J Hooks vs. Circle Hooks for Rock Fish

Randy B · Mar-23-2006, 10:10 PM

I mostly do surf fishing, but get out as much as I can for inshore and offshore fishing when I can. My question is hook preference for live bait, cut squid etc. fishing for rock fish circle hooks or J hooks any advantage of one over the other?

**Marcus** · Mar-23-2006, 10:19 PM

I think it depends on if you're fishing spectra or mono. For Mono I like using circle hooks since you can't feel the bite as much and the fish will hook itself. For spectra I like using j hooks since you can feel everything. It also depends on your depth. If you're fishing really shallow then I would suggest circle hooks since you may be able to release some of the fish if you plan on doing that.

sealskinner · Mar-23-2006, 10:36 PM

J-hooks because I fish spectra. Beside old men like to swing.

sdfishkiller · Mar-23-2006, 11:03 PM

ez baiters size 10/0-12/0 work great. look like a circle hook with long shank. dont be fooled by the sizes, a 10/0 ez baiter looks about the same as a 4/0. they are not monster size. i use a glow hoochie over the hook and a little squid 1lb -2lb weight. reel them up slow or they can struggle or pop off.

McKee · Mar-24-2006, 07:36 AM

circle hooks for sure....

yeah circles with any sinker fishin

CliffHanger · Mar-24-2006, 07:57 AM

I like circles for most species. Resist the urge to swing.

Never had much success w/circles on paddy Yellowtail's. Darn things always charge.

J's for Yellowtail and SWING-batter.

Randy B · Mar-24-2006, 09:11 AM

Will run the J hooks on my Spectra and circle hooks on the mono then. Most fishing will be 200ft. to 300ft. don’t think there will be much surface Yellowtail action, but you never know so I’m bringing some surface jigs just in case. Also going to try some Knife jigs for the first time and see if I can find some deep Yellowtail’s.
Thanks for the info. Let you know how we did tomorrow.

Stuart · Mar-24-2006, 02:11 PM

My rule of thumb? J's on anything I troll, circles on anything I drop.

hazman · Mar-24-2006, 02:39 PM

The offset circles let you load up on the fish being reeling them up. I use 10 ft on mono then all spectra.

-larry

Rockcod · Mar-24-2006, 07:51 PM

I used to fish cir. hooks when you could fish long ganions (sp?) 10 hooks or more, because once you started to get bit, you could put the reel in free spool, let you sinker lay on the bottom and the fish would swim the ganino around, and set the hooks them selves. Now with only 2 or 3 hooks, I fish J hooks, Owner flyliners for local smaller cods, and any j hook for bigger fish (depends on bait & fish size)

Most of my cod fishing now is just a heavy jig, and 1 hook.

and always with spectra...