Circle hooks did not work for me...

[Cyberfish]

Tried circle hooks on Mille lacs walleyes rigging with leeches. I had the usual amount of gut hooked fish and also had many fish get away just before I could see them at the side of the boat. I tried Gamagatsu (sp?) and eagle claw brands. I followed all the tips I read in magazines and on this forum, like not setting the hook, etc...Went back to regular hooks and did better.

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[Duffman]

I've been doing some experimenting with circle hooks this year. Was using shiners and 6 inch suckers below a slip bobber. Never had a gut hooked fish, but did lose a 'eye at boatside that was aproaching 4lbs.
Was using a sucker and I think the bait was too big for the situation and the circle hook was too small. That walleye spit out the hook and minner after a decent amount of time on the end of my line.

When using a shiner I didn't lose a fish and even the northerns I had on were hooked cleanly in the corner of the mouth. The jury is still out on circle hooks in my boat but I will continue to tweak the way I use them.

[Guest]

Circle hooks rarely gut hook a fish if you fallow these tips on use.

1- Never set the hook, just start reeling once the fish has constant pressure on the line. Maintaining content pressure is the key. Whether the circle hook is of the barbed or barbless variety constant pressure is your hook set.

2- Use a softer action longer rod to allow the fish to load up the tension and set the hook on itself. Too heavy an action rod will spook the fish as they feel an undue amount of drag.

3- Do NOT allow the fish to run with the bait. Let the tension build steadily allowing the hook to do its job.

4- Use an appropriate sized circle hook for the bait and species sought. One to 2 sizes larger then you would a shank style hook under the same conditions. Hook wire size is important and should be suited to the species sought. Use a finer wire circle for panfish and walleye and a heavier wire for game fish with more leathery mouth tissue.

5- Do not fill the throat of the circle hook up with the bait. If you do the circle hook will not perform properly and you will not hook as many fish. If the throat is full of bait it will pop out of their mouth once you begin to reel them in.

5- Did I say DON'T SET THE HOOK?

I have caught 1000's of fish on circle hooks; maybe 10 have been gut-hooked, probably less.

Circle hooks are part of a total presentation system, equipment needs to be balance accordingly to make the system perform effectively.

Circle hooks are not for all situations, as some presentations require more standard hook styles to produce effectively.

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Backwater Eddy..><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[huskminn]

BWE:

Would you recommend using a circle hook for slip-bobbering walleyes in 20'-25' of water? Or does this vertical presentation not lend itself well to the use of circle hooks?

I've got a couple of inexperienced fishing partners who sometimes have trouble with the hook set while bobber fishing. I'm wondering it the circle hook could help them.

[Guest]

I use circles in 40+ for perch in the winter, they work great for me. I used a deadstick and a slip float and they both work well.

You may need to stagger a few split shot up from the bait so you can controle the slack.

Verticle is where circles usually shine the most, that is what they were origanally designed for.

[Jim W]

I would like to add that it is no guarantee that a circle hook will be THE answer to all of your hook setting needs. Nor will they always hook the fish the way you'd prefer.

HOwever, more often than not, a nice set in the corner of them there toothy citters!!

I have found, if you have a fair amount of line out, let's say, pulling a spinner rig, the slack in your line or the mono itself, could hinder a decent hook set.

From the time the fishy grabs your shiner(or whatever) and the hook becomes implanted, is a very small window of opportunity for all to come together nicely!

It takes some time fine tuning, to set with circle hooks. I am still at the beginning stage myself. IN fact, Guiodeman will attest to me losing a very nice walleye in Vermilion last October using a circle hook. My mistake that time was setting the hook like I was *****n fishing!! NOOO GOOOD!

Backwater hit it on the head, if you folow his directions and go through trial and error, you'll become hooked!!

I can't wait to drag some rigs baby!!!

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[Cyberfish]

Eddy, I do believe I followed all five of your tips. Mabye the hook I was using was too small? I used a size 6 for leech, and a 4 for shiners. I never set the hook, I used a long fiberglass rod with a soft tip. I tried both catching them right away, and I tried letting them take it awhile.

[Guest]

Cyb was sitting in the front seat of my boat this weekend. He used his crappie rod half the time. Don't know how much longer and softer a guy could get. The other half of the time he had a good long and soft G-Loomis. We were letting them load it up, keeping tension on the line, then just a quick reel and then regular reeling to bring 'em in. I was doing this even without circle hooks as this was the only way to hook 'em up that day. Every time someone tried to cross their eyes he'd lose the fish. And yes about half the wallys on circle hooks were hooked in the gullet.

Teach a kid to fish ethically. Teach a kid to live morally.

www.gemfishing.org

[Guest]

Face it Cyber. You just don't have any instincts for this kind of stuff. Think about it. You could have moved us off of that "little fish" spot on Waconia last week, but no you had to beat a dead horse and 50 little bass. So instead of me catching a new state record I had to settle for a fat 18 1/2 incher, just one more little fish. What is clear is that I could have gotten some real hawgs, but no

[Toad]

Definitely fish larger sized circle hooks than your traditional J hook. Number 1s and even 1/0s for minnows, #2 for leeches. Makes a difference. Also, the ways some fish, like walleyes, eat and move sluggishly with a bait can make the hookset with a circle problematic.

For example, say a walleye eats your leech. But rather than aggressively swimming away, he simply sits on the bottom with the bait in his mouth and sulks. Without positive pressure on the hook shank, the circle has no way to activate at the fulchrum of the fish's jaw.

You'll never get a proper circle hookset on a fish in this case. Only thing you can do is to create pressure on the hook yourself by slowly moving away from the fish with your motor. Then, as Ed suggests-- preferably with the rod in a holder-- let the rod gradually load itself.

All in all, though, on many rig bites-- especially early and late in the season-- I've been using traditional J hooks over circles. As you fellas have said, ain't no such thing as a cure-all.

-a friend called Toad

[GullGuide]

I have posted this before and I will post it again-
Some circle hooks, especially Gamakatsu, need to be adjusted. Out of the package, the hook is offset with the shank. Look at the hook and