Circle Hooks for Bait Fishing for Trout??

[blackdog1101]

Do any of you use circle hooks for bait fishing for trout? How have they worked for you? What size(s)do you use for different baits? Do you have any trouble connecting with the fish? Do they work as advertised, and hook the fish in the corner of the jaw? If you don't currently use them, would you consider giving them a try?

For the sake of transparency, some of you know I'm not fond of bait fishing for trout due to mortality from gut hooking. I'm just wondering if there's a good alternative I can get behind that I could encourage for those folks who prefer to bait fish.

Hopefully we can keep this discussion positive and informative. I'm not trying to start an argument with anyone, and won't respond to argumentative posts.

I hope everyone is having a good winter season!

[Redlantern]

I used circle hooks for the first time last year. Used them on walleye, smallmouth and rainbow trout. What I found is that when the fish are aggressive, the hook works perfectly. Hooks them in the side of the mouth. Easy releases. If the fish are biting light and you need to let them take it a bit, sometimes they get the hook stuck deeper, making it harder to release the fish because of the severe curve in the hook. I admit I'm no expert with these hooks so take what I say with a grain of salt.

[Scudly]

I think it seems like an excellent idea to promote. I mentioned this to Vaughn Snook when we talked. The DNR promotes C&R so much, why not promote circle hooks with statistics to back up the recomendation? I most certainly shall try circle hooks this year.

You would likely get a bigger response to your question on a catfish board though. Most big cat fishermen seem to use circle hooks. How it relates to trout, I'm not sure. Can only assume gut hooking is going to be significantly less than a standard hook.

Thanks for the post.

[JBMasterAngler]

I used circle hooks for the first time this past weekend. I believe I was using #8 size with crappie minnows on a dead stick. The 1 trout I caught swallowed the hook. I'm gonna stick with them though and see what happens.

[mainbutter]

I always use circle hooks when bait fishing, whether I'm fishing CPR or keeping a few. I find not only do my gut hooking %s become almost nil, but my catch rate goes up as well. I think that they are just a superior hook in many regards.

They work great on salmon, so I figure they must work on trout.

[goblueM]

im no expert on circle hooks, but i had one in my trout box last year and it got swallowed 6 out of 7 trout I had, and I was following the directions on the packet.

I'll take standard hooks and setting the hook quickly over them for trout. But I also havent given them a fair shake... and if I'm fishing bait, its for meat. I fly fish if i'm going for sport

[Sully20]

Here's some info on circle hooks for anyone who is interested:

http://www.news-press.com/assets/pdf/A483941829.PDF

[StillwaterAaron]

I have no study to back me up but I saw a huge decrease in the number of gut hooked fish. Also I found that I lost larger fish and gut hooked fish more often using a small circle hook. I use a 1 not instead of a 6 or 8. Also the type of rod makes a difference in the hookup and play in the fish. I like a 7 foot ultralight 4-6 pound test. when you detect a bite a nice long sweeping motion also will increase the hookup ratio. It takes some getting used to but worth it. also the way you drift makes a difference. Always try to stand behind the hole not next to it. THe best hookup is when the fish is in facing away from you because of the way a circle hook works. If you do end up next to the hole you are drifting always make your sweeping hookup downstream and As I said multiple times Sweeping not setting!

The biggest decrease in swallowed circle hooks on trout was to upsize the hook. I never had a problem getting the fish of any size to take a larger hook.

[Scudly]

Quote:

The biggest decrease in swallowed circle hooks on trout was to upsize the hook. I never had a problem getting the fish of any size to take a larger hook.

Makes sense to me, even with a standard hook, go large. I have caught 14" browns on #2 hooks and 3" chubs. I have caught 6" brookies on 1/2 oz spinning lures too. Some fish with bite a lure just a touch larger than themselves. I usually fish #6, #8 for worms and #2 for chubs. I think I could do #4 and #6 for worms and #1 for chubs with even standard J hooks and decrease mortality.

[Comit 2]

Quote:

As fish attempt to consume a baited

circle hook, the fish moves away, or a gentle pressure from the angler pulls the hook to the side of the

mouth (Figure 2). The point of the hook then catches on flesh at the jaw and pivots outwards as the amount

of applied pressure steadily increases. Once tension exceeds a threshold, the hook pulls over the jaw and

rotates as the fish moves or angler sets the hook.

Circle hooks are sized to the fish you are after. I use hooks according to bait I'm using.

As you see by the quote above the fish needs the size to set the hook on it own. So there is a point of vanishing returns. As the fish get smaller the hook must get finer and sharper.

[StillwaterAaron]

Circle hooks are sized to the fish you are after. I use hooks according to bait I'm using.

As you see by the quote above the fish needs the size to set the hook on it own. So there is a point of vanishing returns. As the fish get smaller the hook must get finer and sharper.

Smaller and sharper to a point. I have caught many chubs and minnows on #1 circles. The style of circle hooks makes a huge difference. There are many styles and from experience Gama Octopus Circle hooks are the best all around hook. I have thousands of these on hand because that is nearly all I use. I have lost many fish of all different species because of experimenting. Live bait fishing I miss very few fish using a circle.

[JBMasterAngler]

I never seem to find a good supply of circle hooks. I'll be making my annual spring run to cabela's in a couple weeks, do they have a good selection? Also, do they make them in other colors? I have a liking to orange hooks

[StillwaterAaron]

JB I knew the sizes I wanted to I talked to Bob Moore and he ordered me a crapload....I dropped over $100 and got all the hooked I needed and that was 2 or more years ago and it is time for me to get more.

As far as colors your can powder paint your own hooks to any color you like. Use a heat gun and your hook will stay good but if you use a flame it can wreck your hook. I have been powder painting some hook for some time now.

[StillwaterAaron]

JB I looked at the sizes I used and size 4 seemed small and more misses on larger trout but upped to size 1 and had no problems.

[Jerry]

I'm a little late to this discussion but thought I would give my input. I tried the #8 Gamakatsu octopus circle hooks on two or three outings several years ago when I was more of a bait fisherman. I was using worms as bait on a Michigan (U.P.) small stream with mostly rainbows around 7". As instructed, I did not hard-set the hook, and many if not most of the fish ended up swallowing it.

These hooks had seemed promising, so I was very disappointed with the results. But reading above it seems that there is a little more finesse involved, along with an increase in hook size, to make them work properly. Thanks for the new perspectives.

[JBMasterAngler]

My problem with the hooks is, I have to use the small ones because I like to use small crappie minnows (where allowed). Anything too big kills the minnows right away.

[StillwaterAaron]

JB the diameter of the wire is still thin in the size 1 hook the 1/0 is when the diameter gets thicker.

I have done a lot of trial and error when it comes to circle hooks.

[grate8]

usualy when i use bait the point is to put a meal on the table. and they do usualy swallow a swallowed hook is more a problem when cleaning them!

[mainbutter]

Circle hooks work great on trout and similar species.

I use them with bait for salmon in Alaska coastal waters.

A previous post mentioned gut-hooking when letting light biters "take them". That is the wrong way to fish a circle hook with intent on hooking in the mouth corner. When there is a bite, reel up tight. Nothing more, nothing less. No waiting. Even with circle hooks, if you give a fish time to swallow, they will more than likely get gut hooked.

I fish with tight drag and heavy line, so when a fish hits and runs, it hooks itself. No hookset, just reel up any slack if they run at you.