circle Hooks

[nickstock]

For Bream I like to use 1/0s
For Snapper, 5/0s or 6/0s
For Pearlies use up to 10/0s if you wanted to (although not needed)
Bigger Jewies use 7/0s and above

[childers]

Give 'em a try philzero, good for just about anything.
Once you learn how to use them (super easy) you'll love 'em.
Derived from longline hooks used by the pros, those lads know what they are doing.
An exception would be tailor fishing or in other situations where the first choice is gangs hooks.
Cheers.

Hi,nigeir,
i use a circle hook on bottom of my wire ,goes through pillys tail then couple sliding gamakatsu in its body and head ,killer rig on the tailor ,cheers.

nigilr
i just did edit to this post put in pic of 6 tailor nailed on wire sliding rig with only 1 other fish dropped , did exactly the same on another night also landing another 6 bad boys and only 1 lost , this rig was 6/0 gama octopus on bottom with 2 x sliding 7/0 , now putting circle on bottom then sliders yet to lose a tailor on this slightly modified rig ,no more gang hooks for me this rig is super deadly make sure you give it a go ,regards mick

[nigelr]

Thanks for that childers, I will definitely give that rig a go.
Cheers.

[castlemaine]

anyone had trouble with sneaky fish like grassy sweetlip
a while ago was fishing up near stanage and the circles would come back bare, so switched to octopuss pattern and started pulling up grassies up to 60cm
wasint striking on the circles either

other than that, they have worked well for me for snapper pearlies etc

I've found the same ... if you're about to fight a fish in a snag situation (eg. oyster leases, reef edges) best with a sucide hook.
We've caught good bream hooking themselves with 1/0s circles by sitting them in rod holders over a good wine. Always hooked in the lip, too.
Mate of mine used a Mustard 'Big Mouth', no sooner I said to him that, that would never snare a fish, he hooked up to a 46cm Snapper. How the hell does such a hook catch fish?
Cheers

[tenzing]

What's The difference been a octopus circle hook and a tuna circle hook,
Octopus.
Tuna.

I use the octopus circle as the first hook in a snood rig to livebait or for larger flesh and squid baits . the offset eye is necessary to have the leader pass through and on to the bottom hook. You can have it either sliding or snelled depending on your preferred technique.
Brendan

[Bowser]

I use 6/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hooks in a 2 hook rig for snapper, most fish get hooked in the corner of the mouth.

[Cheech]

Another tip with circles,,,, use a 20 - 30mm length of lumo tube (not beads) and pull it over the eye of the hook so that some is tight on the hook and the rest is part way up the line. This helps keep the hook from folding back, and improves the hookup rate. At least that is what I find. And has the attracting benefits as a bonus.

[oldboot]

I seem to think you need to use smaller circles than you would conventional hooks, because you want the fish to take the bait hook and all and hook the fish as the line tightens and the hook is comming out of the mouth.

There are quite a few hooks that arent technicaly circles that still work on the same principle.....like the wide gape Kahles.

any hook where the point points at or inside the eye.

cheers

[nigelr]

Old boot, I use a minimum 7/0 (Gamakatsu) and generally 8/0 (Mustad Demon)circle when inshore snapper fishing, no problems at all hooking fish 35cms and up.
I do use a large bait, most fish just seem to 'inhale' the lot. I am most often anchored up in 25-30 metres and using floating or very lightly weighted baits drifted back into a burley trail.

Childers, do you rig the pilly head up or tail up? You mention wire, are you using single or multi-strand? Any chance of a pic of your rig?
Fantastic catch there Mick, very, very nice tailor indeed. Unfortunately there is not even as much as a lousy undersize chopper to be caught hereabouts ATM!
Cheers!

[bondy99]

G'day childers,

Nice tailor caught on the beach no doubt. Which beach did you catch these from?

Cheers, Peter

[bondy99]

For Bream I like to use 1/0s
For Snapper, 5/0s or 6/0s
For Pearlies use up to 10/0s if you wanted to (although not needed)
Bigger Jewies use 7/0s and above

Thanks, are these Tuna Circle hooks or something else?

Cheers, Peter

[oldboot]

I have been fishing for a few different things and mostly smaller hooks.

I went fishing with my big bro a couple of times up north recently & he is using shinners in about 6/0 (which are a kahle) expecting (and catching)barra but I hooked a butterfish and some small grunter on such a large hook.... but my northern rels all fish heavy.

I was wading down at wello some time ago with conventional hooks and got snagged on the coffee rock... so I changed to small kahles arround #8, #4 and found both good hookups and no lost rigs....( converted)

I picked up some realy small proper circles..... smaller than a 5c piece and have fished bits prawn on those and caught a small venus tuskie, undersized snapper and bream on them... but they are a pain to bait up.



remember circles arent just for the big stuff

cheers

[childers]

nigilr ,have been using around 90lb single and coated strand wire but after a couple fish on the stranded it starts to frey sharp bits stinging your fingers and giving running hooks a bit of a hard time, bottom hook on end of wire rig is circle , circle goes through pillys tail like a 5/0 mustard recurve circle or 6/0 gamakatsu octopus circle ,will try to org- photo in future some time.
bondy99 , not a recent photo ,just an example of how effective rig is , fish from south of the border its not open slather , they are not always about , a matter of finding a good gutter and putting the time in ,cheers.

[apconcen]

childers. Where is the sinker on the rig ?

[childers]

childers. Where is the sinker on the rig ?

wire 10 inchs long or so , bottom circle hook attached to wire either crimped if stranded wire or twisted with single wire ,2 x free running 6/0 along wire after circle hook is anchored on bottom of wire ,
swivel at top of wire ,main line tied to swivel ,
sinker free running up and down main line ,
pilly gets circle hook in its tail and free running hook in its back and next free running hook in its head ,
hope that helps cheers .