Stop a fish from bleeding.

[west]

Circle hooks for the win!

[MuskieBait]

(07-06-2013 02:09 PM)west Wrote:  Circle hooks for the win!

Not always. I've actually hooked a lot of fish pretty deep with circle hooks, especially fish with bigger mouths that can vacuum a bait whole into their mouths. In my experience, 5/0 circles don't work on 3-4lb grouper to prevent deep hooking.

But strangely, a #10 circle works very well for bowfin even when they completely swallow the bait, even for 7-8lb fish. Bowfins like to take a bait, turn and then swim off...which is why I think it works for them so well.

For circle hooks to work properly, you need a fish that takes a bait and then turn and run. If the fish doesn't turn and run, the hook does not rotate into the corner of the jaw...and you'll just end up deep hooking the fish.