trotline question for cats

[randybenham]

I've got a question for nimrod, slab-bandit or anyone else that has an opinion. Have any of you guys tried the circle hooks on trotlines for the catfish, or any other kind of hooks (octopus maybe?) to keep those kitty's on the string?


As it pertains to crappie, has anyone used these when spider rig trolling? This might be a real good topic for discussion. I've tried them only briefly, & caught a few fish on a 1/0 circle hook, but haven't really tried them enough to know if they are "better" than some of the other standard hooks. Just thought this would be a good discussion.

[creekslick]

I have tried the circle hooks river fishing on bottom but never have on trotline.

[ShilohRed]

Yes I have 10 rigged up with them. And they do work great.
I have 3/0 and 4/0 on mine.
Pete

[randybenham]

Do you find that they hold more fish on them than the regular "catfish" hooks?

[slabbandit]

I've thought about trying them for cats and crappie.

[NIMROD]

The only thing about circle hooks is when fishing a pole is don't set the hook.This will cause missed hook ups. They are suppose to work great on set lines as they rotate and hook the fish when they are pulled to the corner of the mouth. It suppose to reduce gut hooked fish. Never saw them used on Crappie though.

[randybenham]

That's what gave me the idea for trotlines, since they basically hook themselves. I read where a guy that has a catfishing website uses the kahle hooks, but I've also seen where they make circle hooks for trotlines. I'm gonna try some out in a couple of weeks, to see if it increases our catch rate. My father's family has a camping reunion every year, & we always put out about 6 trotlines on Chicot & usually catch quite a few catfish on the trotlines. Just gonna experiment.

[gonefishing]

Where do you buy circle hooks at?

[Slipcork]

I read about them in Crappie World mag. Bout using swim noddlies for little jugs for crappie with a 1/0 circle hook. so I tryied it. Made 6. The only night I fished them cought one 4lb cat. That was fun. But the hook worked great. It was all I could do to get the hook out.

Let us know how you do with them.

[jlaughlin72]

Now this is my personal oppion. You will not find a better hook than the circle hooks (can be bought at Academy sports, catfishconnection.com, and several others). I don't know how they would work on Crappie, I don't think they would do too well, simply because they spit stuff out....lol.. But as for catfish, wether you put the circle hooks on jug lines, limb lines or trot lines they will work excellent. Well worth the money spent on them. As for using them on regular rod and reel, I will not do it, because it is reflex to JERK when you feel a bite and it just pulls the hook out without hooking them, and the way these hooks work is: when the fish bites and starts to swim the string will go to the side of the fish's mouth and and as the string pulls out the hook will roll on the corner and stick the hook in the hard bone in the side of the face and when they fill it stick them, they jerk and embedd it more. It is a very good hook for catfish. Once again, this is just my oppinion.