Posted: July 25th, 2007, 6:26 pm
I use circle hooks almost exclusively for inshore fishing with live bait. I've tried all kinds, ranging in price from a few cents to a dollar or two a pop, and pretty much settled on the cheapie 3/0 Eagle Lazer-something-rather that are about $6 for a box of 50 at WalMart. It's extremely rare that I miss a hookup on a real hit, and when I do get the ole 'knock knock - nobody home', I usually pull in a legless shrimp.
I've even used them with a ready-rig and a gulp to bounce off the bottom in the deeper holes on hot days when I ran out of or couldn't get shrimp, and I'd say the hookup ratio is pretty much the same as when using a good jig head. The circle hooks will reduce your snag ratio significantly though when bouncing off a rocky/oystery bottom.
The one exception is that I prefer J hooks for floating live pinfish, mostly because they're a wee bit easier to hook into the bait, and because you don't have to worry about snagging the bottom with a live fish hanging from a CT. Also I notice a big improvement on the number of hookups with the J hooks on pinfish.
I've even used them with a ready-rig and a gulp to bounce off the bottom in the deeper holes on hot days when I ran out of or couldn't get shrimp, and I'd say the hookup ratio is pretty much the same as when using a good jig head. The circle hooks will reduce your snag ratio significantly though when bouncing off a rocky/oystery bottom.
The one exception is that I prefer J hooks for floating live pinfish, mostly because they're a wee bit easier to hook into the bait, and because you don't have to worry about snagging the bottom with a live fish hanging from a CT. Also I notice a big improvement on the number of hookups with the J hooks on pinfish.