The proper use of a Circle Hook

Just sharing, I got this from my friends in NJ Surf... no more irritating "jack em up" shouting needed here.. let me know your input and Thanks btw! :)


The following has been reprinted from our friends at the Jersey Coast Anglers Association JCAA - Jersey Coast Angler's Association Home Page
"The most effective way to hook a fish with a circle hook is not to raise the rod in a quick motion, more or less to reel and lift at the same time. If you do the typical hook set, you will pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth. The fish grabs the baited hook and starts to swim away. The line tightens slowly and usually pulls the hook out of the throat and to the corner of the mouth, where the point rotates and pierces the jaw hinge or check. Once the fish is hooked, it cannot escape. According to manufacturers, advantages of the circle hook design include: increased catch rate, higher lip hook rate, which greatly reduces mortality; ease of use because the fish hooks itself; and less snagging in certain bottom fishing applications. Remember, avoid the typical hook setting practice.


There has been a lot of study on the use of circle hooks so let me fill you in on some of the results. The Lukakovic test listed 97% hooked in the jaw with 1% mortality. J-hooks resulted in an 83% mouth hooking and a mortality of 9%. A study done by Caruso showed the same 97% jaw hooked and a mortality of 3% with circle style hooks, compared to only 60% jaw hooked and a mortality of 16% with J-hooks. Both these tests were conducted on Striped Bass. Does this mean that a conservative 10% mortality with J-hooks affects even the catch and release fisherman? You be the judge. Those are the numbers. Studies done on Pelagic species are even more dramatic with C-hooks 94% mouth hooked to only 62% for J-hooks. And the mortality is 4% vs. a frightening 28%."

Dittos. Circle hooks work.

I have not been a circle hook user. However, for my up coming trip in October I am going to use circle hooks only. Have not packed any J hooks and don't plan on buying any. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I think that if forced to use the circles only, I will get the hang of it. From what I understand you just pick up the rod, point it at the fish and start reeling. That shouldn't be to hard for even this old man to learn. We shall see.

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Originally Posted by Big Dawg

From what I understand you just pick up the rod, point it at the fish and start reeling. That shouldn't be to hard for even this old man to learn. We shall see.

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I have just started using circle hooks this year and it does take some time to get out of the habit of setting the hook. I am able to easily remove the hook though.

Circle hooks are undoubtedlly good , but I can not remember a fish that I have caught on the pier swallowing a treble hook . Being #4 or #10 . Why is that ? Just curious .

Back in the mid 90's we did a study with speckled trout. All kinds of variables...live bait, JHook (my favorite!), trebles, grubs, treble hook hard baits, handling with towel, dropping on the ground (bottom of boat) etc. Survival at 30 days post release was the measuring stick. We did not use circle hooks or Kahle hooks.
Results were that about 10 percent more died from treble hooks from all sources of hooking, probably from the length of time it took to unhook them...and live bait mirrored the data. Most fish that were acvtually observed to have died were from secondary bacterial infections "vibrio" (i.e. rough handling, dropping on the ground, with a towel, etc)

NOW...OTHER CONSIDERATIONS!!! An experienced fisherman or a guide is going to get a hook out much, much faster than an average or below average fisherman. He is also "usually" going to grab the fish with his bare hand thus removing less slime therefore causing less damage for bacteria to infest the fish. Any speckled trout released after being handled with a towel are history, you just don't get to witness it. When I saw the ADSFR have the catch and release category and jackpot (I think) for speckled trout I just cringed knowing that it was a great publicity stunt but terrible idea. Trout don't release very well after being in a livewell for any length of time let alone hours.

More than 2 cents...I think that is about a nickels worth.

I can go on and on BUT the most critical factors in fish release and subsequent survival are handling and time out of the water. If they are gullet or gill hooked, cook em.

do circle hooks work as well on toothy critters like kings

yes, Ive seen a lot of folks even troll for kings using circles for the lead hook

Not sure about kings bit they work great with sharks with live and cut bait.6/0 for live bait and 16/0 for cut. Better file the barbs off if you want your hook back though.

I started using circle hooks for whiting, reds, croakers, sheepshead, etc years ago. It's what I use for fall fishing from the pier now. It took me just a few times, on my very first day of trying them, to get the hang of it.

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Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I started using circle hooks for whiting, reds, croakers, sheepshead, etc years ago. It's what I use for fall fishing from the pier now. It took me just a few times, on my very first day of trying them, to get the hang of it.

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How do you hook live shrimp with circle hooks for sheepshead?

Not to step on any toes, but I hate circle hooks. Just seems like a hook for those who don't have a feel for what the fish is doing at the end of your line. It just makes fishing too easy.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

How do you hook live shrimp with circle hooks for sheepshead?

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I hook them in the tail. I think that sheepshead have incredibly keen eyesight and the key is to hide the hook as much as you can. My theory on why circle hooks work well on sheepshead is that when they crunch down and then exhale the shells/barnacle-pieces, etc. the hook turns and catches flesh, where a j-hook comes straight out without catching anything.

In hooking the shrimp in the tail, I try to avoid the vein in the dead-center.

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Originally Posted by SNAKE

Not to step on any toes, but I hate circle hooks. Just seems like a hook for those who don't have a feel for what the fish is doing at the end of your line. It just makes fishing too easy.

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I can't imagine hating any hook shape based on it's relative efficiency -- or for any other reason for that matter! Like I've said many times - As long as it's legal and doesn't violate the pier rules, whatever another fellow does to catch his fish is none of my business. I share different tackle options, rigging techniques, and baits with the hope that people who are less experienced will have more success. But that's where I set the boundary for myself. How another fisherman enjoys his fishing experience on the pier depends on that person's individual choices and preferences which have absolutely nothing to do with me.

I had several bites back in late March hooking them in the horn with a #8 treble. I did land several and had a lot of break offs, but I also lost a lot due to pulled hooks. I got a lot of shrimp heads back with no body especially when using larger shrimp. I would like to have had all small shrimp but they were scarce that week to begin with and heard that a truckload of shrimp all died on the way from Florida due to a problem with the tank filtration system. I'm just looking for a better bite/hookup. What size/brand circle do you prefer?

I like a. Number 6 kahle hook , hook up ratio on the corner of the mouth is great but you can still do kind of a hook set if you're in that habit .

About hooking shrimp...its all in what you want the shrimp to do. Hooked in the tail they will swim away from you when you put a bit of pressure....this is usually a free line method or small split shot. If you are really concerned with the hook being visible come from underneath the shrimp about where his mouthparts are and come out the top in front of the brain...live well and lots easier than hooking throught the horn

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Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I can't imagine hating any hook shape based on it's relative efficiency -- or for any other reason for that matter! Like I've said many times - As long as it's legal and doesn't violate the pier rules, whatever another fellow does to catch his fish is none of my business. I share different tackle options, rigging techniques, and baits with the hope that people who are less experienced will have more success. But that's where I set the boundary for myself. How another fisherman enjoys his fishing experience on the pier depends on that person's individual choices and preferences which have absolutely nothing to do with me.

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well said sir. Like I said, not to step on any toes...just my two cents.