Circle Hooks

[allout]

I've been using circle hooks for catfish for a few years now, they're great for live bait and they set themselves but ive tried them with bass and even trout and
havent had much luck, i just can't get a good hookset, i dont know, maybe im pulling it out of theyre mouth , has anyone else had the same results or is it just me?

 

[SpurHunter]

I hear told by the experts on here that the most important thing with circle hooks is to never set the hook, but just reel, never jerk. That may be why no-one uses them for bass except when using live bait?

 

[Liveliner]

Circle hooks are the best way to go for all fish with the exception of Gar.  You just need a rope for them.  If you let the bass run you should be able to catch it with no problem.  However if you have been watching too much Bill Dance, You probably try to set the hook by instinct. Sometimes a bass can grab a bait, shake it then spit it.  A circle hook will not hook in that situation.  One of the big problems I see with people trying to use Circle hooks is that they do not know how to load them with bait.  That may be your problem using them while fishing for trout.  For Trout I try to cover the hook, But that defeats the design of the Circle hook.  When you bait a circle hook you must keep the gap between the point and the shank clear and unrestricted.  In fact an area inside the circle must be clear as well so that the jaw of the fish can fit into that space as the fish pulls.  If you fill that gap you will miss 9 out of 10.  With a properly baited circle hook you should get a 9 out of 10 hookup.

 

[SpurHunter]

Liveliner - 7/20/2007 12:48 PM

When you bait a circle hook you must keep the gap between the point and the shank clear and unrestricted.  In fact an area inside the circle must be clear as well so that the jaw of the fish can fit into that space as the fish pulls. 

I never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense! I honestly cant tell you if I have been filling mine too much or not, but I prmise you I will think of it in the future! Thanks LL!

 

[EricM]

I too, have more trouble with bass and live bait on the circle, and I assume it's just me - not waiting long enough for them to move off or else reel up to them when they just take the bait and sit. What I wound up doing is going to a kahle hook (2/0) for the bass. I do get an occasional deep hookset on the smaller bass, but the percentage is quite low and it seems (for me) that the hook is not too bad to remove, even when deep.

 

[minner]

Not setting the hook is one of the hardest things veteran anglers to relearn to do. All our lives we've been taught and have taught to cross the fishes eyes with a hard hookset. Circle hooks CAN NOT be set AT ALL to perform the way they were designed. There are situations where circle hooks aren't appropriate but I use them 99.9999% of the time. I've been using them for three years and still on occasion find myself setting the hook purely out of reflex. If you do this you will pull it out of the fish's mouth every time.

 

[Liveliner]

<p align="left">I also use the wide gap Kahle hook for live bait fishing for Bass.  Circles are a little difficult to use due to the way a bass takes the bait.  Circle hooks are best used on fish that take the bait then try to run to the next county.</p>