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Circle hook and baitrunner

4K views 23 replies 12 participants last post by  qaldkmc;2pejr 
#1 ·
I'm a beginner catfish fisherman. I use 6/0 circle hooks and a 6500 bait runner reel. I use hot dogs as the bait.
Is it possible to use circle hooks with a bait runner? How the fish end up on the hook if it keeps unspooling the line?
I've seen a rig where you put a line trough the bait and then you tie it to the hook. I think is the solution to my problem.
If you know this rig, I would like to have a link to it.
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the forum! I think you will like it here.
Circle hooks need steady tension to pull out of the fish's mouth and hang up in the corner or the upper or lower bars of the mouth. If the fish can swim freely with it he may end up swallowing the bait and hook. You'll still catch him but getting the hook back will be a challenge and he might not survive to be released if that is your aim.
I fish free-line at times but mostly for the clicker to get my attention. As soon as I hear the alarm I lock down the reel, reel up the slack, and let the rod do the job of setting the hook.
 
#3 ·
Cf86,
I believe you are referring to the hair rig. The way it works is pretty much the total opposite of how a circle hook works. That’s not to say you’ll never catch a fish using the hair rig on a circle hook but it will be in spite of and not because of.
As Neill says, use the baitrunner to signal the bite and then simply engage the reel with the rod up at an angle and let it load into its curve so the circle hook does its thing…… Fish on!!!
Or, if you want to use a hair rig then do so with a J hook. When the fish runs it will, nine time out of ten, be already hooked so just tighten into it and….. Fish on!!!
…W
 
#6 ·
Stan, I think 6/0 circles would be a good size to use where your at. I say where your at because It appears from what I have seen that channels up there tend to be bigger than most channels here in Indiana.

Now one thought on using circle hooks with hotdogs as bait. We tend to use cut bait ( cut up fish) as bait a lot. Using a circle hook for catfish is a great option but the hook needs to be as exposed as possible. When we put the hook thru a piece of cut up fish, we try to go just deep enough keep the bait on the hook and have as much of the hook exposed as we can. If you put a piece of hotdog on a circle hook keep this in mind. It may be difficult to keep a hotdog on when you need most of the hook exposed.

I don’t know what your fishing regulations allow but you should try sone cut bait or even 2 to 4 inch minnows. I usually add some cuts on their side to get more scent in the water.

tight lines
 
#7 ·
I'm a beginner catfish fisherman. I use 6/0 circle hooks and a 6500 bait runner reel. I use hot dogs as the bait.
Is it possible to use circle hooks with a bait runner? How the fish end up on the hook if it keeps unspooling the line?
I've seen a rig where you put a line trough the bait and then you tie it to the hook. I think is the solution to my problem.
If you know this rig, I would like to have a link to it.
I'm not going to give you advice on the bait to use, as that has already been done. What I will tell you is about a European rig that I sometimes use when lake fishing. It is called a Bolt Rig. Basically it is a Carolina rig that has an extra bead and stop knot, in order to make the fish hook themselves. I have done this MANY times and it works well. On your main line 3 feet from the end, tie a stop knot. Next slide a bead onto your line, this will be your stopper. Next slide on a slip sinker, weight of your choosing. I usually use a 3 ounce to 4 ounce egg sinker. Next place another bead on your line and tie on a 1/0 barrel swivel. On the other end of the swivel, tie on a 6 inch to 1 foot length of line, of equal or lesser weight than your main line. Now tie your circle hook to the end of this 6 inch to 1 foot piece of line and you have your rig. As an alternative to this rig, you can slide a snap swivel on in place of your barrel sinker. This makes it easy to change the weight and style of your sinker, if you would rather use a different one. When the fish bites and moves off with your bait, the weight of your sinker hooks the fish. There are many ways you can vary this rig. With a short length of line between the snap swivel and an alternative style sinker, you can have a three-way style rig.This can also be used with a lighter line between the snap swivel and alternative style sinker, in order to break your sinker free, in case of hangups.
Hand Handwriting Mammal Font Wood
 
#9 ·
Well, that is too bad but I always try to remember to ask since here, each state has their own regulations. Don’t want to give anyone advice that would get them in trouble.

I have heard a lot here in the States about chicken marinated in strawberry koolaid or with a light sprinkle of garlic.

It stays on the hook pretty good also.

you could then save the hotdogs for the campfire.
good luck
 
#11 ·
It is the meat. I think using the chicken breast is the most common.

when using garlic, don’t use too much. I think the recommended amount is to sprinkle it on just one side, then put it in a ziplock bag and work it some to coat it all around.
 
#12 ·
Here is a good thread from MacB

CBMIGP (chicken breast marinated in garlic powder)

 
#14 ·
I'm a beginner catfish fisherman. I use 6/0 circle hooks and a 6500 bait runner reel. I use hot dogs as the bait.
Is it possible to use circle hooks with a bait runner? How the fish end up on the hook if it keeps unspooling the line?
I've seen a rig where you put a line trough the bait and then you tie it to the hook. I think is the solution to my problem.
If you know this rig, I would like to have a link to it.
I'm a beginner catfish fisherman. I use 6/0 circle hooks and a 6500 bait runner reel. I use hot dogs as the bait.
Is it possible to use circle hooks with a bait runner? How the fish end up on the hook if it keeps unspooling the line?
I've seen a rig where you put a line trough the bait and then you tie it to the hook. I think is the solution to my problem.
If you know this rig, I would like to have a link to it.
You need your sinker/weight to rest on the bottom, with anywhere from 6" to as much as a foot of line from it to your hook. The catfish picking up the bait and moving off with it will get hooked when the weight is picked up from the bottom. That's why even the traditional bass fishing drop shot rig works well. That was my fave for catching sail cats in the brackish waters around Pensacola on flats after sunset. They come up into the shallows hunting just what I'm sellin'! And those things used to average 7 to 71/2 pounds each. They're the only catfish in those waters that are free of parasites, in my experience. And good eating. Shrimp, squid, hot dawgs or chicken livers...they're not picky.
 
#16 ·
I've used circle hooks in the past under a float and had great success. I was also using a stiff tipped rod which is supposed to be a no-no with circle hooks. All I would do is when the float disappeared I would reel the slack out and just keep pressure on the rod, similar to the rod sitting in a rod holder. The same principle could be applied to a bait runner styler reel as well. When the fish picks up the bait just engage the main drag, keep pressure on the rod and resist the urge to set the hook. I know circle hooks are designed for soft tip rods in rod holders, but that doesn't mean they can't be successful in other scenarios.
 
#17 ·
I use circle hooks whenever I can find them. I've heard don't set the hook but I still do it! Problem I have is I've been setting hooks since I started fishing, over 70 yrs ago and it's pretty much a habit. And it seems to work fine. I don't set hooks very hard though. Noticed the cats I've caught since I started fishing for them all seem to be hooked in the jaw.
 
#18 ·
Hi,
I’m a big fan of dual drag “bait runner” style spinning reels for carp and catfish. I’ve caught hundreds of both species using dual drag reels and I bet my hook up rate is well over 95% (it’s actually probably 99% on channels since they hit so aggressively).
I use appropriately
small circles for carp and commonly use hair rigs on bolt rigs for them.
I use 6/0 circles for channels but since cats are less tackle and line sensitive than carp I don’t bother with hair rigs for cats. I do use bolt rigs for cats because it’s very convenient.
I set the secondary drag just tight enough to set the hook when they run against it. But I like it much lighter than my primary drag so that the fish don’t have purchase against a tight drag to open the hook hole if it takes me a few seconds to get to the rod.
I have NEVER gut hooked carp or a catfish using this method and as I mentioned my hook up rate is extremely high.
Best of luck!!!!
 
#19 ·
Hello everybody, sorry for being absent. I had an emergency situation on my family farm.

Thank you very much for your help. Now I better understand how to use circle hooks.

Just one question, how tight I have to set the secondary drag? Now it's set on the lesser resistance.
 
#20 ·
Here are my thoughts on the two drag systems in a bait runner reel.

The rear (bait runner) drag which is for allowing a fish to easily run should be set tight enough so wind nor wave action will take line off the spool. You generally want it as to give line as easily as possible so the fish will not feel it.

The main drag should be set tight. I never leave the main drag tightened on my reels. It is loosened when I quit fishing and then re set when I start fishing again. Of course the tightness depends on the pound test line you are using. I set my main drag as tight as I can but never tight enough to cause the line to break. I use the drag for what is is meant to do, give line when a fish makes a hard run and wear out the fish by making him work for every inch of line he pulls off. With either a spinning reel or a bait caster, you should be able to make adjustments during the fight if needed.
 
#22 ·
Since the fish putting a bend in the rod is what sets the hook when using circles, it would seem to be a somewhat important issue. Now there is a grace area but there is a point where a little tighter is better than a little looser.

A good habit to get into is to crank down on the reel while the rod is in the holder unless the fish really hammers it hard. Even then, if your drag is set too loose, cranking down doesn’t do anything. So the best rule of thumb is to set it safely under the breaking strength of the line but still tight.

Also if you don’t check the sharpness of your hooks often, you will be doing more fishing than catching.

tight lines
 
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