Yes, I have used circle hooks (Owner Mutu Light, red) at Reelfoot for gills. I had great results. On a 3 day trip I had zero fish that were gut hooked. My boat partnet was using J hooks and had to keep several smaller fish that swallowed the hook. I was using the size 6 and for Reelfoot fish they were fine. They also allowed me (or the fish itself) to hook several where I might not have been paying complete attention.

Boilermaker