Single or Treble...?
- Thread starter Seafever
- Start date
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
I've always used trebles, better chance of hook ups IMO.
bigdogeh
Well-Known Member
I kinda like singles and barbless also... just alot easier if your releasing alot of fish. can be a pain if your releasing rockfish and you get all 3 barbs stuck in the hard parts of the mouth. alot less damaging to the fish also. and then if you catch an incidental salmon you can keep it also.
hambone
Well-Known Member
Single... I think it might have a slightly worse hook up percentage, but once you're hooked up there's a good chance you'll land the fish. Trebles are death to smaller salmon or non legal salmon that you plan on releasing, especially jigging where you can hook them all around the head and gills.
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
OK, Enough fooling around here.
How about taking off both your single hook and your treble hook, and putting on a 5/0 CIRCLE HOOK?? As a Barbless circle hook, you will in fact not stick so easily on the bottom. As a Barbless circle hook, you will have an easy time letting fish go. As a Barbless circle hook, a slow hook set won't matter, as the fish hooks themselves. Do not try and set the hook with a circle hook. It will do it for you.
Drewski
How about taking off both your single hook and your treble hook, and putting on a 5/0 CIRCLE HOOK?? As a Barbless circle hook, you will in fact not stick so easily on the bottom. As a Barbless circle hook, you will have an easy time letting fish go. As a Barbless circle hook, a slow hook set won't matter, as the fish hooks themselves. Do not try and set the hook with a circle hook. It will do it for you.
Drewski
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
Circle Hooks Are the correct answer!!
OK, Enough fooling around here.
How about taking off both your single hook and your treble hook, and putting on a 5/0 CIRCLE HOOK?? As a Barbless circle hook, you will in fact not stick so easily on the bottom.
As a Barbless circle hook, you will have an easy time letting fish go.
As a Barbless circle hook, a slow hook set won't matter, as the fish hooks themselves. Do not try and set the hook with a circle hook. It will do it for you.
Drewski
OK, Enough fooling around here.
How about taking off both your single hook and your treble hook, and putting on a 5/0 CIRCLE HOOK?? As a Barbless circle hook, you will in fact not stick so easily on the bottom.
As a Barbless circle hook, you will have an easy time letting fish go.
As a Barbless circle hook, a slow hook set won't matter, as the fish hooks themselves. Do not try and set the hook with a circle hook. It will do it for you.
Drewski
hambone
Well-Known Member
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
Um, Hambone, if you are referring to me, it works GREAT!!!.
If you are referring to the Original Poster, please give it a try. A lot of Rock fish are aggressive, and there is nothing worse than a deep hooked treble on a fish that might survive a quick release. I used to live in Florida and fished off shore for grouper where there is a size limit. Hated to waste such a fish when they were close to legal, and the circle hooks made releases very easy and safe as the fish is typically hooked in the top, bottom, or sides of the jaw. I fish Nootka with circle hooks with chovie, spoons, hootchies, and for bottom fish, and circle hooks have been all I use.
Been accused many times of not pinching my barbs, because airborne fish don't usually get off.
So just a not so fresh idea to me, but it will be to anyone who tries it.
Drewski
If you are referring to the Original Poster, please give it a try. A lot of Rock fish are aggressive, and there is nothing worse than a deep hooked treble on a fish that might survive a quick release. I used to live in Florida and fished off shore for grouper where there is a size limit. Hated to waste such a fish when they were close to legal, and the circle hooks made releases very easy and safe as the fish is typically hooked in the top, bottom, or sides of the jaw. I fish Nootka with circle hooks with chovie, spoons, hootchies, and for bottom fish, and circle hooks have been all I use.
Been accused many times of not pinching my barbs, because airborne fish don't usually get off.
So just a not so fresh idea to me, but it will be to anyone who tries it.
Drewski
Dan
Member
I tried circle hooks for an entire summer(I shore fish only/no boat) and they did work quite good although they are not recommended for retrieving lures(so they say).
I always try things people tell me I shouldn't or can't do and usually have success and circle hook was one of those cases.
My biggest problem with them is they are not readily available in stores here in a variety of sizes and are not stocked consistently.
Also lost my biggest(?) salmon on one as it spit the hook easily after taking out some line/drag.
Going with conventional J hooks this year, so far so good...but yeah if you have not tried them, especially fishing bait...try them !
I always try things people tell me I shouldn't or can't do and usually have success and circle hook was one of those cases.
My biggest problem with them is they are not readily available in stores here in a variety of sizes and are not stocked consistently.
Also lost my biggest(?) salmon on one as it spit the hook easily after taking out some line/drag.
Going with conventional J hooks this year, so far so good...but yeah if you have not tried them, especially fishing bait...try them !
hambone
Well-Known Member
Very interesting Drewski.. I think the original poster had jig caught salmon in mind, but maybe not. I would've thought a circle hook would be no good on a jig because of its erratic action/flutter, but I haven't tried it... Sounds like maybe I should. Thanks for the info.
My concern is that most of my jigged salmon are caught on the drop/flutter. The fish isn't always biting the hook end of the jig and setting the hook is ultra important. Doesn't a circle hook have to be swallowed.
My concern is that most of my jigged salmon are caught on the drop/flutter. The fish isn't always biting the hook end of the jig and setting the hook is ultra important. Doesn't a circle hook have to be swallowed.
Last edited by a moderator:
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Hambone:-
I've been giving it a try, LOL, for years, LOL, actually decades.
I found, LOL, that using either will catch fish. LOL. The single hook , LOL, is easier to remove from Rockfish.....on trebles you often get a "button-up" where all three barbs are in and the Rockfish suffers.
I posted here , LOL, to find out what others think, LOL, because that's what you do on a fishing forum, LOL.....share information, ideas and seek input from others, LOL.
Since,LOL, using barbed hooks for salmon is illegal but using barbed hooks for bottomfish is legal,LOL, it puts a jigger between a rock and a hard place, LOL.
If you by-catch a salmon while fishing bottomfish using barbed hooks you are technically not supposed to retain the salmon, LOL. But I know that a lot of jiggers ignore that fact, LOL.
The single hook has a deeper cup on it and retains salmon better than a treble a lot of times,LOL.
I've often noticed with a treble, LOL, that even though it's a treble there often is only one barb impaled in the salmon's mouth.,,,the other two are facing the other way in thin air inside the mouth, LOL.
So in many cases it's easier for a salmon to throw a treble,LOL, because the cup on one barb is much smaller than a single,LOL and technically it's supposed to be a totally barbless treble hook,LOL.
If you are fishing bottomfish only with barbed hooks, LOL, then you don't have too much to worry about as far as the fish staying on,LOL. But as mentioned,LOL, it's often hard on the Rockfish and other species.
In the picture below I've converted trebles to "doubles" and used those many times , LOL. Because they are easier to get out of Rockfish, LOL. They work very well,LOL.
Drewski:- I've never used circle hooks for trolling or jigging.....mainly because I have been skeptical of their efficiency on the initial strike/hookup. I know some guys use them for trolling too.
But the design of the hook was initially meant for a fish that mouths the bait for awhile..........like longliners use for Halibut.
Do they REALLY work ok for trolling and jigging?
How do you get a fast hookup on a hook that was not designed for that effect at all?
I've been giving it a try, LOL, for years, LOL, actually decades.
I found, LOL, that using either will catch fish. LOL. The single hook , LOL, is easier to remove from Rockfish.....on trebles you often get a "button-up" where all three barbs are in and the Rockfish suffers.
I posted here , LOL, to find out what others think, LOL, because that's what you do on a fishing forum, LOL.....share information, ideas and seek input from others, LOL.
Since,LOL, using barbed hooks for salmon is illegal but using barbed hooks for bottomfish is legal,LOL, it puts a jigger between a rock and a hard place, LOL.
If you by-catch a salmon while fishing bottomfish using barbed hooks you are technically not supposed to retain the salmon, LOL. But I know that a lot of jiggers ignore that fact, LOL.
The single hook has a deeper cup on it and retains salmon better than a treble a lot of times,LOL.
I've often noticed with a treble, LOL, that even though it's a treble there often is only one barb impaled in the salmon's mouth.,,,the other two are facing the other way in thin air inside the mouth, LOL.
So in many cases it's easier for a salmon to throw a treble,LOL, because the cup on one barb is much smaller than a single,LOL and technically it's supposed to be a totally barbless treble hook,LOL.
If you are fishing bottomfish only with barbed hooks, LOL, then you don't have too much to worry about as far as the fish staying on,LOL. But as mentioned,LOL, it's often hard on the Rockfish and other species.
In the picture below I've converted trebles to "doubles" and used those many times , LOL. Because they are easier to get out of Rockfish, LOL. They work very well,LOL.
Drewski:- I've never used circle hooks for trolling or jigging.....mainly because I have been skeptical of their efficiency on the initial strike/hookup. I know some guys use them for trolling too.
But the design of the hook was initially meant for a fish that mouths the bait for awhile..........like longliners use for Halibut.
Do they REALLY work ok for trolling and jigging?
How do you get a fast hookup on a hook that was not designed for that effect at all?
Attachments
Big Green Machine
Well-Known Member
Hambone:-
I've been giving it a try, LOL, for years, LOL, actually decades.
I found, LOL, that using either will catch fish. LOL. The single hook , LOL, is easier to remove from Rockfish.....on trebles you often get a "button-up" where all three barbs are in and the Rockfish suffers.
I posted here , LOL, to find out what others think, LOL, because that's what you do on a fishing forum, LOL.....share information, ideas and seek input from others, LOL.
Since,LOL, using barbed hooks for salmon is illegal but using barbed hooks for bottomfish is legal,LOL, it puts a jigger between a rock and a hard place, LOL.
If you by-catch a salmon while fishing bottomfish using barbed hooks you are technically not supposed to retain the salmon, LOL. But I know that a lot of jiggers ignore that fact, LOL.
The single hook has a deeper cup on it and retains salmon better than a treble a lot of times,LOL.
I've often noticed with a treble, LOL, that even though it's a treble there often is only one barb impaled in the salmon's mouth.,,,the other two are facing the other way in thin air inside the mouth, LOL.
So in many cases it's easier for a salmon to throw a treble,LOL, because the cup on one barb is much smaller than a single,LOL and technically it's supposed to be a totally barbless treble hook,LOL.
If you are fishing bottomfish only with barbed hooks, LOL, then you don't have too much to worry about as far as the fish staying on,LOL. But as mentioned,LOL, it's often hard on the Rockfish and other species.
In the picture below I've converted trebles to "doubles" and used those many times , LOL. Because they are easier to get out of Rockfish, LOL. They work very well,LOL.
Drewski:- I've never used circle hooks for trolling or jigging.....mainly because I have been skeptical of their efficiency on the initial strike/hookup. I know some guys use them for trolling too.
But the design of the hook was initially meant for a fish that mouths the bait for awhile..........like longliners use for Halibut.
Do they REALLY work ok for trolling and jigging?
How do you get a fast hookup on a hook that was not designed for that effect at all?
Seafever, most of us understand sarcasm. Is that what you were going for?
bigdogeh
Well-Known Member
I've often thought of trying a barbless circle hook for trolling but never got around to it. I always thought that maybe they might be a bit harder to get the initial hookup, but once hooked up I would have thought they might be a bit harder to shake off... will have to give it a try sometime.
Drewski Canuck
Active Member
5/0 circle hooks from Mustad work great when you replace the standard hook on say a Gibbs Gator, Coyote spoon, tomic spoon, etc in the 3 - 4 inch length. I have some 7/0 on some 6 inch spoons as well.
If you can get some 5/0 hooks from VMC, that are actually vanadium, they are fantastic as they do not corrode.
I also use a 5/0 with a 1/0 trailer on big anchovie in a Krippled head holder.
Circle hooks work great on a Zinger jigged as well. No impact on the spin. For kicks, take a Zinger, get some adhesive "flash" tape from a craft store. Use clear nail polish to secure the edges. cut the profile and put it on and paint the clear polish on the edges. Go to TRIBUNE BAY when the herring are in, and jig and see what happens. Sometimes you can see the strike, and you will see the circle hook dig in on the turn after the hit.
I have used 5/0 circles on my hootchies as well for years.
The key to it is obvious if you watch any underwater footage of a salmon striking a trolled lure. By instinct, they hit and turn away. At that point the hook slides into the corner of the closed mouth, sticks in the jaw and turns.
The only issue is that the gap between the turned point and the main shank have to be about 3/4 of an inch at least to allow it to turn and dig into the jaw of the fish. That is why people go 2 - 3 hook sizes bigger from standard hooks.
A lot of billfish tournaments in the Caribbean require use of circle hooks. These are fights that can last hours.
Give it a try and maybe you will be surprised as I was.
Drewski
If you can get some 5/0 hooks from VMC, that are actually vanadium, they are fantastic as they do not corrode.
I also use a 5/0 with a 1/0 trailer on big anchovie in a Krippled head holder.
Circle hooks work great on a Zinger jigged as well. No impact on the spin. For kicks, take a Zinger, get some adhesive "flash" tape from a craft store. Use clear nail polish to secure the edges. cut the profile and put it on and paint the clear polish on the edges. Go to TRIBUNE BAY when the herring are in, and jig and see what happens. Sometimes you can see the strike, and you will see the circle hook dig in on the turn after the hit.
I have used 5/0 circles on my hootchies as well for years.
The key to it is obvious if you watch any underwater footage of a salmon striking a trolled lure. By instinct, they hit and turn away. At that point the hook slides into the corner of the closed mouth, sticks in the jaw and turns.
The only issue is that the gap between the turned point and the main shank have to be about 3/4 of an inch at least to allow it to turn and dig into the jaw of the fish. That is why people go 2 - 3 hook sizes bigger from standard hooks.
A lot of billfish tournaments in the Caribbean require use of circle hooks. These are fights that can last hours.
Give it a try and maybe you will be surprised as I was.
Drewski
