? about circle hooks on tip-ups

[icehousebob]

Backwater Eddy, You and my sons have pulled me, kicking and screaming, into using circle hooks. Now, I,m a convert. I want to use them on tip-ups, but I need line resistance to set the hook. My #2 son came up with the idea of putting a rubber band around the tip-up spool so that line can be pulled out, but the hook will set. Have you ever tried this? What is your tactic for winte circle hooks? Thanks in advance for the help.

[Steve Foss]

I'm not Eddy, but I've used circles for years.

You don't need gizmos for getting pressure on fish on tips. When you get a flag, give the fish time, just like with standard hooks, and while the fish is running, slowly let the line tighten by squeezing your fingers together. It works best if the fish is running, so the hook works its way up out of the gullet and grabs the corner of the fish's mouth.

But if you get a flag and the spindle's not turning when you get to it, you can wait until the fish eventually starts moving again and follow the above advice, or you can take up the slack and start very slowly pulling in line. When you feel the weight of the fish (it will turn away to swim the other direction), keep pulling, but don't jerk hard or you may bump the hook out.

And don't be afraid to experiment.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
stfcatfish@yahoo.com

[icehousebob]

Thanks for the info, Steve. My usual summer tactic with circle hooks is to brace the rod in my folding chair and not touch it until the catfish is dragging the chair toward the river. I still get the urge to set the hook, and this is the best way to control it.

[djvan]

Ok, I have got to ask. What are circle hooks?, I'm intrigued.

DougV>

[Borch]

Circle hooks have been used for years for saltwater applications.

Cirle hooks are shaped differently than traditional hooks, They form an oblong semicirle(or approximatle 270 degrees or 3/4 of the cirle). If you use them up the size of your hook a size ir two to increase hooking percentage.

Their advanges are in they usually hook the fish in the corner of the mouth as long as you don't set the hook. They require a steady firm pressure to get the hook where it needs to be. Most fishermen use them in livebait situations to cut back on hooking mortality.

I'm a major hook setter so if I used them the rod has to be in a rod holder. After all those years I'm pretty much automatic in that regard.

If you check out your favorite tackle supplier you'll likely find them. They have become more popular every year.

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I bad day of fishing??? I honestly don't know what you're talking about!

[This message has been edited by Borch (edited 01-01-2004).]

[Lunker]

I have been skeptical of circle hooks, and although I rarely hook fish badly, it does happen, and I don't like it. Do you find that the hooking percentage is worse than with traditional hooks?

[Aquaman01]

Circle hooks are great! I highly recommend them for almost all livebait applications.

Bob, with those huge surfcasters you prefer you could almost rig some kind of lawnchair/cooler trebuchet or catapult for hooksets - couldn't ya?

Rob

[Guest]

I was asking about circle hooks on tipups earlier this winter-here's a link to that thread.
http://www.fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum30/HTML/003354.html

So far I've caught 3 pike this year on circles and tip-ups. Only 1 had the hook in the corner of the mouth, the other two were gut hooked!
I think I need to stay closer to the tip-ups so I can react quicker. I say this because the one mouth-hooked fish was on a tipup that was frozen. The flag never popped, and when I went to pull it for the day, there was a fish on it! I think the resistance of the frozen tipup set the hook.