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[naturelover]

Hi all,

Does anyone use (or has used) circle hooks with spoons/spinners for salmon? How well do they work?

I've read that with circle hooks one doesn't need to set the hook as with a J-hook, but just continue to reel in normally.
This would seem to help in the case where one can't tell if it is a fish or snag since the reel-in doesn't change.

[A Frayed Knot]

Circle hooks are very handy, I started using them more just this past summer. Can't say anything bad about them except they probably look silly if someone tried to tie a fly on it well I would assume anyway..hmm..

Anyway they do help quite a bit avoiding snags, I still find I do have to set the but not like most people where you always think someone just ripped the lips right off the poor fish. I also foul a heck of a lot less.

Can't say anything bad about them at all, I would say they are worth trying.

[typhoon]

I'm willing to give them a try on spoons and spinners. I hate snaggin' chum.

[Tenz85]

Tried one out on as a trailer book on a spoon. Casted on the Fraser earlier this month and hooked into a spring jack or big coho but somehow it shook the hook off?? Haven't used them since but would be will to try it again.. I find I go up 1 size when using gami circle hooks.

[RalphH]

You can tie a fly on a circle hook and they are used for saltwater tropic flyfishing - particularly for shark.  I've got some longish shank Mustads that work fine for that. I know of some guys who have used flies on circle hooks for chum. You don't set the hook with a circle just keep retrieving or let current drag on the line set the hook. I've tried it and it does not eliminate snagging but snagged fish become unbuttoned almost immediately. In my experience it is pretty much unnecessary once you coordinate hook size, drift angle & retrieve speed.

[naturelover]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info, okay, so I'll go ahead and give them a try and hopefully it goes well.

@RalphH: "In my experience it is pretty much unnecessary once you coordinate hook size, drift angle & retrieve speed."
Could you explain that a little more? Thanks.

[skaha]

-Tube fly with single circle hook trailer.
-Have not seen the very small circle hooks that were used by moffat fly fishing systems.. not sure if they are still available.
--Have been using them on spoons... again with short trailer not direct to the spoon or spinner.
-- www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=36501.msg345801#msg345801
-- Rigged similar to the way suggested in above thread

[RalphH]

@RalphH: "In my experience it is pretty much unnecessary once you coordinate hook size, drift angle & retrieve speed."
Could you explain that a little more? Thanks.

Basically you don't want your hook dragging down among crowds of fish. You want it above the fish though not too far above or they may not move to it. Coho and pinks are more inclined to move a good distance to take a fly or lure than chum or springs. You also want the fish to see the fly before any other part of you presentation and preferably not see anything else. Generally a slow moving fly is better than a fast one.

With a fly I have experienced using the same sink tip and fly going from multiple fouling hook situations to nothing but fair takes simply by adjusting the angle on the swing of the line. That was all it took to meet the conditions above.

Size of the hook, if it's got a bead on it, the length of the leader, the size of the fly line, the density of the sink tip, speed of the current and or the retrieve all effect where the fly will be in the water column and how fast it moves.

Over the years I have almost exclusively switched to using a clear intermediate line or less frequently a floating line rather than a faster sinking type 3 or denser tip. That alone cut foul hooked fish as a ratio of hookups to a fraction of what I experienced previously.

Overall it's just a matter playing or adjusting the parameters that effect the depth and presentation of the fly to all but eliminate snagged fish.