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Forcing myself to use circle hooks

4K views 34 replies 20 participants last post by  Pineywoodsrooter 
#1 ·
Okay guys i have rigged up 3 out of my 5 main rods i use with circle hooks. I have my bait rod with a size 2, my channel rod with 5/0, and one of my big boy rods with 8/0. No more saying i will try circle hooks later. No better time then the present to try. I just need to get some good rod holders (not fork sticks haha) for them before the next time i go and i will be set! Im going to order a heavy duty one off amazon that Eric suggested to me to see how it does and if i like it i will get more! Now i just need the weather to get warm and stay warm haha

Fish on guys,
Big Fish
 
#17 ·
The hardest part of using circles is breaking the habit of jerking it to set the hook and learning to just pick it up and reel it in a little bit. I use circles for channels but with flatheads and large sunfish I use a "Hybrid" hook which is essentially a Kahle style shank with a circle tip. With regular circles and 5"-7" sunnies for bait I had too many problems with the circle tip getting buried in the sunfish instead of the flathead's mouth. The hybrid stye gives me a little more width while still working like a circle as far as self setting the hook. Team Catfish calls them Double Action while some call the Octopus Hooks but I think hybrid is a better term because that is essentially what they are, a cross between a Kahle and a circle hook
 
#4 ·
Sounds like a plan Jon. Keep in mind that some rods work better with circle hooks than others. Generally an active tip is better allowing the tip to flex a good amount so when the hook shifts, the rod tension will help imbed the hook. The critical time comes when you will want to set the hook. Remember you do not set a circle like you would a "J" hook. Either reel down until the rod loads up or give the rod a sweeping action. All your doing is getting the circle hook to shift to the corner of the mouth at the right speed to allow it to turn and imbed.

After I have let the circle hook do its job, and when I first start actually fighting the fish I will do a standard hookset to make sure the hook is set deep.

I love it when a big fish yanks that rod tip over and continues to pull so hard that the drag slipping is easy to hear. That, is that "Oh Yah" moment.

Definitely need the rod holders. :biggrin1: As mentioned when we were at White River the other day, getting one secured in the bank can also be a challenge.

tight lines
 
#8 ·
I can agree with Stacee in that when the bite is light, or when you are amongst flatheads and they are doing their normal tap, tap, tap that a kahle hook may be a better selection. I have waited a good while for a flathead to load the rod up and sometimes they just don't want to do it. So when the rod has a steady bend in it but not a takedown, a standard hook can be good. Where I have to think is when I have several rods out with a mixture of hook styles. I always have to think about which hook is where.

It is a good exercise for us folks working with short term memory loss.:bruised: I can remember the number on the spark plug I put in my 1970 Mack 1 43 years ago, but I can't remember if I put my underwear on that morning. :sick:
 
#9 ·
The circles definitely work great. I have found that reeling down fast seems to be a better method than the long sweep. Just 5 or 6 cranks as fast as you can. I have also found that if you don't stick the fish they will come right back. The bait is only about 8ft away. Also I tried using Js and circles together and found it is much better to only use one at the time. Trying to remember which rods the Js were on was just too much.
 
#11 ·
One of my bait rods is medium and the other two rods i rigged with circles are medium heavy so they have some flex for sure. Not setting the hook is the weird part for me, i just love doing it! But i do understand you crank down or make a sweeping motion once the rod loads up. I just need to pratice!

I also feel like a kahle would be a better choice for when they are just tapping the bait or using a big live bait vs a circle. Have any of you guys used a kahle like you would a circle? I have heard of that being done as well but never tried.
 
#12 ·
On kahle hooks if I don't get to the rod fast enough they pretty much pull the rod right on in the water if I'm not quick enough. I believe it has been set already.lol
Usually happens when I'm not looking and tying another rig on it is why I bungee cord my rod handles when using typical fork holders. Most of the time I just use my baifeeders though. It's those small taps or or taking just a little line I have a tendency to set the hook on.
 
#13 ·
I have had that happen a couple times Stacee thats why i love the bait runners. Like you said it always happens when your busy with somthing. Usually when im in the middle of watering the trees!
Growing up my dad taught us to open our bail and lay somthing on the line. Then i learned about the putting a rubberband on your rod to hold the line trick. After awhile i started losening my drag so i can here them run at night. Sometimes that ended in a mess. Finally i was introduced to the bait runners, feeders, etc (every brand has a different name) and i never looked back.
 
#18 ·
#26 ·
I prefer the regular wire hooks to a heavy wire hook. Has anyone had a hook bend when fighting a fish? Not when pulling on a stump with 100 pound test. Just curious.
I'm with you. I bought a bunch of TC Super Circles years ago and I ended up selling them. The thickness was crazy, seemed like it was more for big grouper, tuna or shark lol I use 9-10/0 Charlie Brown's, 8/0 TC, 7/0 Daiichi Chunk Light and 8/0 wide gap circles never had a fish bend them. Now the pliers, when taking the hooks out of the fish's jaw is the only time I bend them personally lol If I hook a stump I just break off
 
#28 ·
I used to jug fish quite frequently. I was fishing one weekend and made identical jugs with a J-hook and circle hooks. Set in the same area, baited the same way to determine the best hook based on catching fish. After the 3 day weekend I have never used J-hooks again. The circles were almost 2 to 1 better on jugs the way I rigged them.

I always put my rods in a holder that they don't come out of and use circle hooks. Knock on wood in about 5 years of rod and reel fishing and most likely thousands of fish I have never lost a rod. I have never been in my buddies boat fishing because he doesn't have rod holders. Don't have to set the hook, just pick up and start reeling.
 
#32 ·
I started using Octagon and P&G soar years ago with good results. Both are no longer made. I recently tried pink Zote and the channel cat ate it up. Using floater lines in moving water or still water works well. I tie short trotlines or limb lines with no weights and the fish fine it. It worked well when the river was high and bait fish were in eddy pools after baitfish. I tie lines on overhanging limbs or snags. I used to use soap in very swift creek current on limb lines with no weights. It skipped along on top and chummed the fish up.
 
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