Octopus circle hooks - any opinions?
Submitted by davewillo on Mon, 2017-04-03 07:54
Heading up to Exmouth later this week and will be fishing shorebased, staying in Cape Range National Park. Will be casting various lures around in different spots but will soak a bait or two in the evenings to try and catch spanglies for a feed.
Anyone used the Octopus circle hooks for that sort of stuff? My go-to was always just a 5/0 Gamakatsu octopus but someone said try the octopus circles for better hookups.
Appreciate hearing from those that have used them.
Cheers
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PGFC member and lure tragic
AlwaysFishin
Posts: 644
Date Joined: 13/11/11
Circles
I used then on an overnighter on my boat a few years ago based on recommendations from a few people. Lost 3 big fish due to pulled hooks and have never used them again. Refuse to.
beeroclock
Posts: 733
Date Joined: 22/08/12
I use No10 Owner circles for demersals and
hardly ever drop a fish. I always let the fish take the bait, even flick the bail arm back on the reel and give it a couple more metres of line then let the rod load up before pulling back and like I said hardly ever lose one for me circles are the only hooks I will ever use for demersals
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
Circle hooks for some
Circle hooks for some switchbaiting and deep drop. (not that I do a lot of this)
nothing else for me.
(certainly not for casting lures if that's what you are asking, circles need to be swallowed to be effective so possibly if you are leaving your line unattended for the spangles you mentioned they are OK)
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
No only looking at Octopus
No only looking at Octopus circles for bait fishing for spanglies. Not true circle hooks and definitely not for lures!
PGFC member and lure tragic
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
No probs, I've certainly
No probs, I've certainly caught a few spangles in my time but yeah like I said I would only use if leaving the line unattended in non reefy areas, sitting on the beach etc.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Just to be clear it will be
Just to be clear it will be bait fishing on the west side of Exmouth Cape from the beach.
PGFC member and lure tragic
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Like circles,just not Octopus circles
Used octopus circles for a while and gave them away. IMO, the problem is with the eye arrangement. They have the bent back eye, which means your line pull is traight down the shank. Numerous experiments have shown this is not the way to tie circle hooks. Circles should have the line fed through the eye from the gape side of the hook before tying on the shank. This maximises the amount the hook will turn as it comes around the corner of the fishes jaw, causing it to lock in and work as circles are meant to. My personal favourite is the Mustad Sea Demon, in the lighter gauge--use them for everything, including live baiting, very good hook up rate. Or the Owner tournament ( not Mutu) in 9/0 for feeding gars to sails.
If it comes to Gamakatsu hooks, I'd take the red Octopus over the Octopus circle any day.
timmy k (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
mutu
have you ever tried those mutu hooks ranmar?
deep south
Posts: 187
Date Joined: 28/12/16
5/0 tarpons
Cant go wrong with a two gang of 5/0 tarpons and a fresh stip bait
Have been fishing that west side for many years now and thats my go to for an evening spangled or two. Most of the days are spent flicking plastics on the incoming tides which has been more productive for them as the tax men aren't around
I to am heading up later this week but will be south of yardie until the 22nd , good luck
The next time i see that jig will be in the mouth of something big !!
lurch
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 02/01/11
I have a few Octopus circles
I have a few Octopus circles in 7,8 & 9 and your welcome to them.
Used a few on our last exxie trip and not satisfied with them at all due to hook eye issues as others have mentioned, used Owner circles last time and will do so again next year as hardly missed with them.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
The Owner circles have the
The Owner circles have the inline eye is that right? For shore based I might just stick with the old Octopus pattern unless the eye causes the same issue?
PGFC member and lure tragic
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
The Mutus are heavier
Don't need that for sails. The inline eye is the go.I read a test some kiwis ran on actual hookup rates on set lines and it was very illuminating. After reading it, I went to the inline and the right method of tying on and haven't looked back, after a frustrating run with circles.I'll see if i can find that article.
OK, found it. remember the Kiwis are allowed a lot of hooks, they commonly send out their Kontikis with a lot of hooks attached on shallow, very slowly sloping beaches on the NI to catch snapper.www.fishing.sh/htmfiles/hookreports/tyingvssnelling.html
bristolio
Posts: 41
Date Joined: 19/01/16
Id agree with the inline eye
Id agree with the inline eye with line entering the hook side of the eye so it sets the hook better and snell hooks if not using a droper loop. I havnt tryed this with inline eye hook my self as im using up all my circle hooks with bent eyes.. but thats the theory anyway