My Experience With Circle Hooks

I first started using circle hooks in the summer of 2001 after reading an article in In-Fisherman. My original plan was to test them on catfish, and migrate them into my overall fishing arsenal for everything from crappies to muskies. In part, my plan worked.

I am [un] fortunate to live within 40 minutes of a Cabela's store...well, actually two of them now. I was able to walk in and peruse the selection of circle hooks to judge sizes and get a feel for their overall physical dimensions. Had that not been possible, I would have doubtless mail-ordered several wrong-sized hooks before settling on something that works.

With circle hooks, size is more important than with a standard hook. You really need to pay attention to your bait size and your intended quarry size. I think generally you are better off going too big on a circle hook, rather than too small. In addition to this, circle hooks generally run smaller than regular hooks with the same size designation.

I started out targeting relatively large (5-15lbs) channel cats on the lower Minnesota River. My first hook choice was about a 2/0 Gamakatsu. I had some hook-ups and some misses. I understood that I was still under a bit of a learning curve so I didn't get too concerned about the misses. The biggest problem was that the 2/0 hooks with the somewhat odd bend were simply not big enough to hold my typical cut-bait offering. The exposed gap was very small and I was forced to hook the bait VERY close to the end.

After some experimentation, I settled on what is still my favorite circle hook for larger channel cats, a 5/0 VMC Vanadium Sport Circle Hook (model# 7384BN). I can't find them locally anymore, but you can get them online ( for example, see Jann's Netcraft ). I still have a package of 25 that you couldn't get from me if you tried. Anyway, they are the prefect size, and the round bend positions the bait better than most "circle" hooks that have a kahle-like bend. Granted, 5/0 may sound pretty big, but I've gotten very close to 90% hookups fishing this hook and have been very happy with it. I've also hooked the occasional 40lbs flathead that hammers my cut-bait as it spins in high-current areas.

For live-bait rigging flatheads, I'll typically use either a 12/0 or 14/0 Eagle Claw seaguard circle hook, depending on the bait size. I'll generally either harness the bait, or I'll use a rubber band through the nose to hook up the bait. My flathead baits are generally way too large to hook directly. I'll cover more on baiting options for very large baits in a later article.

I've successfully used circle hooks in smaller sizes while ice fishing with tip-ups. Using a 2/0 Daiichi with 4-5 inch shiners has proven deadly on northern pike. Using 1/0 or smaller with small shiners or large fatheads has put several walleyes on the ice for me. Circle hooks are a natural for tip-up or rattle-reel fishing because the hookset is otherwise so difficult with these fishing methods.

Tips for using circle hooks:

1. Use a hook that is big enough. With the bait attached, there should be plenty of gap left.
2. Make sure the hook point is exposed and will remain exposed. This means when fishing cut bait, be sure to remove any scales that may stick to the point. Sometimes I'll even trim away the leading corners of the cut bait to make sure it doesn't "foul" the hook point.
3. Like all hooks, keep your hook points sharp. A circle hook relies on a sharp point to do its work.
4. Do NOT set the hook. Just apply steady pressure until the hook finds home. On bigger fish, you can then lean back into them. When targeting larger channel cats, I generally just point the rod tip right at them and start reeling steadily. When I feel them solidly on the line, I raise the rod tip in a steady sweep.

What is a circle hook NOT good for?

1. Float (aka bobber) fishing. I have not been able to find a successful combination of float and circle hook that would consistently catch fish. I've tried various sizes/combinations for panfish and catfish. For fishing under a float, I prefer a standard hook.
2. Drift fishing. I have not tried drifting for cats using circle hooks (by the way, watch for an upcoming article on drift-fishing cats...I think my brother has had some success drifting with circle hooks). I have unsuccessfully tried drifting for walleyes and crappies with a circle hook. I was in a boat with three other guys that were hammering big crappies and eater walleyes while I kept missing fish on my circle hooks. I experimented with several sizes and weight combinations, but simply could not get consistent hook-ups. Perhaps I'll try this again in the spring.