Circle Hook Opinions - Brands and sizes

[Aquaman01]

It's gettin' time to place an order - anyone got any opinions on size, shape and brand?

I'll be catting the metro area, cutbait & big live (suckers, bullies, gizzard shad & whatever wild bait I can legally get & use).

[Fisher Dave]

I have taken a liking to Diachi circle hooks. For channels I use 1-2/0, and for flatheads 3/0-5/0(largest I have found in Diachi)depending on the bait size. When I'm fishing channels, I often use a stinger hook(same as you would use on a jig) in addition to the circle hook when the bite is finiky.

I dont think there is a perfect hook of any kind, just personal preference. There are many serious cat anglers here, and all of us will give you a little bit different preference which has suited our needs the best... and not all of us like circle hooks.

I like the Diachi hook because they are a lighter wire hook which is much easier on your bait, and are still very strong. A couple other factors are, they are very sharp, and the smaller diameter hook is much easier to set into the leathery flesh of a flathead if your not using 80 lb test.. its easier to drive a pin than it is to drive a framing nail. I fish with mono only .. no super lines for cats, so the Diachi is the #1 choice for me because it has worked the best.

[MNRiverRat]

I run gammies, biggest possible for Flatties, acutally I kind of match the bait, I have a whole tupperware bin full of goodies. I usually run a regular hook for channels though. I seem to get better hook ups that way. As far as flatties I only run PowerPro 65-80lb line. I also use longer lighter rods, prefer 8-11 foot rods in a medium-heavy. My favorite is a 11 foot dipsydiver rod. Oh how fun to have a behemouth on an 11 foot rod. IMO the longer rods make for some give since the PowerPro has none. Also when sitting, you can fish more water with a rod out each side, 22' span on one snag.... Two people in the boat of course. Just my 2 cents

MNRiverRat

[Dirk W]

Daiichi are very nice hooks. However, I can't afford them with the amount of hooks I go through in a season. VMC Sure Set circles or Gami circles offer more of a value and both are a "premium" hook. Sizes would be in the 2/0-6/0 range depending on the size of your bait and the size of the kitties your after. I use circles for channel cats only and use 4/0 and 5/0 most often. And remember....no setting the hook with circles. Good luck.

[Dennis Steele]

I prefer the wide gap or nautalis Gmakatsu circle hooks. I have tried a few styles and I think wide gaps increase the hook up ratio.

I usually use anywhere from a 4/0 to 6/0, but will go a little smaller if the bite is light or am using small baits.

The right rod is deffinately important when using circles. My favorite is a 9 foot cheapo slow action surf rod. The rod loads up nicely and cats don't seem to notice any tension untill its too late.

I typicaly only use circles for channel cats. I think circels work OK for flatheads when fishing in tight quarters but then I prefer to use a stout rod with fast action and that kind of rod doesn't work well with circle hooks.

[Mr Special]

Hey Rob,

Funny thing is remember when I gave you all my circle hooks and gave up on them. Well last season Ebass started me on them again, I like the Gamakatsu Octs. But I mainly still like the EagleClaw Wide Gap and Khale style. Not ready to give up the hook set yet.

See ya saturday bud

[MNRiverRat]

Oh,

I forgot to tell you guys my other secret.... Well, not a secret, but it works for me. I will not pick a rod out of a rod holder on a bite. Instead i wait until the fish starts to take line, it can either be fast or slow but taking line. Then I put my finger on the bail and whamo! Fish On!! I showed this to J Rookie K last year and it changed his mind about circle hooks. I believe a lot of people lose too many hook sets from pulling the circle hook out of the fishes mouth before it sets in the corner. I do not set the hook at all.... Let the rod do the work.

MNRiverRat

[barnyard]

Another VMC user here.

With baitcasters, if the clicker is clicking, I thumb the spool and that digs the hook in. Disadvantage is that as soon as the point digs in, the fish run. I have burnt my thumb many times on big fish.

With spinning reels, we use a Dubro line release clip. It allows the bail to remain open, yet holds the line. We set the tension so that if a fish pulls the line out of the clip, they are hooked.

We only use circle hooks with bait anymore.

We order ours in the 100 packs from Stamina.

Tom B

[dragon master]

Eagleclaw 14/0-16/0 hooks. Big bait + Big hooks + Big net = Big Flats.

[Toad]

For whatever it's worth, for me, circles work best on channel cats in areas of moderate to heavy current. When you anchor or postion on shore upstream from a snag, a cat will often move upstream to take the bait, then swim back down-- back toward the snag. It's a perfect situation for a circle hook, as the retreating cat loads the rod and burries the hook. Slick.

I agree with Dennis on flatheads, they don't always work so well-- at least they haven't for me. Think it's because flatheads don't move in current so predictably as channels. But I do like 'em for drifting baits in lakes or reservoirs.

For channels on cutbaits, I've probably done best with 4/0 to 6/0 Eagle Claw 2222s or Daiichi's Circle Chunk Light. 9/0 and 10/0 Eagle Claw 2022s team well with bullheads or large chubs and flatheads. Dragon Master, 14/0 to 16/0? Wholly smokes, I gotta see the baits you're flingin' ?

-a friend,

Cory Schmidt

[Ed Carlson]

I use many Gamakatsu circles for cats. I buy the 7 and 8 O/T in bulk 50 packs and they are more reasonable per unit cost.

What I find is if you look at a 7 O/T Circle hook from one manufacture and then compare it to others they all are different in size. They are far from standard and vary widely. VMC and Gamakatsu vary a lot in similar size ratings, as do many others. So I judge them by the gap needed in the hook to hang a lip the best.

Toad’s evaluation is very close to mine on when they work best. They do well on float sets too as the fish tend to go up and turn downwards after the strike so the angle is good to hook-up.

An exception may be in very fast water in the shoots of a dam. There the bite may be tap-tap and if you do not set the hook hard and fast it's too late...so I go with a straight shank, wide gap, or a Kahle in 7-8 O/T. If they are competing for food in groups and hit-&-run hard and fast the wider gap circles do very well.

Circles or modified circles do well in many situations, but not all. They are good tools to add to a selection of hooks that will suit the many moods of fish.

I like circles for there fish friendly attributes as they damage and kill far less fish then most hooks.

[dragon master]

With the size of bait I use, you don't fling, its more like a toss and plop. There are times were I use up to 10oz of lead just to hold the bait down. I have used bait from 4in up to 22in. The size I like the most is 10-14in bait. I don't go after the 30lb flat or less. Iam after the sumo flat with a bad attitude. The thing that I have found out is when you hook into a flat over 40lb, 10oz of lead is like split shot to them. All my flats over 30lb-45lb have grab the bait and went right out into fast water and went down river. All I had to do was lock the reel in gear and hanging on. The one 48lb and the 53lb that I got to CPR, Grab the bait and ran up river, On that you have to wind in the slack line as fast as you can, when the rod is pointing at the fish stop and hang on. To many times I have waited for the fish to pull up the slack line and lost them due to the lead gettig snaged. I fish with a short leader and hook the bait in the nose. Bait hooked in the back are floted with a balloon as a bobber.

Now the way I read the 2005MN fishing reg, You can use a bullhead up to 12in. Is this true. Or do I need new glasses If it is true, then 14/0-16/0 straight or circles hooks is not that far out of line for this size of bait or the size of flat that will grab it.

[SteveD]

Hey Dragon Master - I think you may be wrong about the 12" bullhead. I read the 2005 MN Fishing Regulations a little differently. On Page 8, under Minnows. You have to pay attention to the semicolons which separate the different types of minnows. The way I read that part of the regulation, you can use suckers up to 12 inches; and bullheads not over 7 inches. We are still stuck where we always were.

[Lost]

I caught my largest cat on a circle hook that was meant for muskie/northern use. Was using a large sucker minnow. Hooked in the bottom jaw, almost centered. Took a while to get the hook out.

[J Rookie K]

River Rat is right about leaving the rod in the the holder. But now I dont use the clicker, let the rod double over and reel em in. Gamakatsu have worked best for me. Diachi's gap aint wide enough, I will never pay that price again. VMC's seem good but I have never used them, I just picked some 2/0 up yesterday. Eagle Claws are O.K. Just like some of these guys have said, bigger bait=bigger hook. Average fish size, probly has something to do with it also.

[Ed Carlson]

For you big hook lovers take a look at the Gamakatsu Big River hook once. I love this hook. I do wish they would also make them in 7/0 & 9/0. They come in an NS Black finish for corrosion resistance. It comes in only two sizes, 10/0 and 12/0. For big live baits that need a hard hook set, this hook is a tough one to beat.

Now add a second trick Gamakatsu has up their sleeve to this rig and it is doubly dangerous. The Assist 510 comes in hook sizes 1-4/0, tin finished for corrosion resistance. The loop on the size 1-3/0 Assist 510 hooks is 100# test and the 4/0 features a 150# loop. They can easily be added as a stinger off the Big River hook and allow for a solid second shot on a hook-up. Some models are configured with an out-bard and hi-carbon steel, great tough fishhooks.

Another new hook that I like for corking applications is the Gamakatsu’s Finesse Wide Gap. Two new sizes will be added to the line up in 3/0 and 4/0. In addition to the two new sizes, the Finesse Wide Gap will also be available in Red in the full size range. The Black Finesse Wide Gap with a specially designed monofilament weed guards makes for a great corking hook for cats. This new weed guard allows anglers to around heavy cover, but allows easier exposure of the hook point when a fish grabs it. The Finesse Wide Gap Weedless version will be available in NS Black and in sizes 4-2/0.

Lots of cool new hook options out there. I hope the good folks at Gamakatsu do decide to make the Big River in a few new sizes, as it would be a big hit. On the same note, I hope they also make some of these short shank wide gaps in even larger sizes as they have a place in the Catmans tackle box.