# Circle Hooks



## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

I want to use circle hooks more but I have heard that you don't really set the hook. Do I set the hook like normal or do I just pull the line tight?


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## SV_DuckBuster (Sep 18, 2007)

Don't set the hook. Just put tension on the line and reel. Setting the hook while using a circle hook can actually pull the hook out ofthe fish's mouth before the hook has a chance to catch and dig in.

Instead of a hookset (fast motion that jerks the hook and barb through the flesh) the steady pressure of reeling sets the circle hook in place through it's own cam action design. Offset circle hooks work even better for smaller and lighter fish.


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

Thank you so much for the tip, that explains how I lost the shark last time I went fishing.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

for regular redfish and similar sized fish look at the eagle claw L-197 in a 7/0 it is about a 14/0 in other brands

killer sharp and very strong


let em bite and when the tip stays down , just reel em in


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

Mustad all the way


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

I prefer to use gamakatsu octopus circle and regular octopus hooks.


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

Mustad or ProAngler.

Actually, I'm partial to the ProAngler.


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## alant (Dec 7, 2006)

SV_DuckBuster said:


> Offset circle hooks work even better for smaller and lighter fish.


Would you put specs in this category? I bought some circle hooks for my girlfriend to use since she hasn't gotten the hang of setting the hook yet and want her to have more success when fishing.


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## SV_DuckBuster (Sep 18, 2007)

alant said:


> Would you put specs in this category? I bought some circle hooks for my girlfriend to use since she hasn't gotten the hang of setting the hook yet and want her to have more success when fishing.


When bait fishing, yes.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

I have always put my circle hooks in the vise and offset them some out of the package and no need to set the hook sharpen every time you use it .To test your offset put the cicle hook out of the package in the middle of a phone book and pull it out with ease off set it and sharpen and watch it grab on to the pages now emagine a fishs mouth dont make me come out there and show you.lol


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

I like the Mustad circle hooks and also like them off set, plus I like to file off the barbs. I use 16/0 when fishing for bull reds and sharks and you don't lose very many fish because of it. After having to have the doctor remove a hook from my thumb, thank God it was a big 16/0 hook.


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## DANO (May 23, 2005)

bubbas kenner said:


> I have always put my circle hooks in the vise and offset them some out of the package and no need to set the hook sharpen every time you use it .To test your offset put the cicle hook out of the package in the middle of a phone book and pull it out with ease off set it and sharpen and watch it grab on to the pages now emagine a fishs mouth dont make me come out there and show you.lol


LOL,.....true !!


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

I do not offset anymore due to the increase of gut hooked fish. They are intended to hook the fish in the corner of the mouth.


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## saltyfeet (Mar 19, 2009)

yep I tried the offset first then afer i learned how to properly set the hook i started useing regular circle hooks. never gut hook 'em anymore and always get a good hookset in the corner of the mouth. just put light pressure on the line and when the fish runs pull hard enough to run the hook through the flesh.


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## capt. stealth (Jul 7, 2008)

Jump on it! Circle hooks are the way to go. Throw your line out, set it in the rod holder. When your rod lays down or goes slack just reel it in. Game on! :texasflag


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanks for the tip, will try it out next weekend on the surf.


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## Razzorduck (Oct 14, 2005)

Circle hooks all the way for me the last 5 years as well as barbless.
Just tighten up the line till he pulls it down and reel in.
Be sure to leave the gap between the shank and hook point open to allow the hook to rotate properly' Don't bury the point into the bait!


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## gordaskipper (Feb 26, 2010)

*Braid SS Circle hooks...*

_*I use these ones...Braid Mongo SS Circle Hooks*_* .*
*69113 *. . . 13/0
*69114 *. . . 14/0
*69115 *. . . 15/0
*69116 *. . . 16/0
*69117 *. . . 17/0

They are the best I found on Charkbait website 12.99 a pack for four of the 17/0...I have caught everthing with them really big sharks on the Matagorda pier and offshore. Like already mentioned it is best to keep the rod tip up and back behind your head if possible and apply the drag relativley fast to about 1/2 to 3/4 pressure depending on reel/line. Keep the rod tip up and pressure on your fish with no slack line if at all possible. I have watched countless attemps (including myself) with over reaction to the intinial run and trying to burry a hook in a sharks mouth with little success...so dont so what i used too do... let the fish run 10 secounds or more...circle hooks are great the fish usually doesnt get the point like a j-hook and will get in in there mouth deeper before setting occurs if your patient. mustad cirlces are really good they just rust faster however they cost less and are readily available.


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## badbassb (May 23, 2011)

circle hooks are for girls


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

bubbas kenner said:


> I have always put my circle hooks in the vise and offset them some out of the package and no need to set the hook sharpen every time you use it .To test your offset put the cicle hook out of the package in the middle of a phone book and pull it out with ease off set it and sharpen and watch it grab on to the pages now emagine a fishs mouth dont make me come out there and show you.lol


If you offset your hooks be sure to use cable or wire. You can hook sharks deep with offset hooks. Straight circles work fine. But either way they are much better rhan J hooks.


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## Blacktip Shark (Mar 7, 2010)

Razzorduck said:


> Circle hooks all the way for me the last 5 years as well as barbless.
> Just tighten up the line till he pulls it down and reel in.
> Be sure to leave the gap between the shank and hook point open to allow the hook to rotate properly' Don't bury the point into the bait!


X2


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## fishing-guru (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanks for all the tips, they reall y helped and here is the proof. The first red is mine at 29 in. The second is my dad's 21 in. redfish.


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## RayAM2007 (Jun 29, 2008)

How about trying both methods


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

love circles on larger cast baits targeting shark, but still use smaller kahle hooks for whiting/reds... generally not too concerned with mortality rate on fish that will be used as bait and/or food


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## badbassb (May 23, 2011)

look at that surf boy yall r some troopers..  nice job!


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## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

Hey Guru, this was a tip passed on to me from a guy I met fishing the surf: at the bottom of your line, tie a spider weight (the kind with the wire legs that you bend out to look like a ninja climbing hook), two to three feet up from that tie a drop loop or a short staging with a circle hook on it. 

Cast your bait (he was using menhaden) into the second or third gut between the sandbars, and then put your rod into a sand spike, a 4-5 ft piece of 2" pvc pipe (I cut the pipe into one foot sections and duct taped them to 4ft rebar pieces) and stick them down into the sand. Then reel your line down until the rod is bent pretty dramatically, basically as far down as it'll go without pulling the weight out of the sand. Flip on your bait clicker and click your spool release, like you're going to cast, and the clicker will keep tension on the line and keep the line from coming out. 

When a fish happens upon your bait, they'll hit it and keep swimming. That will pull the weight out of the sand, and your rod's already loaded and will set the hook itself. Simply walk down and reel 'er in! He was catching 2' blacktips in the surf less than 100 yds away from where all of my family was swimming! He told me that's how he fishes year round, never gets his baits out deep, just the second or third gut, and sometimes the first one! He's caught bull reds 50"+ !! Good luck, hope this helps!


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

alant said:


> Would you put specs in this category? I bought some circle hooks for my girlfriend to use since she hasn't gotten the hang of setting the hook yet and want her to have more success when fishing.


 You don't "SET" the hook,the pulling motion of the fish rolles it into it's mouth....just hold on and tighten the line...


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## TomCat (Jan 6, 2006)

The biggest mistake new shark fishermen make is jerking the bait out of the shark's mouth before it has time to hook itself. Be patient and give the shark time to eat the bait and the hook time to do its job. 
Good luck.
TC


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## tank8677 (Apr 20, 2010)

badbassb said:


> circle hooks are for girls


i guess we are bunch of girls on here, lmao!!!

i offset my 14/0 and have not missed one bull red or black drum but i have missed a few sharks tho, try not to set hook on the sharks and let them take the bait.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

I've used big circle hooks on surf rods for almost 30 years on texas piers and beaches.
I always OFFSET them before using them, and I ALWAYS set the hook.
I've caught everything that swims near shore in the gulf , Bull Reds, Jack Crevelle, Tarpon, giant stingrays and many Sharks.....Even HUGE trout have picked up my surf rod baits at night and got that big 16/O circle in their mouth.
Setting the hook is very exciting and doesnt hurt a thing........I promise.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

No problem sir but offset hooks are illegal in many tourneys, and twisting the hook to offset it in a vise defeats the purpose of a circle hook anyway. Circle hooks are intended so that a fish hooks itself instead of you doing the hook setting. If you want to cowboy it, be my guest, it's a free world.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

I dont fish for prizes and recognition, I fish for fun.......I wasnt posting information that I read in fishing magazines or saw on tv. This is from living on the gulf coast and fishing the surf my whole life.
IMO offseting a circle hooks defeats nothing...They still do what they are designed to do and thats hook fish in the outter mouth instead of gut or throwt......I speak from experience as it important to release all we catch on those big rods with no hooks still in them.
I offset those circles because it makes them easier to get out, as well better hook ups IMO.
When growing up as a kid with a surf rod, we all used J hooks. So we set the hook and SET IT HARD. Lots of those fish were hooked deep back then and probably didnt survive release. Circle hooks changed that.
So when the circles came out, old habits were hard to break and ask any of my many, many surf rod buddies that grew old with me and they'll all tell you they set the hook and LIKE IT.........Its part of the excitement when you pick up that screaming rod out of the rod holder hopping you dont get your thumb burned to a blister by making a rookie mistake. 
Necessay, maybe not, Its what we do in my circle of friends...
I'm done on this subject..........


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## CAPSIZED (Aug 10, 2004)

I have to agree that setting the hook is part of the fun. In most cases my rods are sitting with a tight drag so that when it starts screeming the hook is pretty much set already but I still like to give it a few pops to make it penetrate through. As far as offsetting? I does make it easier to remove but Im too lazy to do it so most of my setups are not offset.


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## Ishmael (Jun 24, 2011)

*define better*

If you want to say that circle hooks are better than "J" hooks, it depends on a specific definition of "better". They are better at not hooking fish in the gut. They were designed not to hook into anything unless the line and the circular shape of the hook wedge the point in as it is pulled with the lip as fulcrum. They were not designed to get better hook-up ratios. They hook up fine, unless the fish is facing right at you. In that rare case, without offset, it will come right out. Offset, it is more likely to hook up then.

They were designed for fishermen who want or need to catch and release, and who were apparently having trouble with gut hooking their catches. Since there are regulations on what can be kept, the C&R isn't always optional. For C&R, circles are better. How much better depends on how often you gut hook fish with "J" hooks. For me and everybody I have ever fished with, that ain't much.


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

I like my circle hooks yellow as seen here, catchsharks.com


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## Nautique (Sep 24, 2009)

Gamakatsu circles rule, on all fish!


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