Circle Hooks
While the “J.” style hook remains one of the most popular hooks on the market, the circle hook has also gained a lot of attention over the last 10 years. In fact, many anglers have discovered the circle hook can increase the likelihood that of fish will survive a catch and release.
Between 95% and hundred percent of the time, circle hooks will catch of fish in the corner of the mouth. In those cases where fish completely swallows the hook, the hook can easily slip through the gullet and not catch the underlying tissue. The theory behind this hook is that once it hits the corner of the mouth, it turns and the whole point catches and penetrates.
There is a way to ensure proper hook set if you are using the circle hook. And that is very simply not to set the hook at all. While most anglers instinctively set the hook, by overcoming that urge to rear back, it will almost always result in a failed hook set.
Whether you prefer to use live bait or dead bait, these hooks will work. Using the appropriate sized hook will also help. It is important to keep in mind that this should be sufficient exposure of the hook point to prevent the bait from interfering with the action of the circle hook as it pulls against the jaw of a fish.
In order to understand the mechanics of the circle hook, take a 24 and piece of fishing line and a saltwater circle hook. Use the 5/0 or larger for the best results. They could be with your thumb with your hand raised in front of you. Once you’ve done this, hold the line, dropped the hook onto the palm side of your hand, and make sure the line is flying across the V. This will give you a visual of the hook as it sits inside the fish’s mouth with the “V.” in the corner. At that time, slowly draw the hook up to your palm towards the “V.”. Watch until you see the hook may contact with the skin between your thumb and forefinger. At that point, you should see the hook start to rotate towards the point – this will expose the point to your skin. Hopefully, this will give you a better understanding of how the hook works and why a traditional hook will not work.
One significant advantage of circle hooks is that it’s very difficult for a fighting fish to shake them loose. In fact, since the close design does not allow the hook to back out of the fish’s jaw, it makes this one of the key features. Once you overcome the urge to set the hook, you’ll surely find that you not only are saving money on hooks, but you also be contributing to the future of your fishing area. These hooks do contribute to giving a released fish a far better chance of survival.
When you are out saltwater fishing it is important to make sure you have the right supplies. Some of the most popular brands include Shimano Reels, Penn Saltwater Reels, and Team Daiwa Reels.
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