circle hooks ?

[sparkie]

Saw an episode of In-Fisherman today where they were using circle hooks with a slip bobber while fishing for eyes.  Never used them BUT they do look interesting since I do a lot of slip bobber fishing in the early part of the year.  I usually use a no. 6 short shank Eagle Claw but I'm looking into the circle hooks.  I do miss some fish since I anchor on the lip of structure and slowly let out line to cover a bar without getting to close.  The extra line has to be reeled in before I set the hook and the fish drop the bait but with the circle hooks you just reel em right in, right, without setting the hook?  Do you set the hook once you feel the fish or just reel?  Do they increase your catch rate compared to a regular shank hook?

[whistlepig]

just reel them in, you don't have to reset the hook, as far as the catch goes, I would have to say that they don't really increase your catch rate, but they lessen the chance of the fish swallowing your hook into their gullet especially the sub-legal fish. Nobody likes to see them go belly-up after you throw them back I also like to use octopus hooks, very few gut hook-ups.

[slipperybob]

I guess when the fish are really aggressive in the spring you may want to give circle hooks a shot to prevent them from gut hooking.  Personally I've never gut hooked a fish on a bobber if I'm paying attention.  I think that giving fish more time to swallow the bait is the consideration to go to circle hooks.  If the fish are aggressive, then I just use a light wire wide gap bass hook.  Lip hook them everytime.  The only caution is light wires hooks tend to bend, so if I catch a big one, I'm gonna have to ease it.

[Ice Dawg]

I use them with slip floats and deadsticking out of my boats. When the bobber goes down I just start reeling and with a rod in a rod holder I let them hook themselves and then reel them in. I have caught fish with my rod in a holder while the guy in the other end of the boat caught nothing while holding his rod with a regular hook. I tied some Lindy Rigs using circle hooks and when combined with a bottom bouncer I can put the rod in a holder and let the fish suck on them until they hook themselves.