Circle hooks are one of the most unrecognised and underrated hooks in the entire fishing industry! For something that is one of the most efficient hooks, it is unbelievable that the general public has no idea just how much potential the oval shape, appropriately named Circle hook, has!
These wonder hooks have the highest rating of catch rates on any strike, or any other hook on the market to date. The shape of the hook is perfect for setting itself deep into the side of a fish’s mouth, and not letting go, due to its curved shape pointing the tip straight back to the shank keeping it set in place no matter how hard the fish thrashes or pulls.
Circle hooks have also been strongly recommended by professionals and even government organisations everywhere! They have the number 1 rating of catch and release resulting in no significant injury to the fish! The below table, which is an extract from the DPI website, it clearly describes how they love the circle hook due to its properties of not being swallowed whole by a fish and getting hooked on the internals of a fish, but instead on its outer mouth. This allows easy removal of the hook, without damaging the fish’s chances of a full and simple recovery in the wild. Not to mention, making sure you hold onto your favourite Fiske Tackle for another monster!
Although you may have had your incredible skill (or luck) passed down from generations of fishing experts, the circle hook may take you down a new path of fishing techniques compared to your generally used J-shaped hooks. These will come down to a number of different factors that will take a bit of practice getting your head around.
This starts with using a lighter set of tackle. As the hook will set off to the side of the mouth of a fish, there is no need to worry about it biting through the line. This gives you a greater chance of a strike by a fast thinking and active fish that is looking for a quick feed. You will also have a much greater range of sensitivity to what action is happening at the other end of your line, preparing you for that impending strike!
When baiting your line, I know how great it feels to just load your hook up with a massive chunk of bait, hoping that one of the lurking monsters below you are going to swim off and tow your boat out to sea! As you can see where I am going with this, it is completely unnecessary while using a circle hook. A circle hook is best to not be buried deep inside a bait like a J-hook, you are better off just lightly placing your hook into the bait, exposing as much of the hook shaft and point as possible. This technique will give you a much greater chance of hooking up the fish’s mouth, instead of the fish swallowing its hole and then trying to hook up on its internals. This is completely out of the Circle hooks qualities and will just end up with the fish spitting out the hook as soon as it spots you or the boat.
Going along these lines, you really don’t want to be ripping that poor fish’s head clean off as soon as you feel a bite. The circle hooks greatest quality is that likes to set itself into the fish’s mouth and there is no need for much intervention by the fisherman! When starting to feel a fish getting interested in your bait, just hold out and wait for the fish to take off with it. After it begins to take some line, slowly ease strong pressure back towards yourself and start to wind in, there is no need for strong yanking and whipping noises coming from your fishing rod. This will give the hook the time it needs to set itself nicely into the fish and give you the strongest catch rate possible.
All this information is great but let’s just hope that your famously secret fishing spot, actually has some fish every now and then too. This should get you started though to a greater knowledge of what possibilities there are out there for the Circle hook!
Go to our tackle store now to check out the great range of Circle hooks we have available in all different sizes. This will help you catch the fish of your dreams and not the story you have to tell of ‘the one that got away to your family, as they look at you with those hungry faces!
