Circle Hooks

[Nels]

Does anyone use circle hooks for ice fishing?
What types of fish?
I know people use them for open water Cats and sometimes 'eyes.

Just wondering if anyone has had better luck using them on ice.

Thanks,
Nels

[MikeR]

I'll bite, Whats a circle hook.

[Guest]

Nels
I've been curious about using circle hooks on eyes in the summer but just haven't brought myself to use them yet. Your friends that have used them, are they impressed?? Do they ever miss?? do they prefer circle hooks over traditional hooks now?? Just curious

[Nels]

MikeR- A circle hook is a hook in which the point points back at the shaft, almost forming a complete circle.

URLRocks- I have actually seen a few fishing shows in which the guides used them for walleyes. I think you can still lose a few, especially light biters. But when you do let them take the bait, and you just let the line tighten up, they always get hooked right in the corner of the mouth (which is easier to remove than if hooked deep in the mouth.) I have bought some, but haven't used any yet.(I don't get out walleye fishing too often.)
Rod&Real- Thanks for the perch info. Welcome to the forum

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I tried circle hooks this winter on my tip-ups for walleyes and northerns. When I hooked a fish they did not get off very easily. But I did miss a lot of fish on the hook set.
Cliff

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Cliff's Guide Service
CliffsGuideService-LakeVermilion.com
Lake Vermilion
Phone: (218) 753-2005

[GullGuide]

This will be my second summer using circle hooks exclusively fo my live bait rigs. They are the best thing to come along in quite some time. I have used them this winter on bobber rigs and tip-ups and they work just as well. Key here is to NOT set the hook. The hook is designed to set itself and by actually setting the hook defeats the purpose of the design.
When I first started using them, that was my biggest mistake, but after I began to force myself to just start reeling, the hook-up ratio greatly increased. The best method that we have found is to use an 8 to 13 foot long steelhead pole, set the depth, close the bail and just plop it into the rod holder and begin to troll slowly along the structure. When a fish hits, the long steelhead rod allows some give so that the fish does not feel too much resistance. By the time the fish does feel anything, it is too late, the point of the hook has passed the pivot point and the fish is hooked. All you do is watch for the rod to bend and you have em. Very simple, very easy.

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Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail

[Ely Lake Expert]

Nels,

I have used them in the summer for walleyes and they work good, but I have never tried them through the ice.

Ely lake expert

[Steve Foss]

Gull Guide is right. Before I moved away, I used circle hooks three seasons for channel cats on the Red River of the North in Grand Forks, N.D. You don't set the hook, which will bump it right out the fish's mouth. When you get a bite, allow the line to tighten, and start reeling slowly WITHOUT pulling back on the rod. This allows the hook, which would be far back in the fish's gullet, to slowly work it's way up toward the mouth. The construction of the hook, when it moves slowly, forces it usually into the corner of the fish's mouth, where it rotates and the hook point embeds. Fish hooked in this way do not come off, and I ended up pinching the barbs to make release easier. I lost far fewer fish on circle hooks than on standard hooks, once I got used to not setting the hook. Because there's so little distance from hook to shank and such a small gap, I almost never got snagged either, which was a common problem with standard hooks. Love those circle hooks.

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Steve ([email protected])

[Guest]

I have used circle hooks for cats.I could not get past not setting the hook so I put them back in the tackle bag.I have been thinking I should give them another go.I would like to try them for walleye,on slip bobber rigs and bait rigs.What size hooks do you generally use?Since the gap seems so small would you go with a larger size?

[GullGuide]

I need to add one more thing,
Not all circle hooks are the same, some of them are off-set which are worthless in my opinion. Being off-set defeats the purpose since gut-hooking can still occur. If I do end up using an off-set one, I just take my pliars and bend the point till it is in line with the shank.
I also have been using them for bass and pike fishing and I love the results so far.

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Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail

[Guest]

Use two sizes larger than you normaly use.

I use them nearly 100% of the time on slip bobbers. Just point the rod tip at the bobber, real in the slack line and gently lift the rod tip. Let the fish bang it head side to side a couple of times, the fish sets the hook itself when they try to throw the bait as it slides out of their mouth. By all means, use a high quality hook like Gamakatsu.

I also use them on my dead rod when working an area with a jig. Let the fish bounce the rod a couple of times, then keeping the line tight and a bend in the rod, take it out of the holder and reel it in.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

We use them mostly for deep perch on dead stik lines. We were up to Devils Lake ND couple weeks ago, all our best perch 1 lb+ were caught on circle hooks. Use a small float and about 4 ft of free line before a soft rodtip to set hook. When the tip moves keep preasure on and reel. Don't lift large fish out of hole with hook! Unless you like wet cold arm.
Rod&Real

[Guest]

When using circle hooks on tipups for eye's
try using a 8"snubber and line release. We take them off our planer boards. Leave several feet of free line between depth stop and release, also a foot free to reel. Set release so it dosn't release until snubber has reached most of its streach. This is a good replacement for the rodtip in Summer.
Rod&Real

[Johnny B]

Does it matter how you hook the minnow when you use the circle hooks? Also, are you guys using them more than standard hooks? Are there situations when one is prefered over the other? Interesting to hear about the snag-free quality, could very well help me in the areas I fish.

GullGuide, just wanted to let you know that I checked my summer calendar and I will not be able to join the Summer League. My daughter is graduating on June 2nd: the first weekend of the tour. I am truly dissapointed that I will not be entering the league, but if I didn't attend the ceremony, all of my fishin gear would be put up for sale! It does sound like a great time! Maybe next year.

<)))><

[GullGuide]

JB, no problem. Maybe you could fish as a sub at one of the events. Also remember that the Pokegama event is a seperate deal, so you could fish that and not be in the league.

As for the hooks, I'll be using them exclusively this year in all of my live-bait presentations. It really does not matter how you hook your bait, just do as you always have.

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Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail