Circle hooks on spinner rigs!

[slipbob]

I have not tried these but a lot of the new spinner rigs for walleye are being set up with circle hooks.  Has anybody used these for slow trolling spinner rigs and if so how do you like them versus a standard hook? 

[Jigwiggler]

I have not used them for this application but I can not see how it would work very well.  Circle hooks are designed so that they work when a fish takes in the bait and is allowed to turn away, when you apply pressure to the line it pulls the hook back toward the mouth catching on nothing until it rotates around the jaw exposing the point to flesh where it will grab and bury.  I don't see how this could happen in a trolling application.  I would have to say they are better kept for live bait or soft plastic presentations.

I have heard that circle hooks do not work as well on toothy critter because the line getting caught in the teeth does not allow the hook to rotate properly.  That is strictly hear say though as I have never used them in that situation personally.

Just my thoughts.

[eyedoktr]

Circle hooks will work on meat rigs(harnesses) if the main line is one of the super braids. Using super braids will mean that you don't  "set" the hook like with monofilament. You just reel in and take up any slack in the line and the fish should be hooked. "Set" the hook and you may just rip a big hole in the mouth.

[Jigwiggler]

Circle hooks will work on meat rigs(harnesses) if the main line is one of the super braids. Using super braids will mean that you don't  "set" the hook like with monofilament. You just reel in and take up any slack in the line and the fish should be hooked. "Set" the hook and you may just rip a big hole in the mouth.

I agree that if there is slack in the presentation then circles would work.  What has me confused is how do you have any slack while trolling a spinner rig?

[eyedoktr]

Jigwiggler,with 100 feet or more of line out, there will be a bow in your line just due to the density difference between the line and the water. Now if you're using bottom bouncers and only have a few feet of line out, there will be little or no slack.

[Tournament Drifter]

Doesn’t sound like a good set-up.  I like to run rigs with an up-turned eyehook (octopus style).  A #4 or #6 up front followed by a #6 or #8 out back.. They have a wider gap and that seems to work well. You always want to keep worm harnesses moving (trolling) or if the spinner dies & you might as well go to jigging…Harnesses are mainly a quick attraction presentation that smells right.  I run fireline to the bouncer, than a varying length fluorocarbon lead to the spinner…  No way is there adequate time or slack line for a circle hook to work properly!!!