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Review Circle hooks

Paul

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Well this was my first use of the circle hooks , and I have to say pretty impressive , found them a bitch to bait up with having a turned in point especially with worm but got there to a fashion , caught a selection of dogfish wrasse and small pollock all nicely lip hooked , there's a knack to unhooking as well, much more of a twist involved due to the circle but still pretty easy , so all in all a success, looking forward to trying them again on my next session
 
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Well this was my first use of the circle hooks , and I have to say pretty impressive , found them a bitch to bait up with having a offset point especially with worm but got there to a fashion , caught a selection of dogfish wrasse and small pollock all nicely lip hooked , there's a knack to unhooking as well, much more of a twist involved due to the circle but still pretty easy , so all in all a success, looking forward to trying them again on my next session
They have their place. I use them as top pennel hooks or sometimes with a wire hair. I use semis more often for worm baits. Do you mean turned in point though not offset ? An offset circle sounds like a recipe for trouble
 
They have their place. I use them as top pennel hooks or sometimes with a wire hair. I use semis more often for worm baits.Do you mean turned in point though not offset ? An offset circle sounds like a recipe for trouble
You are correct sir turned in point
 
Something I've been looking into myself, I had to coup de grace a coalfish recently and throw it back. Undersized but hooked through the eye with no chance of surviving, I hated doing it something I don't want to do again. Circle hooks and crushed barbs in future it is then. Top heads up OP, nice one .
 
I use them in size 4 and 6 for flat fish with good results, but I find the wire to thick in anything over size 1/0 so stick to j hooks from 1/0 upwards
 
Not keen on them myself, tried them and just could not get on with them.
I first used them in Australia about 20 plus years ago , those ones were really quite thin compared to what is available in the UK, and seemed a slightly different shape but very strong, and easier to bait up and use , so they seemed ok,

But …As Mike says, the ones in the UK are thick in the wire, not easy to bait up, not the same shape , and when you get one stuck in your finger they are a real b’ tard to remove .
I know, been there and done it after a lot of cursing and pain.


Dave
 
I have been using them for a few years now in different sizes and makes. Size 2 for a bunch of maddies for flounders and bass. When using blow or black lug I always use a pennel rig and either make a "worm sausage " or just hook them on the top hook and bait elastic to secure them. Almost impossible to thread them on the hook like you would using a "J" hook without bursting them. Ideal for peeler crab as well and also any fishy baits. The important factor is making sure the point is exposed. I have been looking at different types of knots and it seems for them to work best you should either snell them or use a perfection loop? I have looked at videos on You Tube and can't get my head or fingers around the perfection loop but I find snelling quite easy. Mostly American videos and they make a strong case for these types of knots as it allows the hook to turn as the fish takes the bait. The other important factor is not to strike but just point the rod in the direction of the fish and tighten up.
What type of knots have you guys found best ?
 
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