circle hooks with teaser heads
- Thread starter jeffw12
- Start date
littlechucky
Crew Member
I tied up some single 3/0 and 4/0 gammy circle hooks (no stinger) and am going to try them in the spring.
Will probably run the teaser heads with wire to get a decent roll.
My thought was to limit the damage with the number of undersized fish around and make for easy releases.
In the late summer and fall I usually run a #1 treble and 3/0 stinger as I don't see too many undersized.
Will probably run the teaser heads with wire to get a decent roll.
My thought was to limit the damage with the number of undersized fish around and make for easy releases.
In the late summer and fall I usually run a #1 treble and 3/0 stinger as I don't see too many undersized.
littlechucky
Crew Member
1.5 inches
I ditched the treble 20 years ago.
I use two mooching hooks; not circles
Front hook goes where the treble goes lying flat against the bait.
Rear hook hangs free so that the back end of the hook is even with the bait tail.
Bait action is better than with the treble.
3/0 is too small - use 4 or 5
I use two mooching hooks; not circles
Front hook goes where the treble goes lying flat against the bait.
Rear hook hangs free so that the back end of the hook is even with the bait tail.
Bait action is better than with the treble.
3/0 is too small - use 4 or 5
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
Been running a 5/0 Circle hook (usually thin wire VMC but used to use stainless Mustads back when you could get them) on an Anchovy Special / Krippled since 1995. I then run a stinger being a 1/0 behind in the tail.
It works best with the biggest Anchovies (5.5 / 6 inch) that are well brined, and to make it work, you need TWO TOOTHPICKS. The first is to jam in where the line runs through for the teaser head to stop the teaser head from pulling down, and the second one is pushed up from behind the dorsal fin forward to set the bend. You snap off the "Jam pick" and you trim the "body pick" so it is not visible. A DRY TOOTHPICK IS A MUST FOR THE JAM PICK.
We fish Nootka in August, and sometimes the fish are a bit lazy, and simply bite off the tail. That is where the Stinger hook comes in. You can troll for 20 minutes and pull up to check the bait only to see 1/2 of an Anchovy from a short hit. Very frustrating. Because of the short distance between the main hook and the stinger, you have to use 50 pd test Florocarbon for the leader. Tie the main hook on with a snelled knot, leave a lot of trailing line, and then do a palomar knot for the stinger. Keep it a couple of inches from the main hook.
I used to live in Florida and all the offshore trollers pull circle hooks in the bill fish tournaments because these fish jump a lot. Using Barbless, you loose a lot, just like salmon.
The thing about circle hooks, is that it hooks in the top or bottom of the jaw, or the corner of the mouth. Once hooked, it is very very hard to lose the fish, except where you tear the jaw somehow. We have had 30 pd Springs jump half a dozen times 20 yards off the boat and still landed the fish, because a Circle Hook rotates when it digs in. To unhook the fish, you PUSH the hook inward and turn, then it slides out.
We have switched over all our Coyote spoons to a 5/0, as well as all of our hootchies. I have not had a lot of luck pulling plugs in Nootka, so I cannot comment on the effectiveness of Circle Hooks on Plugs, but for spoons and hootchies, it works fantastic.
For sizing, you do have to go a full two sizes or more because the hook set depends on the gap between the tip and the shank of the hook. This is the Gap that slides into the jaw. Because fish instinctively hit and turn, it is at that second where the fish turns that the point sticks in and starts to do the rotation.
Given the competition at Nootka, you want to land every fish that hits, because it will be a good fish, and because you may only have a few hits a day. A Circle hook does give the advantage on the larger fish, especially when they go airborne, so I hope some of you try experimenting with Circle hooks this year.
Drewski
It works best with the biggest Anchovies (5.5 / 6 inch) that are well brined, and to make it work, you need TWO TOOTHPICKS. The first is to jam in where the line runs through for the teaser head to stop the teaser head from pulling down, and the second one is pushed up from behind the dorsal fin forward to set the bend. You snap off the "Jam pick" and you trim the "body pick" so it is not visible. A DRY TOOTHPICK IS A MUST FOR THE JAM PICK.
We fish Nootka in August, and sometimes the fish are a bit lazy, and simply bite off the tail. That is where the Stinger hook comes in. You can troll for 20 minutes and pull up to check the bait only to see 1/2 of an Anchovy from a short hit. Very frustrating. Because of the short distance between the main hook and the stinger, you have to use 50 pd test Florocarbon for the leader. Tie the main hook on with a snelled knot, leave a lot of trailing line, and then do a palomar knot for the stinger. Keep it a couple of inches from the main hook.
I used to live in Florida and all the offshore trollers pull circle hooks in the bill fish tournaments because these fish jump a lot. Using Barbless, you loose a lot, just like salmon.
The thing about circle hooks, is that it hooks in the top or bottom of the jaw, or the corner of the mouth. Once hooked, it is very very hard to lose the fish, except where you tear the jaw somehow. We have had 30 pd Springs jump half a dozen times 20 yards off the boat and still landed the fish, because a Circle Hook rotates when it digs in. To unhook the fish, you PUSH the hook inward and turn, then it slides out.
We have switched over all our Coyote spoons to a 5/0, as well as all of our hootchies. I have not had a lot of luck pulling plugs in Nootka, so I cannot comment on the effectiveness of Circle Hooks on Plugs, but for spoons and hootchies, it works fantastic.
For sizing, you do have to go a full two sizes or more because the hook set depends on the gap between the tip and the shank of the hook. This is the Gap that slides into the jaw. Because fish instinctively hit and turn, it is at that second where the fish turns that the point sticks in and starts to do the rotation.
Given the competition at Nootka, you want to land every fish that hits, because it will be a good fish, and because you may only have a few hits a day. A Circle hook does give the advantage on the larger fish, especially when they go airborne, so I hope some of you try experimenting with Circle hooks this year.
Drewski
Fishin'Zinn
Active Member
That makes sense ^ However one might think, due to the nature of salmon strikes/bites, you'll probably miss more hits, but ones you hook-up at least you will hook them right in the mouth. Pure speculation, would like to hear an expert chime in.
True circle hooks obviously need the fish to swallow the lure/bait first and turn to work usually no? Lots of times they will just strike or bite it in anger or irritation if not to feed.
True circle hooks obviously need the fish to swallow the lure/bait first and turn to work usually no? Lots of times they will just strike or bite it in anger or irritation if not to feed.
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
What we are targeting at Nootka are returning fish, which are pretty good size. Given the size of their mouths, if it was simply an aggression hit on a hootchie, spoon, or bait, we should be tripping out but not hooking up. We are hooking up and its pretty uncommon to trip out without a hook up so the tackle is in their mouth completely which is what allows the circle hook to get caught in the corners of the mouth or the nose or the jaw.
Lots of guys at Nootka have bad luck on barbless trebles when the fight lasts more than 10 minutes simply because there are a few good surges and turns and the odd flop on the surface. Its painful to watch a guy who trolls all morning to lose the only hit because the fish rolled on the surface. A circle hook would have made a difference in those cases.
Drewski
Lots of guys at Nootka have bad luck on barbless trebles when the fight lasts more than 10 minutes simply because there are a few good surges and turns and the odd flop on the surface. Its painful to watch a guy who trolls all morning to lose the only hit because the fish rolled on the surface. A circle hook would have made a difference in those cases.
Drewski
TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
I am not a big circle hook fan. It would seem to me if you wanted to try them the best thing to do would be to offset the hook point slightly. That will result in a higher hooking percentage. You will lose a few more than with an unmodified circle hook, but you should hook up far more by bending a slight offset in the point. The styles of circle hooks varies greatly as well. The style and size of any circle chosen would be very important compared to a standard octopus hook.
I generally use only a highly modified single Siwash. I take a wide gape Siwash hook, bend the point inwards, then offset the point. That way you get a version with similar characteristics to a circle hook, but with far better percentage of hookups. JMO.
I generally use only a highly modified single Siwash. I take a wide gape Siwash hook, bend the point inwards, then offset the point. That way you get a version with similar characteristics to a circle hook, but with far better percentage of hookups. JMO.
fishin solo
Crew Member
try a 510 gammi
TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
The 510 with the barb on the outside is a really fine hook. When you have to de-barb it for Salmon fishing you lose a lot of the effectiveness your paying for. I'd personally rather use them as an assist hook with the barbs intact for bottom fishing. Great hook though.
fishin solo
Crew Member
Use them all the time fishing for salmon increased hook ups and fish landed. I'd have to disagree with you on this one
TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
Fair enough, it's just you pay premo for that hook. I'd rather keep the outside barb your paying top dollar for on bottom rigs. To each their own.
fishin solo
Crew Member
$.75 a hook isn't primo lol that's reasonable. I don't even sharpen them just put on a new one when they dull
TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
Where do you find them at that price? are you buying large quantities with a guide discount to get that price. What size are you using? If you don't mind me asking.
TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
Does no one using circle hooks bend an offset to get a higher percentage of hook ups? You don't need to bend the point end off center too much to dramatically increase the percentage of drive bys that stick. I always bend my Hali circle hooks to have a slight offset. The bigguns used for Hali you need to put in a vice to bend. I often see this recommended for circles on Hali forums. I also always do it for my J hooks (Siwash) as well. With the Siwash I always do a compound bend. First I bend the front inwards toward the shank to give a somewhat circle bend, then I offset the front end to increase the percentage of hook ups. It way increases the holding power on a barbless hook. I'm sure lots of other guys must do this since Salmon gear went barbless.
