End of the line...Hooks.

[jorluivil]

I love circle hooks, been using them for a few years now. I don't recall ever landing a fish that was not lip hooked, that helps when you practice a lot of catch and release. Circle hooks are not cheap compared to the traditional J hooks but they are worth every penny.

[grey zone]

Intresting results, but not suprised by the snelled circle hook. A circle hook on a dropper loop works the same way if you put the loop through the eye in the same direction that the tip points. If you put a hook on backwards its very hard to hook anything.

[GregAndrew]

I don't believe anybody thinks that circle hooks lead to anything but fewer gut hooks. But there are at least a couple things wrong with this study. First, the 4% gut hooking stat for Snelled Circles does not match the data, it should be 6% if the other numbers are correct. Second, the catch rate for unattended circle hooks is obviously going to be greater than a hook not designed to trap the appendage hooked. If there were fishermen on the ends of those lines keeping pressure on the fish, i believe the catch rates would be much more similar. A better interpretation of that data might be that the circle hooks are much more "set it and forget it".

[grey zone]

I disagree, I do not use circle hooks for C&R. I'm intrested in what gets the job done. To me the most important of the study is the way circle hooks are put on the line. Passing the line through the eye vs. tying directly to it makes a hugh difference in catch rate, as long as you put it through the right way. This is why I said a snelled hook works like a hook on a dropper loop, very effective. Notice there is very little difference for the J hook. Circle hooks were made for long lines not anglers, so the studies total catch numbers should not be suprising.

For certain methods of fishing its hard to beat them.

[bus kid]

ok I'm ready let er rip...

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[GregAndrew]

Originally Posted by grey zone

I disagree, I do not use circle hooks for C&R. I'm intrested in what gets the job done. To me the most important of the study is the way circle hooks are put on the line. Passing the line through the eye vs. tying directly to it makes a hugh difference in catch rate, as long as you put it through the right way. This is why I said a snelled hook works like a hook on a dropper loop, very effective. Notice there is very little difference for the J hook. Circle hooks were made for long lines not anglers, so the studies total catch numbers should not be suprising.

For certain methods of fishing its hard to beat them.

Not sure what you disagree with? I only said that the numbers given, for circle snelled, did not match the stated percentage (12/210 =.057 not .04). And that the total numbers of fish caught by the non-circle hooks would be more similar to circle hooks if they were attached to rods actively fished instead of long lines. In 1 to 2 hours sets there is way too much time for a fish to shake a limp lined non-circle type hook loose. I was actually surprised that the gut hooking rate was not much higher for all non-circle hooks since those fish would be less likely to be able to shake the hook. And long lining would provide plenty of time for the bait to be swallowed.

[grey zone]

Sorry I do not mean to come on too strong, but I disagree with your first sentence.