Rod action for circle hooks

I was always told to use a lighter action rod. However I picked up a heavy action river rod from Catfish Safari. This rod does not bend very much in heavy current. The first time I used it I caught seven blues and had one other come loose. Seven fish out of eight bites seems pretty good to me. The main thing on circle hooks is not to set the hook like you are bass fishing. All you really need to do is reel down on the fish, or leave the rod in its holder letting the fish hook itself.

 

Hey Earl I just ordered that same rod today, can't wait for it to get in! Glad your happy with yours :big_smile:

 

I wish I could help ya but im sure people on here can

 

JEJJ,
I USE 7 TO 9 ft MH AND H's AND I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY PROBLUM WITH THEM:smile2:

 

While I do like to fish circle hooks by letting the rod set till it's fully loaded, when I'm holding the rod and I get a bite, I usually start pulling very slowly, feeling for the weight of the fish. When I feel it, I just keep pulling slowly till the rod is loaded (bent). Once the rod is loaded, if it feels like a big fish, I may give the rod a couple of small sharp jerks to make sure the hook has fully penetrated.

 

The best i have found is a 7 foot medium rod. And if you are using a spinning reel let them run a little bit then put the hammer on um. The circles i use are the king kat from cabelas. They are made for the ocean.

 

I prefer a medium rod with circle hooks, but I have caught them on all types including broom stick stiff heavy action rods...I dont think it makes much of a difference.

 

Well, from experimenting over the years with circles. I find a little to stiff of a rod is better then a little to light of a rod. As far as rod brands out there any of the catfish safari rods are excellent with circle hooks. But your asking for action of rod. MH or Hvy works fine.. I find that when you start going to light the rod just doubles over to easy and does not get a good solid hook up. Why because there to light in the tip and most rods today seem to only bend from the tip to about half way down. Your loosing a lot of the meat of the rod for a solid hook up. Thats why it's best to go a little heavy. Oh well take that info for what it's worth.

 

I use the broom stick heavy rods so I cant exactly wait for the load up so what I do is put my thumb on the spool when my clicker starts to sing and gradually apply more and more pressure until I know hes stuck then I engage my reel and start the fight. So as said above any rod will work.

 

the action of the rod would be: slow, med, fast. and that would mean more than medium or medium heavy because your chasing cats your probally going to want at least a mh as far as most rods go. the slower action rods like a catfish safari will work better with circles because as a catfish runs the rods gonna bend all the way down before it pulls back giving the hook time to get in place. were a fast action tip rod like a tiger is gonna work better with j hooks because just the tip has to bend before the rod stiffens up.

 

A rod with medium heavy to heavy action is good for circle hooks.

 

Let's hear from a rod builder. I am under the impression the the action of a rod and the strength of the rod are two different qualities. MH or Heavy are the strength rating. The action has to do with how easily the rod bends.

Maybe someone could explain this properly.

 

Sorry, I tried to explain it quickly, but sounds like you got it. Im not a rod builder so ignore me if ya want :tounge_out: but ill try to explain.
the m, mh are the strength rating, how mutch it'll take.
the action is how mutch of the rod is actively used
fast action rods the top foot bends pretty easy and then its prettty stiff and hard to bend after that.
medium action rods the top half of the rod bends easy then the rest is stiff and hard to bend.
slow action rods the entire rod will bend like in the ugly stick picture were they try to touch the top to the bottom.
there it two ratings inbetween fast and med and med and slow. Ill post pictures of a fast and slow rod and a medium if i have one.

 

I just started using circle hooks. It has to do with the action of the rod. To me it depends on your rig, bait, and current your fishing. If you use a med action rod with 8oz. of weight and a live blue gill in heavy current your rod will look loaded from the start. So use the rod that is best for what your fishing for.

 

man that took forever the wife got a new printer and its fighting with the camera but i found a way around it:big_smile: theise should be pictures of fast medium and slow in order if i did it right:roll_eyes: whew i did it

 

Thanks. That explains it much better.

 

lol yea they always say a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

I use m/h over m for one reason. Circles are used so that the fish will hook itself. So I believe that the more resistance the better the hook set. I may be completely wrong, but I don't think a lighter rod will provide as much resistance for a better hook set. Anyway thats what I use and I haven't had any problems yet.

 

I use a M/H rod in both casting and spinning. My son uses a heavy action rod that is like a broom stick. With the circle hook you need to let the fish load up the rod. I like for the tip to be headed for the river in the rod holder then I pick it up and use a slow sweeping motion, before I start to reel.