By not striking what you are doing is allowing the circle hook to position in the jaw hinge as the fish swims away with the bait. Initially, it can be hard to resist that natural instinct to set the hook, but once you’ve caught a few fish on circle hooks not striking becomes second nature. Basically, in the majority of situations you just let the fish hook itself. The key difference between using traditional “J” hook patterns and circle hook patterns is that you don’t strike to set the hook when using a circle hook rig.
#Circle hook how to#
In this article we’ll look at which species can be successfully targeted using circle hooks and how to get started using them.
In game fishing the use of circle hooks has lead to improved hook up rates over the traditional “J” hook pattern resulting in leading charter operators world-wide adopting them when fishing baits for many gamefish species. It really makes a lot of sense that if you’re going to be bait fishing and releasing fish then you should wherever possible try and use circle hooks.Ĭircle hooks are highly effective for use when fishing live or dead baits for a wide range of the most popular recreational species. Circle hooks are specifically designed to locate in the jaw hinge ensuring a very high percentage of mouth hook ups. Fisheries research scientist Dr Paul Butcher recently said in Fisho that “minimum legal sizes, bag limits and simple sport angling mean that at least half of catches are released and, in terms of conserving stocks, most released fish need to survive”.ĭr Butcher also said that studies have shown that mouth hooked fish when handled correctly have a survival rate approaching 100 per cent when released, but that number was dramatically less for fish that swallowed hooks.
In recent times, rec anglers using circle hooks has been another massive step in the right direction for the long term sustainability of our fisheries. Moving forward a couple of decades and now recreational anglers have embraced bag & size limits and are actively involved in the fisheries management process all in the hope of ensuring our fisheries are sustainable for future generations. I can recall prior to the introduction of bag limits that the leading AAA competition anglers in my local area were extracting incredible amounts of fish such as tailor and bonito in the pursuit of trophies and there was a lot of ill feeling in the local community over masses of fish being dumped after competition weigh-ins.
#Circle hook full#
To my way of thinking the wheel has turned full circle for recreational anglers during the course of my fishing life.
Sure there’s been some bad stuff in terms of declining fish stocks due to commercial overfishing, pollution and habitat loss but there have also been positives with regard to improved fisheries management in recent years and changes in the attitudes of recreational anglers. I find it hard to believe but it’s almost 50 years since my late father and grandfather first started taking me fishing on the rivers and lakes of the NSW Central Coast so I’ve witnessed plenty. LOOKING back over a lifetime spent fishing allows you to reflect on the tremendous changes that have occurred to our fisheries and the way recreational anglers fish. Circle hooks have revolutionised catch & release bill fishing.ĬIRCLE hooks are an established and effective bait fishing method for targeting a range of species, from freshwater to large saltwater gamefish.
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