Success with Circle Hooks

[happy2fish]

"Billfish numbers are now so low that the future of healthy populations is in question. Because circle hooks almost always set in the jaw of a fish rather than in the throat or deep in the stomach, fishery managers are looking to them as a tool that will allow recreational anglers to continue to enjoy a (mostly) catch-and-release fishery for billfish without the added negative impact of post-release mortality."

Quote from the Daily Times Originally published May 15, 2007

[Sam]

I know since I began using circle hooks from the beach, I haven't gut hooked many fish at all. When I was using standard J-hooks, I was gut hooking a LOT of fish, including skates, doggies and stripers.

Still have to find out a way to use circles for sharks. Very tired of gut hooking sand tigers.

[Charkbait]

you just have to come to the realization that it's OK to miss a few on the circles to avoid gut hooking them. I probably missed 3, finally got one on the yakked circles. However my casted circles are excellent at hooking ST's while drum fishin.

I've got new hooks this year though. 12/0 bigeye Gami's, sharp as hell and big enough for any inshore shark. They're bigger then my 16/0 mustads. About $5 a pop though.

[Coop]

I like the really cheap hooks. Many times at night, especially with a yak, sandtigers will swim into the main line and bite you off. Suprisingly, it happens often. I am going with the mustad 16/0's circles at night. Cheap and very easy to sharpen.

[Charkbait]

you're right coop, seems to happen to me every time out. I don't fish as much as you so losing a rig or two a couple times a year sharkin doesn't hurt too bad. Losing that a couple times a week is a different story.

[Steve]

I bought 50 20/0 circles. They have a gap big enough to get that lip through. Hopefully fewer misses.

[trowpa]

What is the best source you guys have found for casting-rig sized circles?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Steve

I bought 50 20/0 circles. They have a gap big enough to get that lip through. Hopefully fewer misses.

Steve, where did you find those? I will be looking for some here shortly.

[Charkbait]

Originally Posted by trowpa

What is the best source you guys have found for casting-rig sized circles?

They're all casting size technically, just a matter of how big a bait you want to toss. I'd still go 12/0 for any casted bunker of any size, sharks aren't shy.

I used vmc 10/0 circle hooks on vacation. 25 for $11, knowing I would lose a ton, maybe lost 6 or 7 on breakoffs tangles etc. So I was down maybe $2, I however lost 3 12/0 Gami's on yakked baits getting the mainline bit off or rubbed off on some junk on the bottom. Those VMC's were perfect for casting for charks.