Circle Hooks vs. J Hooks

[MeCrankMate]

Fishing tackle and techniques have greatly improved since I was a kid, specifically in the past 10 years or so. And with the evolution of fishing tech and the anglers that utilize it are new designs and applications of the hooks we use to catch fish. I’m big on CPR (Catch, Photograph, and Release) and any way to help reduce the mortality rate of the fish that I release is always good practice (unless I’m releasing them to my cooler…). I have been reading about circle hooks and their applications for inshore and offshore sport fishing for quite awhile now and I’m impressed with their results as far as hook up percentage, release, and projected fish mortality rates. But as an angler who has always used the traditional style J hooks, I’m finding it hard to make the transition from what has historically been so successful for me to the new tech (not that circle hooks are anything new, just new to me). Part of that is the application of the circle hook and how I’m attempting to use it. So here is my question/scenario to all the seasoned circle hook enthusiasts… I do a lot of bait fishing in the local harbors near my house (mostly ffice:smarttags" />ffice" />

[MeCrankMate]

(continued from above...)
ffice:smarttags" />NewportHarbor but also DanaHarbor) when I just want to kick back and relax. I typically use a variety of different baits depending on the fish that I’m targeting on that day (frozen chovies, squid, ghost shrimp, and mussels) and use a few different styles of J hooks for each. This has been ultra successful for me since I was like 3 years old as I’m sure it has for many of you as well. But after reading all the articles about circle hooks, I am really interested in using circle hooks for this application in the interest of good CPR and the survivability of the fish that I hook. So I went out and bought a couple of different styles of circle hook (all Owner brand) and gave it a shot with very mixed results. The first time I used them I tried a 1/0 Ringed Super MUTU with some large frozen anchovies. Hooked/landed a couple of rays, but otherwise a slow night. The circle hooks preformed as designed, hooking the rays in the corner of the mouth with and easy release. But the Super MUTU is a big hook for other applications, so I bought the MUTU Light (much thinner gage wire and not ringed) for use with smaller chovies and mussels. And therein lies my dilemma. Lots of missed fish and the tendencies to pull the bait/hook right out of the mouth of the fish. I’ve studied the techniques when using a circle hooks and I know not to swing on the fish, just to let the fish apply tension and set itself. But a lot of times the fish seems to be facing me or turned parallel to me and the hook doesn’t do it’s job. This is frustrating because I would have hooked most of the fish that I was missing had I been using a J style hook. I’m thinking that this particular application for the circle hook may not be the best way of maximizing it’s potential, but I wanted to throw it out there to you guys and see if there is anything that you do different, any tips or techniques in this particular setting that may increase the hook up percentage and help me out a little. I know that for a circle hook to work the way it is designed to, the fish has to pick up the bait and be moving in the opposite direction of the angler so the hook can rotate and hook in the corner of the mouth. So how do you use the circle hook when the fish is facing you? How do you get the fish to keep interest and go the other way with out dropping the bait? Is it just a patience factor, am I just rushing the process and not letting the fish have enough time? Or would the J style hook be better for this application. I do know some applications where the circle hook is going to come in real handy for me, specifically offshore and at the islands, but I want to be successful with them here too. Help me out guys…balls in your court. fficeffice" />

[Marcus]

You have to wait much longer before coming tight. A lot of times the fish will still be mouthing the bait.

[Az.monkey]

Originally Posted by chuam

You have to wait much longer before coming tight. A lot of times the fish will still be mouthing the bait.

Marcus speaks truth, a swing and a miss will result in zippo ! a lack of tug an pataince will result in dinner with the circles. You can either learn the fish or catch them, the choice is yours



Shoot, I don't think that came out right

[Smudge]

You are drinking, aren't you Karl!?

[Bada Bing]

I've been fishing circles for years now and some sporties (like el gato dos) fish them exclusively as the hook-up potential is increased, especially for rookie fishermen. Indeed, the classic J-hook swing is not for circles. The key is to let the fish eat, take any slack out of the line then slowly lift the tip of the rod. The act of lifting the rod should generate enough of an angle to set the hook, regardless if the fish is swimming toward or away from you. Granted, if the fish is swimming toward you, you are more likely to hook the fish in the roof or upper lip rather than the corner but because circles are typically offset, you should still get a clean hook-set. Good luck, if your used to J-hooks it can take some patience and doing to master the circle hook.

[Bada Bing]

oops, double post, so sorry

[yknot]

I use both, just whatever I find lying around, but when I fish behind our boat in the slip for halibut, I use a circle due to the fact I am normally not really fishing, I am washing to boat or rubbing out a scuff mark etc. and have caught plenty without doing anything. Normally what happens is I'll look up and see the rod bent and the line is behind all the other boat and reel it in.
Hope the helps. I also like using them for bass, but for cuda if I'm am using bait, I will switch it up to see what works better since they are finiky at times.

Grady.

[Double Z]

Only thing I have J's is on is some of my lures (trollers/jigs). I love the circles and have bags (1-gallon ziplock) of Owners. I did an 8-day on a pro-pack of 2/0 ringed circles.

[MeCrankMate]

Went out this afternoon with the wife and kid to continue with my little ongoing experiment. Decent tidal movement and more than a little breezy. Rigged up two rods with the J style hooks, each with the better half of a chovie. The other rod was rigged with the Owner Mutu light circle hook and a nice bay mussel. Baits hit the water by 4:30 and it was game on. My son and I had a blast waiting for the first bite...


Had a couple of short bites but no real takers on the chovies. Not a nibble on the mussel. Some guys that were fishin' on a rental skiff threw me a bag full of their left over sardine/anchovie mix.... thanks for the hook up guys. Reeled in the baits and rigged up with fresh dead dines on all three rods. Tide started up the beach so I needed to reset my PVC rod holders. Had the wife hold the middle set up and bam....go figure

Only landed fish of the day came on, you guessed it, the circle hook (Hot damn!!). Played it as advised and let the little bastard jack with it for a while then wound up tight on him.




Put up a decent fight for a little guy. A special note recongnizing the hook in the corner of the mouth as promised. Deffinately a good day with the family and I think that I will stick with the circle hook and just work on my patience. This last shot is of my son on the way home....love that little guy. Can't wait till he's old enough to pull on fish too.

Thanks for the advice guys.....tight lines to all

[RobertKnight]

I exclusivly use circles when fishing for species where theres a good chance of catch and release due to size restrictions, like bass. With most of the hookings in the lip area, makes setting the critters free with a minimum ammount of damage more likely.

[eightmd]

I use circles for tuna but never thought about using them in the bay. When we fish the bay we release everything so we go barbless. It makes it much easier to release the fish. Easier on the angler and the fish. We fish Owner or Gamagatsu lead heads and you can just snap the barb off with a pair of needle nose pliers.