[inshoreangler95]

Ok so i was fishing today and well i caught this nurse shark and well kind of gut hooked it! Man i felt so bad for it! i released it and it was still nice and live, i hope those hooks disolve or something! anyway the thing is i have been looking into circles for a while now and i hear they reduce the chance of gut hooking and they increase your hookup rate, is this true? You see, i also go snook fishing alot and ive used live bait hooks my whole life but then i pictured me gut hooking a snook, oh man, dude id really hate that! anyways, i want to try em out, ill probably go get some hooks one of these days and i was wondering whats the difference between offset and non offset? also i like lazer sharp becouse their hooks are cheap unlike owner anyway are there any other brands out there that are cheap and better than lazer sharp?i will be after, 5- 30 lb sharks, snook of most sizes, cudas 5 - 30#, etc, you caan kind see my uses from there! any help would be great! God man i just hate to see something that im not going to use for bait or eat die! thats why i hate people that take underszed/oversized and over limit fish home, i hate seeing people kill fish i hate it!anyway any help=thanks!

 

[Digger]

Stay away from the offset. I use the Sea-circle in the light weight sizes (up to 3/0). I would recommend to spend the extra money on the hooks for the larger prey. Owner is one of my choices as is Diachii (Expensive) my favorite. The way you size a circle hook in the thickness of the lip of the fish to the gap on the hook.

 

[drawinout]

If you want to know the difference in inline and offset circle hooks, lay them on a flat surface. The offset hook won't sit flat, and the inline will. I'm a big fan of owner. A lot of people seam to have trouble with circle hooks, but I haven't had many problems with them. This past August we had to use "inline" circle hooks in an offshore tournament. We had to rig the ballyhoo a bit different, but we didn't have any problems with hook ups, even on small bailer dolphin. Just let the fish set the hook, don't jerk on your rod, and you shouldn't have much trouble.

 

[Ryan Y]

Circle and J's

I have been using Eagle claw tournament inline,octopus Circles this summer while drum fishing from the boat but I gut hooked three fish using them. I havn't gut hooked a drum yet using J hooks.

 

[RuddeDogg]

Like Digger said, stay away from the offset. My favorites are Owner Mutu's light and heavy. haven't lost a fish yet to them.

 

[Fireline20]

Mustad Atlantic Limerick J hooks

I have been using Eagle claw tournament inline,octopus Circles this summer while drum fishing from the boat but I gut hooked three fish using them. I havn't gut hooked a drum yet using J hooks.

Ditto to that, I have given up on Circle's and I have switched to Mustad's Atlantic Limerick Hooks 4/0, (Mustad Ref #31010D) and have had great success with them for blues and have never gut hooked one, always hooked nice, sweet and secure in the lower lip. Gonna pick up some smaller ones for whitings, spots, etc. I have not used them for Drum yet but will try next weekend.

They are sharp and they are cheap and the blues set the hook themselves....I bought a pack of 100 for around $6-$7 dollars at Sportsman's Warehouse here is Columbia.

 

[inshoreangler95]

Like Digger said, stay away from the offset. My favorites are Owner Mutu's light and heavy. haven't lost a fish yet to them.

these are the ones ive been looking into! They seem very strong! hows the hookup ratio? Have you gut hooked many fish?

 

[AbuMike]

Circles are fine if fished right. I use them during the Striper season and have not had any trouble w either the straight or offset. If you try and hard set the hook with them you do stand a chance of getting a guthook. Remeber, you don't set a circle hook just let the line come tight and reel hard this will pull the hook out of the gut and set it in the mouth. I use Gammi's in the circl and Octopus J. I like Owners but they need sharping right out of the pack.

 

[dirtyhandslopez]

I'm glad your not the only one that has found the Owners to be dull A.D. With the curvature of the hook and everything, I never seem to be able to get them super sharp with the stone i'm using. Any tips? Or points

 

[AbuMike]

I can get um sharp, but who wants to pay $4-$5 for a pack of dull hooks. I have a Diamond sharpner I bought at a CCA show in Va Beach a couple years ago. I'll see if I can find who makes them, is the best I ever had.

 

[RuddeDogg]

these are the ones ive been looking into! They seem very strong! hows the hookup ratio? Have you gut hooked many fish?

very few, although it does happen no matter what kind or brand hook ya use.

 

[Fireline20]

I can get um sharp, but who wants to pay $4-$5 for a pack of dull hooks. I have a Diamond sharpner I bought at a CCA show in Va Beach a couple years ago. I'll see if I can find who makes them, is the best I ever had.

Ditto that,,,

If sharp out of the pack is your thing, go with Mustad Demon Hooks or Eagle Lazer sharp and save your self some money and hassle about sharping them.

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

whats the purpose of not using the offset rather than the straight?

 

[CrawFish]

whats the purpose of not using the offset rather than the straight?

From past experience, offset hooks=pulled hooks.

 

[RuddeDogg]

Owners dull???? That is truly strange. I have never had a dull owner hook at all. I chose them over the gammies because I started to have problems with tme being a little dull. Don't get me wrong they are my second choice and they are still a good hook.

 

[Drumdum]

I have been using Eagle claw tournament inline,octopus Circles this summer while drum fishing from the boat but I gut hooked three fish using them. I havn't gut hooked a drum yet using J hooks.

Ryan "this summer while fishing",this suggest Pamilico,right??? I've had excellent luck with eagleclaws on pups,this side of the sound.. One of the best fishermen over there uses them exclusivly,Owen Lupton sr.. He's been catch'n over there for many yrs.. Are you using his rig or regular fishfinder?? I'm probably on the wrong track here,but a regular fishfinder(at least over there with no current) is going to guthook,if that is what you are using..

Pat caught over a hundred over there in two days with mustad circles and said he guthooked several of those,although he felt a j with no current may be even worse.. jmo,but the "no current factor" over there seems to play a big part in guthooks.. Over on this side of the sound,fishfinder or cannonball with current,have found the same as you..

Using an inline,as you say you are,can't imagine why they would still be getting guthooked? As of yet,never had the pleasure to fish over there,so I'm speaking without the experience.. Next summer,I will change that..

 

[SnookMook]

Here's my take on circle hooks. I use nothing but Owner Mutu Light and next heaviest gauge for all game fish besides grouper/snapper/other bottom reef fish.

For those I use Owner SSW circles or Gami Octopus in-line circles. I'm not a big fan of the off set circles. All though for smaller fish they will do the trick.

Down here in Florida you are no longer allowed to use J-hooks for bottom/reef fish. Probably will go the same route soon for inshore game fish as well.

 

[eric]

i only use Owner SSW Inline Tournament Circles in 9/0
never managed to straighten one, holds its point for a long long time.

ive had hooks im still using on its 5th trip out.
even though all the black chrome is sandblasted off, its still sharp.
with very very minimal rust.
i just change the hook leader. and AWAYYYY i go.

 

[Mudd]

Ryan, were you using Owen Lupton's Drum Rig?

 

[Al Kai]

Like Digger said, stay away from the offset. My favorites are Owner Mutu's light and heavy. haven't lost a fish yet to them.

Yes, Owner Mutu's is what I use as well.