Hello everyone, im getting ready to go catfishing soon on utah lake. Can anyone tell me what is best size and brand of circle hooks for channel catfish over 10 pounds. Thank you.
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gamakatsu or lazer. size depends on the size of bait you use.
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2/0 lazer with a big hunk of cut bait
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I use 5/0. Remember to not set the hook. Let the fish take some line then just pick up your rod and start reeling.
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Just wondering...
are circle hooks the best for catfish?
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[quote lavaman]Just wondering...
are circle hooks the best for catfish?[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]Not always. A matter of personal preference. A lot depends on the type and size of bait you are using and how active the fish are. There are also considerations on how you hook the bait and how strong your rod and line is. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not the answer for all situations. But definitely good for "average tanglers" who need some help in finessing and setting hooks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There is an argument that circle hooks avoid gut hooking. True...generally...but not always. And their round shape also acts to help them avoid hooking into fish fish if they contact it at wrong angles. Lots of anglers get frustrated by missing more strikes than they hook up. Circle hooks are not foolproof. When they work, they work well. But my personal experience is that my hooking percentage goes way down over using octopus hooks or straight shank ringeye hooks like the Eagle Claw #84. And a high percentage of all the fish I hook are hooked in the corner of the mouth.[/#0000ff]
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If I'm bait fishing for something that I'm most likely going to release, I almost always use circle hooks. I've become a big fan of them over the last decade. I'd rather miss a couple of fish than end up gut-hooking one and compromising survivability. Like TD, I've noticed a difference in the hook-up percentage w/ circle hooks as compared to other more traditional styles of hooks.
If I'm fishing for cats, I'll always use 2/0 or larger hook regardless of the style. Big chunk of carp meat on it and it works great. Octopus style hooks work great also. I have completely banished the older 'baitholder' style hooks from our house simply because most of them just aren't sharp enough and don't hold up as well as premium hooks.
Matt
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In Utah for Utah Lake cats I use 2 or 4 gamagatsu octopus for white bass strip baits. Free lined of course. When I expect anything larger with regularity, or if I am in Arizona with live bait a 6/0 gamagatsu offset circle hook has been the ticket. I've caught several 7 pound plus catfish and walleye reeling in a white bass with those sized 4 octopus hooks sticking out of the white bass' mouth. The bigger fish seem to drop the bait on larger sized hooks more often then not. Just my experience. Good luck.
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I was fishing for cats on Saturday with 5/0 hooks the big ones that they use for big soft plastics. I was using 4 inch white bass i bet i missed 7 or 8 fish i was getting frustrated but just was thinking the small ones that couldn't get it in their mouth were biting. I did hook a bunch that were all over 6 lbs. They love some white bass.
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All about ones preference ... I use MATZUO circles and have for 10+yrs when it comes to fishing MEAT !! Any circle hook will do the job I'm sure of it ! Again your choice ! Bigger hunk of cuttbait or dead minnow bigger hook !!! If your not familiar with them take note that its not about setting the hook with a big hookset its more about feeling the pressure of the fish on the end of the line and just reeling them in afterwards !! In my my experience with fishing the cirlce hooks i've seen less mortality rates than ever !! If you let the fish sit and eat it they will guthook themselves no-doubt once you see any indication of activity on your rod be diligent and get the fish in or swing and miss LMAO!!!Fish On !!
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Personally i think octopus hooks are better especially for begiiners and cats i always get a corner hook set like a circle hook. Everyone will have their preference though i would try both if i were you and see which one you like better.
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Hi Matt,just wanted to add...about the gut hooking,well I pinch the barb now so when this happens "barbeless",it won't cause hardly any damage to the fish when removing the hook.If you use a barb and it swallows it, just cut the line.
.I've used 3/0 worm hooks,I caught my biggest cat this way,"with my bass set up",I had on a big bullet weight just removed my 10" plastic worm I was using,added a split shot to keep the bullet weight 2,or 3 feet from the bait,then I hooked on a large brim for bait.I was going for big bass,but hey,18lb channel cat ain't bad,actually hooked him in the wisker.Also caught a 13lber with a 3/0 worm hook using 15lb braide,but got the 18lber on 20lb braide.
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I just like circle hooks because I get bored fishing bait and like to fish for other species with lures while I have my cat bait out. I put the rod in a rod holder, and with circle hooks, the fish hook themselves. I have done well with Gamakatsu, Owner and Matzuo hooks.
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[quote Jazzperch1]gamakatsu or lazer. size depends on the size of bait you use.[/quote]Where can you pick one of these up? I have actually been wondering about this too.
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It's Gamagatsu.....[
] and even Walley world has them.
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Nope. Gamakatsu, with a k.[angelic]
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And now I set my gama"G"atsu hook.. sorry if you took the bait. It is with a K.
Gamakatsu.. [sly]
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I am with TD on this one. My most used hook for cats is a 1/0 Gamakatsu octopus. I also prefer to use a red colored hook. Piece of fresh wht bass threaded on the hook and line, leave the bail open, let em run with it for a bit, yank like a mother and hang on. Most times hook-ups are in the corner of the mouth but because I use a smaller hook it sometimes goes a bit deeper. I don't mind if that happens because I am catching to eat them and I think the smaller hook helps not to turn off a fish by lessening the chance it may feel it.
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It is often said that small minds are easily amused. I'm happy to have given you some measure of entertainment.
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