Scup

Circle hooks for fluke suck! However, since I am commercial, go for it, there will be more out there for me to catch. I put this thread out before, since I tried testing them a few years back. Took two identical rods and reels and equipped one with a single circle hook and the other with a single conventional hook. Both were placed in rod holders (dead stick). I would only reel in to check my live bait or when one rod had a fish on. To sum it up, the conventional hook caught twenty fluke with three fish deep hooked. One deep hooked fish was a keeper so it did not matter. The sproat hooks were cut off close, and the two fish were returned to the sea (hopefully they survived but who really knows). In the same time frame, the circle hook caught one fluke, but it was not deep hooked. The problem currently with fluke is there are a lot of them out there, but if you fish in shallow waters, you might have to catch ten fluke before you get one keeper. Therefore, the problem is not to kill the short fluke that you have to return to the sea. Circle hooks do this very well; in fact, they catch so few you usually would not have to worry about tossing too many of them back. One way around the problem of getting shorts is to use a big rig so a small guy would have a problem in woofing it down. There is nothing wrong with the size of your rig. As another member mentioned though, why use wire leader. There is a chance that a blue might hit the rig, and then it it might be worth having a wire leader but even though fluke have very pointed needle like teeth, they just do not have the capability of bitting off the hook like a blue does. I am somewhat confused as to the use of fluorocarbon leader as regular mono works very well but I also catch well using fluorocarbon leader too. Since fluorocarbon tends to be stiffer, and more wear resistant, I usually go with it; it cannot hurt except for its higher cost.

grief

Once you get passed the urge to set the hook by lifting, You will be happy with them. It's going to take time to remember not to lift when you feel that tug and you WILL curse yourself plenty (Thats a hard habbit to break ) at least it was for me . But if you just turn your reel handle when you feel the bite , You'll be amaised. Almost does away with the swollowed hook sindrome which is another plus , especially if you have alot of shorts mixed in with the keepers

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Grief
Long Island
New York

Bob & Mag

It was for me using circles for anything. It took concentration for me NOT to set the hook. Once you get used to just bringing the line tight and lifting the rod and reeling, it's pretty foolproof. My only thought on circles for fluke was the direction of the pull. If the fish moved off it would work well, I think but not sure if aiming straight at the boat. I've switched off to a larger 5/0 kahle hook last year to help prevent shorts swallowing the hook. Especially those fishing more than one rod and dead-sticking. I had many doubles last year but found when I put one rod down the fish usually could spit the kahle hook before I got back to it.
If fish are swallowing the hook you need a bigger hook or hold and fish with one rod. IMO we don't need to be mini-draggers with dead fish following our boats.

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grief

Bob and Mag , I agree with you and gut hooks don't happen all the time but sometimes they do. I've noticed it less with the circles and I think the hardest thing I had to do last year was tell my boys that this 18.5" fluke had to go back cause it was "short "

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Grief
Long Island
New York

flukeyou

Ive tried circle hooks but prefer the traditional wide gap 2/0

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pescadorzih

Bob
Are you saying you use circle hooks for tog? I wondered if they would work. If so, what size do you use?

Bob & Mag

Yes we always use circles with togs. Only been fishing for them for two seasons, so not an expert by any means but those that taught me used them and I learned with them.
Sizes tried have ranged from 2/0 to 4/0 gamagatsu offset circles and also owner hooks. I prefer the gamagatsu (heavier hook than owners)and the smaller 2/0 seem to catch better. Feel the bite just keep line tight lift and reel.

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pescadorzih

Thanks for the info.

ubettcha13

The light wire Mutu with a white skirt if you don't have a big current Chartruse if it's ripping if your on sandy bottom We don't have much luke with pink for doormats But it does work
Best to deadstick a circle till you have it down not to jerk We do this with cod while jigging as well
This way you have 2 rods for each person working more bottom Plus you have that many more options to figure out best color for that day

AlloyToy

never fished a dead stik for cod Rich, I'll have to give it a shot........

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"First The Bite Then The Fight"