Circle gets a gold star
By Craig Nyhus
LSONews.com
Bluegill and crappie anglers relish the fun of the 100-fish day. But many struggle with the disappointment of catching a small fish — too small to keep — that “swallowed” the hook. Seeing the hook deep in the gut or gills of the fish, if they try to get it out, there’s a good chance the damage will kill the fish.
Many simply cut the line just above the hook. The fish has a much better chance of survival, but it still doesn’t feel right. Plus not everyone heads out to fish with an endless supply of hooks.
Enter the circle hook — of the tiny variety.
Commercial saltwater anglers have used the larger circle hooks for decades, and recreational anglers followed. The larger hooks have made their way into freshwater circles for catfish and some striped, hybrid or largemouth anglers.
When fishing with bait, all of the anglers find the numbers of fish hooked in the mouth versus deeply in the gut or gills is astonishing.
Not many panfish anglers use them, though, and many aren’t aware that tiny circle hooks, sizes 10, 12 and even 14, are available. But manufacturers do make them small — and they work.
Eagle Claw introduced its Lazer Sharp versions in small sizes a few years ago.
“We’re starting to see a little more demand,” said Matt Gray, product manager for Lazer Sharp, which sells the hooks through retailers and its factory store at (720) 941-8723. “They are great for kids and someone new to fishing, but some people are hesitant to give them a try.”
Jay Don Reeve of Gun Barrel City hasn’t tried the hooks on crappie — yet. Reeve, a tournament angler and officer in Crappie Anglers of Texas and owner of Finny Tribe Bait & Tackle store, said catfishermen swear by them.
“We get a lot of calls from the catfishing guys,” he said. “But for crappie the circle hooks will take some getting used to — we spend so much time training ourselves for that ‘thump.’”
Reeve sees the benefits, though, and plans to give the hooks a try this winter.
“We do spider-rigging with several rods, all baited with minnows,” he said. “They should work well for that. When fishing straight down with multiple minnows, you better pay attention or they’ll swallow the hook.”
How do they work?
The principle is simple. After the hook has been swallowed the angler applies pressure to the line. The unique hook shape causes the hook to slide toward the point of resistance and embed itself in the jaw or in the corner of the fish’s mouth. The curved shape of the hook helps keep the hook from catching in the gut cavity or throat.
The only real technique is foreign to experienced anglers. Inexperienced anglers catch on quickly. Don’t set the hook. Just steadily and slowly reel in the slack in the line until the hook sets itself in the fish. In shallow water, raising the rod gently will bring the fish in.
Where to buy
Small circle hooks haven’t caught on in popularity — yet — and they can be hard to find. Each of the big box retailers show that they carry small circle hooks on their Web sites, and they can be purchased online. But some anglers report trouble finding them in the stores.
“They are catching on slowly but surely,” Gray said. “I would check with the big box retailers or local tackle shops. If they don’t have them then ask and the store can request them. If that doesn’t work, fishermen can call the Eagle Claw Factory Store that can sell direct.”
