circle hooks

[bigbrian47]

which tuna/circle hooks would be best for bay fishing @ where are they available seems they are better for releasing undersize fish
cheers brian

[Lalbaadshah]

Try Gamakatsu Shiner. I use 2/0 for bream. Use braid with a runing sinker rig with a big barrel sinker and about 1.5m trace. I use a 2m rod with a long soft clear tip (Penn Powerstik Plus 6601 SPL). I cut up mullet fillets into thumb size strips and put the hook just through the skin on the pointy end of the strip, drop the bait to the bottom slowly to prevent the trace from looping around the mainline. When I hit the bottom I wind the line up a metre so the bait wafts around. The braid and barrel sinker lets the line hang fairly straight. Leave the reel in gear. The rod tip normaly rattles around under picker attack, don't worry, usualy the bait is too big for the little tailor and sweep and other pickers to mouth and the mullet flesh is quite tough. When somthing with a big enough mouth eats it, rod will load up. Don't strike! Let the spring action of the rod pull the hook into the corner of the fishes mouth. When the rod tip goes down and stays down, start fighting.If it springs back up, wait a bit then check the bait.

Good to see that you are concerned about letting fish go in good nick.

[team_mongo]

what are you going for brian?

[bigbrian47]

squire/sweetlip been catching some nice ones using 2o's mustad @ find it difficult to extract the hook on smaller fish
even after crimping the barb it's not easy if they've got it to deep @ don't like damaging fish that are to be released so i snip the line i'd rather release them without a hook @ reports are these hooks are much better to extract
cheers brian

[team_mongo]

hi brian,
dunno if i'm of much help, because i mainly use circles for live baiting around moreton bay.

I've tried several different hooks:

Owner SSW circle hooks - they are fine guage with a small offset - good for smaller fish

Owner Mutu circles - much heavier guage, small offset, needle point - pretty good on tuna, and recommended by those southern californian tuna guys

Gamakatsu big bait circle - medium guage, moderate offset, needle point - very effective with live bait, havent had one gut hooked yet.

Mustad 39960D - heavy guage, no offset, square point appears perfect for trolling.

The offset hooks seem fine for drifting, but tend to spin when trolling. If you are gut hooking fish, then go to a non offset hook.

My favourite if the big bait circle, but i'm experimenting with the mustad for trolling.

Hope this helps

George

[Duncs]

Brian
I pretty much do all of my bay bait fishing with circles these days. definitely makes the release much easier. As Lalbaadshah says - leave the reel in gear, let the fish move off with the bait and hook itself. As well as the Gamakatsu Shiner, try the Mustad big mouth and demon fine wire, both good light/med tackle hooks for snapper and sweetlip.

Cheers

Duncan

[jeffo]

i wouldnt really call the big mouth a circle hook... but they are deadly none the less
i have been using 4/0 mustad demons on the reefies with good results. take note that it will take some getting used to using circles and will feel wierd not leaning back on a good bite.