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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Anyone using a circle hook for suckers? |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Don't feel obligated to answer. I did a search and read the old posts. |
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Posts: 117
Location: Northern Illinois | I saw this muskie show and tried it, I didn't have much luck but we missed one on it, didn't let it eat long enough. Watch this video it is pretty interesting, they are using the circle hook method. Here's the link: http://bigfish365.com/page/episode7
Edited by Cranker 11/3/2013 2:38 PM
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Posts: 247
Location: Grand Marais, MN | I dont, and I remember a few years ago at some event at the fox river muskies inc Dahlberg was explaining how circle hooks kinda need a smooth maxilla of the fish for it to slide out and hook into the corner of the mouth. muskies of course have a ton of backwards pointing hooks on the roof of their mouths, so circle hooks often dont work for muskies the way they do on other fish like cats with smooth upper mouths. may even not work to the point where they can guthook and may be harder to remove in the back of the mouth than a regular j hook |
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Posts: 365
| I used them about 10 years ago and I missed every fish ,,, I gave up on them and went back to "Herbie" quick-strike rigs ---- jim |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | I use them, and I'm about 50%. The negative is that you're using a single hook and you miss a bunch, the positive is you see a ton more fish because of a much more natural presentation. It's frustrating, yet rewarding.
IMO 2 musts for running circles......pound the hooks flat so there's zero offset and run fluro.
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Posts: 5874
| Hi Dennis!
I used them with fairly good success. Actually won both the Big Fish and Top Angler Awards at the Musky Hunter Fall School about 1999 or so using circle hooks fishing with Dave Dorazio. Netted a 43", and missed an even bigger one at the net. I think Dave knocked it off. Used them for about 3 years with good success, but missed setting the hook on a quick strike. Haven't used them since.
It is kinda fun waiting for the fish to swallow the sucker. As GMG says, use flouro. The hooks I got were not offset, but I have seen that type. Definitely should be flat. Wait for the fish to swallow the whole sucker, make sure it's turned away from you, and just reel it. Don't try to set the hook.
Edited by Shep 11/4/2013 10:39 AM
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Posts: 1301
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Shep: Dave probably did knock it off as he can't see over the gunnel...guess that is why they call him "shortcrotch" and "vertically challenged". |
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Posts: 5874
| I think he did it on purpose! What a mean little shat. hehehe I guess he took one too many short jokes that day!
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Posts: 61
Location: Morgantown, WV | What size circle hook is optimal?
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Posts: 5874
| I don't recall. But if you search here on circle hooks, you'll find some good discussion. This goes back to the first year or two, I think.
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Posts: 72
| I used them for the past 2 years only when I can only get small suckers and the results have been great . I have seen 47, 50 1/2, 49 and 45 inchers caught on them. I don't care what kind of rig u use but most rigs hinder the action on small suckers. If you rig properly and easily reel and sweep against the direction of witch the fish is swimming you will have a great chance of hooking a fish. But you must learn how to set the hook with these |
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| They're more trouble than they're worth unless you're still (shore) fishing, in which case they're the only way to go. |
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Posts: 140
Location: Northern Illinois | Saw the same show Cranker posted. They were using circle hooks w/"small" suckers,
rubber band thru nostrils, hook under rubber band tight to suckers head, w/point turned up. They would get a hit and almost immediately just straight raise the rod up
and fish would be on. No break their jaw type hookset. Looked pretty effective to me
as it looked like they hooked almost every fish that hit. Would like to give it a try sometime, looks a lot less harmful to the fish then a full dress uniform of hooks &
harness. Good fishing to everyone who's still chasing. |
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Posts: 556
| I have used them many times--I am at approx. 60% hook ratio----BUT--all fish have been hooked in the corner of the mouth---So because of that I like to use them when I am fishing a weedy or wooded area due to a more natural presentation and less foul up than the quick strike rig. I will continue to use them and actually--I LIKE THEM the BEST for my sucker presentations. |
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Posts: 25
| The show that everyone keeps referring to features a 3/0 octopus hook, not a circle hook. I have used circle hooks for years for musky sucker fishing, and while I have throat hooked several fish (with 2 guys it isn't too hard to cut the hook out), most are hooked in the roof of the mouth or corner. In fall there is often a large amount of decaying vegetation in the river I fish and the trebles on quick strike often catch leaves, etc., so circles are far more effective. And the bait can move much more naturally and they are infinitely easier to rig. I have found I get about a 60 to 70 % hook-up (based on well over 100 strikes). My guide buddy in northern WI went 13 for 13 on them last year and every fish was hooked in the roof or corner (he doesn't use anything else now). They seem to be most effective when running baits deeper, at least for hookup percentage. And my friend loved that he didn't have to clean off weeds all the time. Bait size I find to be best are 8 to 12 inchers. I use a Gamakatsu 208418 8/0 (I like the gap to be about the same as the width of the bait I am using, this goes for any bait fishing) and just bend the offset point so it is legal (in WI all circle hooks used to fish bait for musky must be non-offset). I attach the hook with a 2 wrap snell knot and then shrink wrap the knot so it wont loosen or move on the shaft of the hook. I use at least 2 feet of uncoated 60 lb seven strand wire since the leader WILL be going in the fishes mouth, and a swivel at the top. Flourocarbon is NEVER a good idea for suckers. After being cut-off and leaving gear in a fishes mouth a guy feels twice as bad. A rubber bike intertube is my real secret. First I add a double hooked piece that is approximately 1/3 of an inch square when doubled up. This prevents the bait from sliding up the hook and impaling itself when the fish swallows it (hard to hook a musky when the point is buried in the sucker). Then I hook the bait and add a single 1/3" square piece to keep the bait from coming off the hook. There it is, if anyone has any ideas for improvement I would love to hear them. |
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Posts: 63
Location: Madison, WI | muskybites beat me to it. I was just about to say the same thing. (They are using plain Octopus hooks) These hooks are no longer legal for Suckers over 8" (In Wisconsin at least). Thanks to one of my fishing partners for pointing out that rule! I switched to circle hooks for smaller suckers after finding that out and managed to get my PB musky using the circle hook. It was hooked right in the corner of the mouth too. I am not sold on the hooking percentage yet. I've had 5 encounters since I started using the circle hook method for smaller suckers and only 2 were actually hooked. None of the rigs I have used have been, what I would consider, great for hooking percentage though.They do seem to hold on longer and come back more frequent than those I have missed with other rigs like the clip n go. Seem to be learning a little bit each time, hopefully I can improve on the 40%. |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | One tip for circle users... Buy some smaller scented twister tails and slide them over the hook tip and barb once you hook your sucker through the lip. Prevents the hook from coming out and losing your expensive meat. |
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