Circle Hooks

[OneWay]

I just noticed this little statement in the new fishing regs.

DFO is preparing a regulatory submission that would make it possible to implement the mandatory use of circle hooks in certain places and at certain times when fishing for salmon. The main cause of mortality in released sport-caught fish is organ and gill damage. This damage occurs when a fish is “deep-hooked,” that is the hook catches in the fish’s gut when it is set by the angler. Circle hooks are a valuable conservation tool in certain fisheries as they are less likely to deep-hook a fish and therefore have a lower post-release mortality rate than traditional J-hooks.

It might be time to start learning how to use these hooks...they do work really well, but you have to unlearn "setting the hook."

 

[Hoochiebob]

I have seen that as well.I cant remember the last time I "gut hooked" a fish.Oh wait...thats right, never!Be interesting to know if anybody else has.
Treble with a 1/0 single trailer and 95% caught on the trailer.

 

[OneWay]

When I used to strip cast with a single 1/0 to 3/0 hook, or mooch live herring with tandem #10 to #4 trebles, about half my fish were hooked deep in the gut or gill hooked. The deeply hooked fish bled badly and were usually rolled over dead by the time the fight was over. You always knew when you had a gut hooked tyee - it would jump all over like crazy, then be stone dead in about 10 minutes.

I can see them enacting the circle hook rule in the Queen Charlottes, Hakai Pass and Rivers Inlet where most of the fishing is done with power mooching bait, and deeply hooked fish are very common.

 

[teamchachi]

The big issue for me is fishing when there are lots of little guys around. A couple of years ago we were fishing Ucluelet with 4/0 and 5/0 hooks. The little guys kept hitting them and taking them through the eye, brain, etc. We switched to circle hooks and had a much easier time letting the little guys go. Circle hooks go into the corner of the mouth and the mortality rate is way lower.

 

[Sushihunter]

OK, here is MY problem with a regulation like this one.

I don't have up to date stats, but the last ones I saw stated that natives catch 3.9% of the total catch, sports fishermen catch another 3.9%, commercial catch is 92% of the total catch.

Let's say for argument that "deep hooked" fish account for a whole 1% of the total catch that is killed and not released, or released and dies.

Is this REALLY significant? I think not.

Question: WHO is pushing for this regulation? DFO? WWF? Peta?

It's bad enough that we all have to worry about crimping the barb on all our Salmon hooks now.

 

[OneWay]

In place like the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands, it is quite common to hook upwards of 40 chinook a day. I'm finally old enough to not want a a really big fish, nor want to play anywhere near that number of fish to get one, but if others want to fish for that "bragging rights" fish they're going to C&R a lot of fish to get the one they really want....and before these fish reach more heavily fished places like the WCVI, a lot of them are going to end up dying needlessly.

The devil will be in the details of the pending DFO circle hook reg. If properly applied to the "certain places and at certain times" it could reduce C&R carnage, and just maybe, produce better fishing for others further down the migration route.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Good to hear the opinion of those who agree with circle hooks.I think I'll have to give them a go this year.
If it's something I can do to help the salmon out,then its worth it
Hooch

 

[HSM542]

We fish mainly with spoons and tomic plugs out of Ucluelet, and as teamchachi stated we also ran into afew smaller coho hitting our rigs and a couple of them did take the big siwash hooks in the head resulting in us having to release dead non finclipped fish back. If using circle hooks helps, I'm all for it, but does it prevent the fish you want from hooking up as well as a siwash works? All we did in that case was moved away from the smaller fish and got back into the better fish elseware. Have never tried to put circle hooks on spoons, but will give it a try this year.

 

[Haze]

As said earlier, when I used to mooch live herring I often had fish take the hook in the gullet. But for the last couple of years now I can't say that I've had that happen since I use 4.0 or 5.0 hooks on most my gear.

 

[Drewski]

We use Circle hooks on everything. I post this every year, and every year there are skeptics. Circle hooks work great!. DON'T set the hook, the fish do that for you. DON'T fish small hooks, go up 2 sizes from what you normally use. We run alot of 4/0 - 5/0 circles, and do great in Nootka. Look for the "Mistress" last week of July, or if the Gods be willing, a 215 Fishing Machine called "D'Fishn'Sea". Stop by and chat.

Drewski

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by HSM542

We fish mainly with spoons and tomic plugs out of Ucluelet...
...Have never tried to put circle hooks on spoons, but will give it a try this year.

I for one would be interested in hearing your results of trolling various rigs with circle hooks. I don't see how they can be effective in a trolling situation. I could be proven wrong - if so, I'd like to hear about it.

I think that circle hooks will hold a fish better once hooked. Would be perfect for mooching live bait for example. I use them for Halibut fishing for example.

What I don't want to see is government mandated mandatory regulations to use circle hooks - or anything else for that matter.

I still think that the barbless hook regs should be thrown out for salt water. I think they make perfect sense in fresh water where you can hook and re-hook the same fish multiple times.

I happen to think that we sports fishermen have had too many rules and regulations jammed down our throats in recent years, and no one seems to be able to put together a coordinated fight against it. Worse than that, there are some fishermen who are actively working to further restrict our access to the fisherie.

ie. The 30 Chinook annual limit. There are a bunch of guys in Tahsis who think this is too many fish. They want it cut back to 10 or 12.

I have been fishing for years, and never once have I filled out a 30 fish limit in one year for myself. Oh, my clients have killed hundreds, but that doesn't mean I get them.

Let's consider the cost. Here in Tahsis, we have a minimum one hour run to the Chinook grounds, during the peak season. In my boat, and most typical boats in this area, a days fishing will cost over $200 in fuel alone, plus bait, plus snacks, meals, & drinks etc.

Assuming that I have perfect fishing days, it would take me 15 fishing days to knock out my 30 fish limit. That would be a minimum of $3,000 in fuel, or $100 per fish. Throw in a 20% non-success rate due to bad weather, poor fish runs, poor timing of trips, and just plain bad luck... $120 per fish. Add in more gas expenses due to going further afield in search of fish, add another 20% or $144 per fish.

What we are selling as guides is expectation and opportunity. If we forced upon ourselves a reduction in the 30 fish annual limit, what we would get is newspaper headlines all over the world saying that the fish are wiped out in BC and our valued clients would head to Alaska to catch Salmon or Mexico to catch Sailfish and Tuna.

This year is going to be hard enough on us - let's not add to the problems.

 

[drhook]

Amen to that 'sushihunter'. My sentiments exactly!

 

[Last Chance]

How about Cali rules? First two fish you hit, ANY SIZE, you keep. Lots of guys will run 4/0's behind their anchovies then .

 

[bananas]

I've run circle hooks for the past month on my spoons and hootchies and i troll faster than the average guy actualy way faster and i've had no probs hooking fish and i don't lose hardly any fish.

Give em a try you will be surprised i know i was.

 

[gimp]

Circle hooks are awsome. I have stated it in previous posts that we have been using them for years. The fishing is a bit diffrent as you really dont need to set the hook and it is hard to break the habit. We hardly ever lose fish and they do come out very easy with little dammage to the fish if you intend to release it.

 

[teamchachi]

I've switched out a bunch of my Coyote spoons to 5/0 hooks and I don't feel like i'm losing any fish. We just set the release clips tight and real down on the downrigger rods. The fish set themselves.