Best hook for bait?

[reggy]

Hi chaps. Which bait hook do you rekon gives the best hookup rate?

Circle hooks, True Turn, Mustad or other? Talking reef fishing and around 6/0 size.

[jtpython]

Mate i can't go past the Mustard Octopus now . Well made strong and very reliable
10 out of 10 for me
I use sizes 5/0 for creeks
Sizes 6/0 7/0 8/0 9/0 for reef or bottom bashing
9/0 for fishing big baits for Reds and 7/0 to 8/0 for general reef bashing
JT

[BigE]

mustard tuna circle.

[trueblue]

way too many variables to pick one hook. I like VMC 9299's from 4 / 0 to 8/0 which are a mega suicide style wide gapehook that are super sharp

but I like a variety of circle hooks as well

lots of good hooks out there, and most of them work

cheers

Mick

[marto78]

I second the VMC hooks there 10'o circles are dynamite on the reds. I had a look at the Petackle hooks on the wknd which are very similar to the VMC's but are a bit cheaper i'll be giving these a go over the weekend if the weathers kind.

[Benben86]

I have heard people rave about owner circles but can't find the bloody things anywhere. Can only find owner trebles.

[nigelr]

Mustad demon finewires, thin, light, non-kirbed, relatively cheap.
Owner are very beautiful, but heavier and more expensive.
As I generally floatline in less than 30m, I like the light weight of the Mustads.
The big mailorder joint in Coffs has Owner if all else fails, but the Demons shouldn't be hard to find. Minimum size I use is 8/0, I've caught from barely-legal squire to 7kg spotties, decent cobia, sampson, sharks, etc etc excellent hook-up rate even at that size. Perfect for fishing with the 'rod in the holder, out of gear with the ratchet on' style of inshore fishing!

[trueblue]

I have heard people rave about owner circles but can't find the bloody things anywhere. Can only find owner trebles.

I get them at bcf and wellsy's

[uglyfish]

Circle hooks IMO give a better hooking rate, and usually hooks the fish in the corner of the mouth which makes it's easy to remove n return to the water if there undersized
cheers James

[Marlin_Mike]

Get the ones that sort of start out straightat the end with the hole in it, then at the other end they sorta get bendy and half round.........and have a pointy thing on the end of the curve. Na, just joking.

I am a Mustad man.

Mike

[reggy]

Thanks guys...all very valuable info for me. I needed educating about hooks.
Reggy

[Platitudinus]

Depends on the line, the target fish and water depth.
In deeper water:
If you want to winch up double hits of trag, snapper or pearlies in SE Qld use mono line and 6/0 circle hooks.
If you want more sport and use braid, then I use 7/0 Gamakatsu octopus hooks. Hit rate is higher due to the braid sensitivity and feeling the bites, whereas the rod tip pullover of fish already self hooked on mono brings them up two at a time.
Similar issue with Kingies and AJ's - use the mono and you can afford to let them take the bait and head to the reef, use braid and you risk pulling the hooks out so a stronger hook (e.g Gamakatsu live bait hook 4/0 to 9/0) is essential if using livies.
In shallow water - to 35m or so - doesn't really matter, but the lighter the line and terminal tackle the more hook ups anyway.
Cheers
Plato

[Scott nthQld]

I use 5 different brands of hooks, each with their own purpose.

1. light estuary (whiting bream etc) mustad
2. trebles, VMC 6X strong
3. Bay, eagle claw 6/0 wide gaps other sizes gamakatsu octopus pattern in various sizes
4. reef gamakatsu octpus pattern in sizes 8/0-9/0 or truturns 6/0, 8/0, 9/0 and 5/0 for gangs

I have never straightened any of these hooks on anything I have caught which includes emperor and nannygai to 10kg, fingermark to 8kg, barra, GT's to 25kg, spaniards to 20kg, trout, grunter, jacks, and a host of other species

[trueblue]

start with sharp ones........

[Noelm]

Mustad is not a style/shape of hook, it is a manufacturer of a zillion (well almost) styles and types, people seem to get all emotional about hooks, especially if some TV show has just been on and given a glowing report on some sort of thermo neuclear sharpened, triple black, turned down eye sproat hook, almost any quality hook will catch fish, Mustad being a brand that makes very good hooks at a very good price, plain old garden variety 92554 suicide hooks will catch as many fish as any other brand on the market, from Garfish to Marlin, just stay away from cheap hooks at department stores, make sure they are sharp and use a good knot and your done.

[Flex]

Im a big fan of 2 ganged 6/0 mustad saltwater hooks. I found I had alot higher hook-up rate compared to my brother fishing right next to me. I've done it ever since and it makes a definite difference.

Added bonus you can use alot bigger baits and tends to catch you bigger fish:)


If bottom bouncing around non snaggy reef/deep water then I use Gamagatsu Octopus Hooks, they are alot stronger than the mustad saltwaters

If its really snaggy I'll use the mustad saltwater, sometimes you can go through a 25 box in a morning and if your using Gama's then you'd be broke before lunch.

[reggy]

I use two 6/0 ganged for whole pillies plus a bit of hard bait with a swivel above to stop bait spinning and twisting the line in deep water.

[trueblue]

I like to gang 2 hooks back to front. very handy for big baits with exceptional hook up rate

[Spot82]

I use 5 different brands of hooks, each with their own purpose.

1. light estuary (whiting bream etc) mustad
2. trebles, VMC 6X strong
3. Bay, eagle claw 6/0 wide gaps other sizes gamakatsu octopus pattern in various sizes
4. reef gamakatsu octpus pattern in sizes 8/0-9/0 or truturns 6/0, 8/0, 9/0 and 5/0 for gangs

I have never straightened any of these hooks on anything I have caught which includes emperor and nannygai to 10kg, fingermark to 8kg, barra, GT's to 25kg, spaniards to 20kg, trout, grunter, jacks, and a host of other species

My mate snapped 8-10 gamakatsu's (8/0's) clean in half last trip we did, another mate straightened his in the week just gone.

Only hooks I trust are PEtackle range, Black Magic and Owner, the later of the two being far to expensive the amount I go through on a typical trip.

Anthony