17/0 and up and yes those bigger baits will keep those slimmers off .


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

I'm also thinking of trying circle hooks on the surf, but last time I went out, they all ran the line towards shore. What is the best way to handle this problem?


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## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)

surfisher said:


> :texasflagmy big rigs will run min 17/0 and up and yes those bigger baits will keep those slimmers off .


Listen to surf fisher! He knows what he's talking about. :slimer:


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## railcar (Apr 15, 2011)

16 and 20 circle hooks is what I use for sharks and redfish . If they run towards the beach the weight will set the hook for you most of the time.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I don't know what type of weight you were using, but don't forget to set your spider weight so that it wound roll with the current.


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## surfisher (Mar 8, 2012)

:texasflagalso in order of setting your weight you need to bend the spiders out and then theends up that will allow your weight to set in the sand.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

14/0 Mustad circle hooks for my mono rigs. I think most people use hooks (and baits) way too big. Anything with the steel cable gets an 18/0 or an appropriately sized J hook but I rarely use anything but the mono leaders. No setting of the hooks with circles.


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## surfisher (Mar 8, 2012)

Yes you are right jj as I stated above you would be suprised what 10and12/0 circle hooks would catch. Hope this went thru on my phone.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

surfisher said:


> Yes you are right jj as I stated above you would be suprised what 10and12/0 circle hooks would catch. Hope this went thru on my phone.


I remember several years ago there was the "Madfin" catch & release shark tournament on VS channel. Most of those guys were using what I'd consider tiny circle hooks and bringing in monsters. That's an eye opener.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I haven't fished much in a year,and most of my sharks have been caught while BTB fishing. I usually fish with 14/0 or 16/0 mustad hooks, and I don't catch as many of those slimmers.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

It really has nothing to do with what size fish you can catch on a given size of hook. I've caught bull reds and bull black drum on number 1 hooks on my bait rod. I've caught large jacks on jig heads with 2/0 hooks.

The difficulty with fishing small circles from the surf is the size bait you can fish with them. For circles to work, the hook has to have a lot of exposure. If you take a large bait, and pin a small circle hook to it, chances are you are going to throw a lot of those baits off because of the force of the cast.

Fishing out of a boat or kayak, you don't have to really muscle a cast. You just lob the bait out, thus you can use smaller hooks.

When I'm BTB fishing, I use hooks from 12/0 to 14/0. When surf fishing, I use 16/0 to 20/0. I can get enough of the larger hooks in my baits that I don't have to worry about throwing a bait off on the cast.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

I can't imagine casting a bait big enough to require a 20/0 circle hook, I'd be yakking that bad boy out.


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## surfisher (Mar 8, 2012)

Finally got me another yak for the surf it will be taken my big lines out the others cast pretty good.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

justletmein said:


> I can't imagine casting a bait big enough to require a 20/0 circle hook, I'd be yakking that bad boy out.


Maybe I should have clarified a bit more. The 20/0s are used in my larger shark baits, and they are kayaked out.

The only other time I use the 20/0 circles is when BTB fishing, and the bull reds get very aggressive. There are times, when they are feeding competitively, that they grab a bait and immediately swallow it and are hooked deep, even when using circle hooks. I've found when they get like that, I can usually go to a 20/0 and keep them from swallowing the bait.


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