Circle Hooks & Tip-Up Advice

[gill man]

I just started using circle hooks on my tip ups the last couple trips out. Main reasons for using them were: I'm sick of having fish swallow hooks, and I am catching a lot of northerns while fishing for walleyes. Hooks deep in the mouth on them tend to cut light mono leaders easily also.

I have heard that circle hooks basically never hook fish deep, and almost always hook them in the corner of the mouth.

This hasn't been the case for me. I have had two or three walleyes hooked in the throat. Not so deep the hook couldn't be carefully removed, but they were definately hooked in the throat, and not the mouth. I have also had a few get beak hooked right in the tip of their mouth. Have had a couple northerns get hooked in the corner of the mouth, or close to it, but still getting cut off fairly regularly...which I know will still happen sometimes no matter what.

Finally, we have been missing a LOT of fish. I think that has just been their temperment lately though, since we are missing a few on trebles also - but it seems like the circles are giving me a little lower hooking percentage.

Anyway, I understand not setting te hook. I usually just pick up the line and start bringing it in hand over hand with no sharp jerk for a set. I'm trying to be as smooth as possible. Most fish are either hooked for a second and come off, or maybe are just holding on to the minnow and then let go. Either way, the fish are there for a minute and then gone.

Any advice? I am using hooks in the 8, 6, 4, and 1 size, with medium sized shiners and suckers (experimeting with size to see what works best). I'm not quite as concerned with missing fish as I am with some of them getting hooked deep in the throat. Thought these hooks weren't supposed to do that?

Thanks,

gill man

[deadeye]

I always use a quick strike rig myself. I have found that you can just set it right away and dont have to worry about them getting off. I would say that I have had maybe one or two fish swallow the hook in 10 years of using the rig. I use little guys, like a #6 or #4 treble and they work just fine.

Personally, I dont like circle hooks. It seems like I miss a lot of fish with them, and they just dont hook up as nice as others. For some reason, I have had the same problem with getting them in the throat with circles too. Its just nice with quick strikes to set the hook right away and not worry about them swallowing it.

[blarkey]

your not supposed to do the jerk hard set just, start pulling them in with even pressure

[gill man]

Blarkey,

Thanks, but that should be my problem. Like I said in my first post "I understand not setting the hook. I usually just pick up the line and start bringing it in hand over hand with no sharp jerk for a set. I'm trying to be as smooth as possible."

Still have had a few take the hook deep, and am missing a number of fish.

[Chode2235]

Your hook up % may be a little lower, but I have had great luck with my circle hook tip ups. I usually hook my fish in the side of the mouth (sometimes they swing around close to the fish's eye).

You can let them chew on the minnow a bit more. You should be OK. It isn't a quick strike.

I have yet to have a fish swallow the hook down into the gullet, but it is not that uncommon to get them caught up in back of the mouth.

Best of luck, and be patient.

[Huey]

What brand and size of circle hooks do you use? Also how/where do you hook the minnow?

I've seen circle hooks work great in salwater and thought they would be perfect for tip-up fishing, but they never worked well for me. I had a very low hooking % and went back to j hooks for walleye and trout + quick strikes for northerns.

[Chode2235]

I have the best luck with the Owner MUTU light circle hooks, my second favorite are the Gammy Octopus circle hooks.

But the owners are my preferred hooks.

[gill man]

I have used both the Gamakatsu Octops hooks and I'm pretty sure te others are Owners. I have been hooking the minnow under the dorsal fin like I always have with trebles.

Chode, I have thought about giving them more time too, but enough fish have been hooked in the gullet that I feel like more will swallow the hooks if they are allowed to chew on the minnow longer. I hate having fish swallow hooks (either cut the line and have to tie on another hook, or rip the fish's throat up taking it out...and neither of those is good for the fish - especially the second option).

I'm wondering if a little bigger hooks would help some? I have been using hooks from size 8 to size 1, and it seems like the smaller hooks have been the ones getting swallowed more easily. Maybe I should be using something like size 4s or even biggerfor medium shiners.

[Chode2235]

I use size 2's for the mutus on the shiner minnows, or smaller sucker minnows. I usually beak hook them though. ?

Yes, those are the mutus.

Never hurts to go back to the quick strike, as you can set the hook right away with those. I really like the subtlety of the circle hook for walleyes though.

[Huey]

Thanks for info.

The mutus are the ones that I brought back from Florida and they worked the best of the circle hooks that I tried. Got 1 bass and a couple lake trout on them. I also tried Gamakatsu and Eagle Claw w/ little success. I was hooking minnows by the dorsal fin. Maybe that makes a difference.