circle hooks

[Namtrek]

Anyone have an opinion on using circle hooks for saltwater fishing for smaller fish from either dockside or a fishing pier? Thanks
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[albinotrout]

I believe they should work great. Although ithink octopus type hooks will do as well. I may be wrong though.
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[gdn443]

I've used both Circle hooks and Octopus hooks on fresh and salt water . Both work well. Go larger not smaller in size.
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[fishermanjakeak]

circle hooks are great for fish that would swallow the bait. They almost always hook in the corner of the mouth. Just don't set the hook or you will pull it out of their mouth. A steady pull as the fish is moving away works best.
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[Jimoutside]

Ok, I'll bite. What's a circle hook? Is it the kind that bows way out around?
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[gdn443]

A circle hook is a type of fish hook which is sharply curved back in a circular shape. It has become widely used among anglers in recent years because the hook generally catches more fish and is rarely swallowed.[1] Since the circle hook catches the fish on the lips at the corner of its mouth, it usually decreases the mortality rates of released fish as compared to J-hook (like O'Shaughnessy or Octopus hooks) which are often swallowed by the fish, causing damage to the gills or vital organs.[2]

The circle hook's unique shape allows it to only hook onto an exposed surface, which in the case of a fish means the corner of its mouth. The fish takes the baited hook and swallows it, and as the hook is reeled in, it is safely pulled out of the fish until it reaches the mouth. At this point it will catch the corner of the mouth of the fish, resulting in fewer gut-hooked fish.

In terms of technique, it is important to not strike (or set the hook) when the fish bites, but rather just reel in. The act of striking while using a circle hook often results in the hook being pulled out of the fish altogether.

Studies have shown that circle hooks do much less damage to billfish than the traditional J-hooks, yet they are at just as effective for catching billfish. This is good for conservation, since it improves survival rates after release.[3][4]
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[Jimoutside]

That is good to know. I suppose they come in all sizes, and work fairly well for most species?
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[albinotrout]

They work best with bait and I have mainly seen them used with catfish. Doesn't mean you can't try them with other species. Yes there are different sizes to them.
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[gdn443]

They are my hook of choice for drop shot and Whacky
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[Kent]

I have no idea what you wrote, and I have a hunch you may not have any idea what I wrote either.  Interesting though.

[thaechten]

I prefer circle hooks but we do primarily offshore fishing

[bahar]

There is no simple size system for fishing hooks. The size of the hook is in terms of the distance between the hook base and its opening or the length of the base. The larger the number, the smaller the size of the hook to the tip. Hook number 22 is very small and is used to catch mosquitoes, while hook number 6, which is a quarter of an inch in size, is more suitable for catching fish (Bream, a type of sea fish).

Fishing hook size system

The size system is continuous until you reach number one. From one onwards, it is 0.1 and 0.2, and so on. The 0.2 size hook is suitable for plastic worms that are suitable for catching BassT (BassT types of fish in salt and fresh water). The largest hook with a size of 0.1 is also suitable for catching sharks. It can be said that the base of the hook is almost standard size, for example, hook number 6 is usually five to eight to seven eighths of an inch long.

If the hook size number is accompanied by a number and a symbol such as x, it means that the hook of this hook is longer or shorter than usual. For example, a 2x Short # 6 hook is a number six hook whose base or leg length is twice the length of the hook base less than number six. And hook # 6 2x Long is the hook number six, the length of the leg of which is equal to the length of the leg of the hook is twice as big as the hook number 6.

[SeanHTest]

What is a circle hook?

[wiperhunter2]

What is a circle hook?

Here is a pic of a circle hook:


They are mainly used for the purpose of hooking the fish in the corner of the mouth, so they don't swallow it, or get hooked so deep that it kills the fish. By the way, welcome to the site.