what type ,size hooks have been working best

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Mon May 24, 2010 5:57 pm

as the topic suggest what have you fellas been using and what have you found best
seen a few fellas now using the circle round hooks
back in the day we never used them am just curious to see what others have found worked
i realise now that the circle hooks are alot fish friendler than old style j hooks
and is this why more people are using them or are they actually getting good hook up rates with these circle hooks for the sails

double haul · Post by **double haul** » Mon May 24, 2010 8:01 pm

Owner not offset 4/0 to 8/0 4 for the local gar 8 for the bought(next time i buy a pack ill put up the number) I started useing them in broome n was there the year there was a bit of a debate on banning j hooks during the comps. Cant say to much about the j hooks but im starting to become a bit concerned about how close circles tend to end up to the eye when they are hooked in the hinge of the mouth. Ive only gut hooked 1 fish in the last 5 yrs chaseing them. 3 have been hooked outside the mouth and still landed, although this might have something to do with mono not the hook.

Ive been trying to "strike" a little quicker to put the hook up a little further in the jaw but it doesnt seem to make any difference. Ive got a couple of dojo hooks im rigging up at the moment n might try them next trip.

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Mon May 24, 2010 9:28 pm

i bought some 12/0 tuna circles off the net and they look alot smaller to what i was expecting them to be compared to say a j hook
we always used j hooks in broome also circles werent used much at al back then
they were a large j hook to from memory anyone got a pic of the style of hooks they have been using
just getting some gear ready to start chasing them again

dodgyone · Post by **dodgyone** » Mon May 24, 2010 9:35 pm

J Hooks I use are the Gamakatsu Saltwater Fly in 10/0

double haul · Post by **double haul** » Tue May 25, 2010 5:33 am

Copy n paste this mate.
http://www.fishingterritory.com/viewtopic.php?t=20049

Bill Collector · Post by **Bill Collector** » Tue May 25, 2010 3:11 pm

I use 9/0 Gamakatsu Saltwater Fly Hooks for Main hook and 7/0 for
a stinger hook.
They have a big gap and are a thin gauge hook that are VERY strong.
Ideal for rigging our local 1 or 2 spot garfish

Fishindunky · Post by **Fishindunky** » Tue May 25, 2010 4:50 pm

In reply to double halls's comment about the J hooks getting too close to the eye, I couldn't agree more mate. If we want to catch and release properly, i.e releasing them with as little damage and stress as possible, I reckon we should try and use circle hooks as much as possible.

I was out on the weekend on an unplanned "drop of the hat" trip chasing sails, all I had was a few old but sharp 6/0 J straight shank stainless steel hooks to use on some gars that we picked up at the local tackle shop.

One fish was hooked up under the bill, they go berserk when hooked there, and as a result he took a long time to "swim" back to health, I reckon a circle wouldn't do that but I can't be sure?

Another fish was hooked in the eye (see pic) from the inside, looks like it did some damage, all I can do is hope it survived.

I will be trying to use circle hooks from now on!
Also, I recommend not using stainless hooks, as the fish cannot get rid of them if swallowed for whatever reason.

Tight Lines.

DOUG · Post by **DOUG** » Tue May 25, 2010 5:18 pm

yep cheers for the link mate
got meself some og the gamagatsu saltwater fly hooks
any one else got pics of there rigged baits
anyone still using swimming mullet/tarpon at all
how how you found the gars that are rigged with the hook a few inches in front of the head
better hookup rate as more hook exposed?

double haul · Post by **double haul** » Tue May 25, 2010 7:55 pm

Arrrrrrrrrre cra* i stuffed up. The comment of hooks being near the eye i was talking about circles not j hooks.

We had a mixture of j hooks n circles in broome n must say that most of the people we delt with were useing circles. So we cottoned on to what most were doing at the time, a big thanks must go out to jeff cooper who showed us his rigs with the plastic tube up front. We caught fish on j hooks, even 1 that only had the waxed thread on the bill. But the number of fish ive caught on js might be 4 or 5. Also to throw another spanner in the works the fish out of dundee apart from 1 on the first trip are a lot smaller than broome fish, this might have something to do with the hook being very close to the eye.

double haul · Post by **double haul** » Tue May 25, 2010 8:19 pm

Sooner or later im going to work this fri*ing computer out. Rant over now.

Sorry guys my last post should have read circles. Have another look.
Fishindunky i cant really comment on j hooks we only used them for a short time in broome, the photo of the rigged gar was 1 of the last rigs made up when i came home n started looking for them here.
Ya hit the nail on the head doug with the hook up ratio. Also im not keen on towing swiming baits around so 99% is pitching. This might have to change in this yrs billie comp i think.

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what type ,size hooks have been working best

what type ,size hooks have been working best

J Hooks too close to the eye