Circle or Kahle?

I remember seeing a post by Pier#r saying he prefers kahle over circle hooks on I believe 2 hook bottom rigs. I know that circle hooks are more likely to hook in the corner of the mouth making a live release easier but for keepers such as whiting, pompano, specs, reds, flounder, is the hookup rate better with a Kahle style? On both a held rod or sand spike rod? And with sheepshead having a unique bite style, which hook type is best there, maybe the standard 'J'? Getting ready for my annual pilgrimage from north Alabama to GS in October. After discovering this great forum last year my surf, pier, pass fishing success has been greatly improved.

I like the Kahle, some call them suicide hooks!

I like a 1/0 kahle for flounder and pompano. I can't confirm this but it seems like I miss a lot of pompano in the surf with circle hooks. Partly my fault for setting the hook I guess but something kept smacking the set rig baited with sandfeas and running away with it and without getting hooked. I switched to a "tourist rig" 3 hook pompano rig with kahle hooks and caught 2 keeper and 2 short pompano. Kahle seem to be a lot cheaper as well. I like bronze or black #8 or #10 treble hooks and 6lb clear mono for specs. I use 4x VMC #8 treble hooks for sheepshead, but they may not be around in great numbers in October and will probably only be interested in eating barnacles.

I vote for kahle hooks. I use a little smaller size than Chillinfish, but he catches plenty of fish, so what do I know?

I generally use a single hook rig---a two hook rig just means I'm using twice as much bait, and if I catch two pomps on a single rig, I'm too close to my limit too quickly.

I agree that a two hook rig just means using twice as much bait, and I'd rather fight a single hookup rather than a double. My reason for using a two hook rig for pomps is that if the first one is missed then I still have a shot at another in that particular group of pomps coming by. By the time I would re-bait a one hook rig, that group of pomps would be long gone down the beach - all this assuming I'm remembering what I've heard about pompano behavior correctly. Pier#r or someone else smarter may know better.

I'm no expert, but in October/November when targeting pomps, whiting and the like I have had good success with #6 and #4 kahle hooks. When going after larger species with cut bait I usually go with a 2/0 - 7/0 circle and have had very few hook slips.

We use two hook rigs because long ago, they were sold that way. I have in the last couple of years tied my own dropper rigs, thanks very much to this
forum. We set three poles when there are two or more of us fishing for pompano, and there have been a number of times when two hits happened at the same time. This year ( T-minus 40 days/whose counting?) I will use a single dropper when we set out multiple poles, and doubles only if I am out there by myself with a single pole out. It used to be a lot of fun to have two hits with two poles at the same time; hard for me to dance that much all at once, now.

I use two drop rigs because that's what is sold. I'm too stupid to take the time to tie my own rigs when I can be doing sexier things like setting up new rods and reels, or sorting new lures in the tackle trays. It's just too easy to grab them off the shelf, or off of Amazon.


My complaint is that with two dropper rigs, when I do get a double hookup, it's always double trash fish. At one point last year, I had two large rays on. When one would cooperate, the other would bury itself to China. That was a long fight, if you can call it that. Two hardheads at a time are twice the annoyance of one hardhead. Also, I would say that they are generally good for using up bait twice as fast.

This being said, I did acquire some sinker slides a few days ago. I intend to move away from the two-drop rigs and more towards a fish finder/Carolina situation for my two upcoming trips to OB and Ft. Morgan.

If I may offer any encouragement, there are not many easier rigs to make than dropper rigs. 10# fluoro has been very good to me, for pomps, flounder, and whiting. And yes, I have caught hardheads, ladyfish, rabbitfish, sea robins, pinfish, bluefish, small sharks, rays, and I don't know what all. Takes 60 seconds to make a dropper, and I am old and slow. My sweet and lovely wife still thinks I am quite a catch though, so I don't complain. Much.

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Originally Posted by bodebum

If I may offer any encouragement, there are not many easier rigs to make than dropper rigs. 10# fluoro has been very good to me, for pomps, flounder, and whiting. And yes, I have caught hardheads, ladyfish, rabbitfish, sea robins, pinfish, bluefish, small sharks, rays, and I don't know what all. Takes 60 seconds to make a dropper, and I am old and slow. My sweet and lovely wife still thinks I am quite a catch though, so I don't complain. Much.

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Yeah, I'm just being lazy. I always make my own rigs for other kinds of fishing. I always say that I'll do it when I'm down there fishing, but I end up reaching in the bag and pulling out another prefab rig.

I see a lot of newbies using these god-awful store-bought rigs that would CERTAINLY scare off any game fish in most situations. Too big line/too big hardware and weights!

I'm with bodebum! Tie the rigs yourself - It doesn't take but just a minute and lighter line/fluorocarbon leader and right-sized hooks are way more effective!

About hooks -- I like circle hooks. I've used them almost exclusively on both dropper rigs and Carolina rigs for a few years, now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I see a lot of newbies using these god-awful store-bought rigs that would CERTAINLY scare off any game fish in most situations. Too big line/too big hardware and weights!

I'm with bodebum! Tie the rigs yourself - It doesn't take but just a minute and lighter line/fluorocarbon leader and right-sized hooks are way more effective!


About hooks -- I like circle hooks. I've used them almost exclusively on both dropper rigs and Carolina rigs for a few years, now.

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Yeah, like I said, I intend on experimenting with the sinker slides this time around. I like the slide/carolina action, as I've used it in bass fishing for decades and used it some in the surf with egg weights last year. I like the line loose to slide so the bait can float/drift a bit on it's own, kinda like freelining for Kings, but the bait is underwater. I can pull it back to the weight and repeat if it gets too far from where I want it.


As for hooks, I am pretty stuck in my ways but I have taken to Kahles, and now primarily circle hooks in the last ten or so years. Of course, my experience with them is much heavier in freshwater cats than saltwater species. You typically see more Kahles up my way because circle hooks big enough for cats are kind of rare in the stores.

Edit: I guess I should clarify that my methods are what they are, partly because I stick to the surf and not the pier.