Effective hooks - pic included

[Swindells]

More and more chatter is appearing about the circle hook (below), My question is, how many people are using these hooks? are they effective? Or if your using a different style, what is it and how is it used?

I've heard that these circle hooks are different in how they are set, apparently you can not pull the hook to set it, you have to wait for the fish to set it itself.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh252/swindellz/hook.jpg

Cheers,

Swindells.

[Noelm]

there must be a thousand types of hook patterns, they all catch fish, some work on different principals, but they still work, natives used bone to make hooks, and it worked, the idea of circle hooks is the fact that they almost always hook in the corner of the mouth, allowing for an easy release, they have good holding properties, because the corner of the mouth (hinge) is a very strong point.

[nezevic99]

The hook in the picture is an octopus circle. It has a slight offset. If you are using circles purely for their value to only hook in the jaw, you need to find straight circles. The offset ones apparently will still catch in the gills/throat area. I've never experienced it though....
Circles should also be snooded with the line coming out on the inside of the gape for maximum effectiveness. It allows the hook to turn into the corner of the mouth more effectively.
Like all hooks they work well when used properly. Need to allow the fish to run with the bait and then apply smooth pressure to pull the hook from the fishes mouth/stomach. As the line passes through the mouth it will be coming out the corner as it swims away. The hook then slides around and catches in the hinge. Wildly striking just causes the hook to pop out and not lock in. It doesn’t need loads of pressure to drive home either. Just the pressure of fighting the fish will make it drive home.

[Noelm]

I am not all that convinced that there is not a 50% chance that a circle hook could be pointing the other way and just slide out instead of hooking in the corner, if you get what I mean, but I have used them, they work, but I no longer use them much.

[Little grey men]

They're a good option if you plan on releasing fish as well. Less chance of gut hooking, as they catch in the corner of the mouth.

[nezevic99]

Noelm,

Test it in your hand or over a broomstick. Tie a piece of line to it and pull it slowly out/over. It should always roll around and lock in.

[Cheech]

On my circles, I use a piece of lumo tube half on the hook and half up the line. This has a similar effect to snodding. Plus the benefit of the lumo.

[Noelm]

Nez, while I can see what you are saying I just think that if a hook was laying flat in a fishes mouth (as it would be I would reckon) there is a 50/50 chance that the hook is facing away from the corner of the mouth, now I have absolutely no idea if this happens or not, and indeed have never noticed a 50/50 hookup to miss ratio when using them, but it just seems that is a possibility, whereas as standard old J hook could snag anywhere as it does not rely on being pulled through the mouth (or broomstick) to engage, is is pointed the same, but not turned in at the point, which is what gives the circle the hinge hook characteristic.