Anybody use circle hooks for cats?

I,ve been missing some bites so today i went & bought some of these circle hooks to try.We went out saturday night we were set up with 30# test line i broke two hooks & got broke off four times:eek: dad got broke off once. Today i went & got some 50# braid spiderwire will have another go at it monday night:D The way i understand is these circle hooks should pretty much set their self, just let the fish load up on the rod before you jerk:confused: That may take some getting use to with these cat like reflexes:eek::D

No need to "jerk". If they are any size to 'em they just pick up the bait and head downtown, unlike the little guys that just jerk on the bait. Theyre already hooked on the circle hooks when you get the rod out of the holder.;):)

Yea, no jerking involved. Let them take off with the bait a ways then just lift your rod tip and start reeling them in. They will set the hook themselves, almost always a perfect hookset too. It took me a several times fishing with circle hooks to finally stop trying to set the hook... old habits die hard!

I bought some a while back, and do not like them at all. I see the rod bouncing, I automatically set the hook, which does not work with circle hooks. I guess it takes some getting used to. The last time out catfishing, I missed 5 or 6 good bites, before I switched back to a regular hook and started catching fish.

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Originally Posted by FishinGeek

Yea, no jerking involved. Let them take off with the bait a ways then just lift your rod tip and start reeling them in. They will set the hook themselves, almost always a perfect hookset too. It took me a several times fishing with circle hooks to finally stop trying to set the hook... old habits die hard!

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I hear ya on the old habits die hard i,m afraid when i see the rod move i,ll be all over it:eek::D I,ll let you guys know how this works out for me after tonight.:D

We ended up with 17 last night.:) Nothing real big from 1 to 5 pound range dad let one pull out i guess:confused: and i let one run under something while trying to get another rod out of my way:mad: As far as the circle hooks go it,ll take me some get,n use to, dad seemed to do just fine with them every fish he caught was hooked right in the corner of the mouth.:D

Well done! The 1-5 pounders are better for eating, but the big boys sure are a lot of fun to catch! Once you finally get yourself retrained to not set the hook with circle hooks you'll love them.

I'm a huge fan of the circle hooks. I have never lost a fish from them just getting off but of course the rare line break does happen. They always seem to be hooked right in the corner of the mouth. 4/0 and 5/0 for me.
Me and the boy went last sunday and he landed a 20lb channel after I landed a 10lb'er that I bragged about till he shut me up with his catch.

I have used them and like the way they fish. One problem is I am having a hard time making myself not jerk to set the hook. If you don't jerk you will get good hook sets and more often.

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Originally Posted by Locator79

I bought some a while back, and do not like them at all. I see the rod bouncing, I automatically set the hook, which does not work with circle hooks. I guess it takes some getting used to. The last time out catfishing, I missed 5 or 6 good bites, before I switched back to a regular hook and started catching fish.

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Bouncing rods generally mean small (er) fish which doesnt usually just take the bait and try leaving the area. I may be mistaken, but most circle hook fishermen are usually after larger fish. I'd love hearing from the guys about using circle hooks catching the smaller guys...the ones that just jerk the hook and bounce the rods.

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Originally Posted by gabowman

Bouncing rods generally mean small (er) fish which doesnt usually just take the bait and try leaving the area. I may be mistaken, but most circle hook fishermen are usually after larger fish. I'd love hearing from the guys about using circle hooks catching the smaller guys...the ones that just jerk the hook and bounce the rods.

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I use circle hooks exclusively for channel cats and have caught a few thousand using them. I use dip baits mostly and have caught cats up to 17 lbs on circles. I use #1 or #2 with rubber tubing for the dip bait fishing. Cattracker baits(Jo Jo's Pole Snatcher and Wicked Sticky). I like to let the fish take the bait and then just reel 'em in. I prefer to hold the pole. I use 6-7 ft rods with spinning reels and use 8 lb. test. 1/2 oz. sinker with a #7 swivel. This is for lake fishing. God bless.

Most of my cattin is drifting with corks to keep the bait off the bottom.
I rarely miss one with the circle hooks. I use 5/0 with smaller bait and 7-8/0 with larger bait fishin for the big boys and 3-4 foot leaders with 50 lb test.

i like the team catfish circle hooks they are insane sharp there kinda expesive but man they are sweet i fish mostly for channels i use there 3/0 and 5/0 and there secret 7 dip bait is the best ive ever used too they have great products

My biggest reason for using circle, is that I very seldom have a gut hooked fish. Most of the time it is in the corner of their mouth. One problem is that since you do not jerk, the hook must be properly sized according to the size of your bait. I prefer bluegill, fileted. Cut into strips 1/4 to 3/8" thick. Length does not matter. Just the thickness. Test it and see what works for you. I also found that if I fish under a bobber with a stop (depth control), I catch larger fish. It seems that on the bottom, the smaller fish clean my bait off. They will not feed up in the water column where larger fish can see them. They hug the bottom. Large catfish feed both on the bottom and high in the water column. Just my two cents worth.

Chuck

I use sickle hooks, Or Charlie Brown Octopus Circle hooks. These hooks you can set the hook or allow the fish to set it there selfs.
Also I beli believe in fishing under a float anything I can.
Do a Search for Wild Wolf Products. Great hooks and floats also.
Pete

ya im going to be ordering some kat bobbers and glow sticks from you here in a few weeks

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Originally Posted by Fishstick

ya im going to be ordering some kat bobbers and glow sticks from you here in a few weeks

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Both are on sale, but will be going off sale toward the end of the week.
Pete

I use circle hooks on all my catfish jugs. They seem to work very well. Thought about using a smaller size circle hook on my crappie noodles next year.

Only when fishing for little cats (to 15lbs or so) with cutbait. I still like a big Eagle Claw offset J hook in a 7 ought for live bait (bream/perch). I still like to cross their eyes when fishing for flatheads...let em know Im there if ya will. lol

cartags I use both circle and khale style hooks went yesterday to try out my new shimano baitrunners and they are the ticket....preset your drag then also set your baitrunner drag according to the baitsize or current ...When the fish takes the bait the spool will be screaming and you just wind once or physically engage the drag with the flip of a switch and he is all yours I got into em up to 30lbs. here on the James in richmond virginia wich is about a norm here that river is eat up with catfish ....30lbs. is a citation size blue cat and the local guides will offer trips no citation no pay , that in itself is a tell tale sign for sure.........good luck and check out the baitrunners I think all catfishermen should have at leaste one in their arsenal....

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Originally Posted by Fishstick

i like the team catfish circle hooks they are insane sharp there kinda expesive but man they are sweet they have great products

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yep i agree i use his stuff all the time.. 8/0 double actions and the 6/0 jackhammers.. i have been fishing circles for about 5yrs. now took a year to get used to them.. i mainly use gammakatsu 8/0 circles for chasin' blues with cut skipjack..... but i still use straight hooks 8/0 octopus with live bait for flathead fishing.