Circle Hook vs J Hook

[MuskieBait]

Circle hooks are not 100% fool proof. When I was fishing in Florida, I was using 5/0 circle hooks with live pinfish for grouper. Even a 2lb grouper had a large enough mouth to gulp a 6" pinfish. I probably deep hooked 50% of the groupers.

Interestingly, I've been using #10 circle hooks for bowfin and yet to gut hook one. That #10 hook is so small compared to the wide mouth of bowfin.

Believe it or not, small 4-5" sunfish can also be hooked with the same #10 circle hooks, and every time, the fish was hooked on the lips and never deep hooked.

For small fish using bait, I do like to use baitholder hooks. You just have to pay attention for any bite signals and set quickly enough so you don't allow time for the fish to swallow the hook deep.