Circle hooks for kokes, have U tried them?

[smokin' Kokes]

http://www.gamakatsu.com/catalog/octo_circle.htm

they self set in the corner of the mouth which is much tougher than the outer lips when the fish strikes and turns.

I've had more hooks ups and less missed hits since I switched. I tie them egg loop knot 2 hooks in series style. more fish make it in the boat. I've been using #4 in the inline point.

be extra careful with these, the Gamis are extremely sharp and once the tip of a circle goes in it's difficult to get out since the meat is trapped between the point and the shank.

they don't seem to snag on the net as much as J hooks either.

Eagle Claw also makes small circles, have not tried them yet.

have been using Gami circles on halibut, salmon and sturgeon for several years with bait, herring, anchovies, hoochies, and the single hook plugs.

 

[jzell]

So how well do they work on the little ones that you'd like to (or rather) release?

Can I guess?

jz

 

[MMDON]

What kind of price are you paying compared to the Octopus hooks?

 

[smokin' Kokes]

same price as the regular J hook octopus, avail in red and their black stainless..

like all circle hooks....very easy to unhook with no pliers required....the shank is sticking out the corner of the mouth...
no gut or gill hooked little guys that one has to keep and use up limit.

love them on flopping wild crazy flopping coho salmon and tuna that run from the Hammer of Death

.....quick jerk on hook shank with long noze fish pliers and it's out. don't have to dig it out of their guts

 

[MMDON]

I understand the gut part when bait fishing but I've never had a Kokanee "swallow" a bait either when ice fishing or trolling. The very nature of the circle hook means the Kokanee has to turn with the bait still in his mouth in order to hook up. Seems like it would reduce your catch rate by at least 50% due to the mechanics of the "hook set" process when trolling for Kokes???

 

[smokin' Kokes]

the kokanee strike is a territorial aggression mouth open hit with a sideways slash and turn. perfect for circle hook self set.

videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfTCQNKfQg

late season mature hooknose out for blood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYeLKOdbw_Q

ocean run adult sockeye on Lake Washington
under Salmon Lake Washington
http://aquavu.com/underwater-videos/#

shows that there are numerous takes on J hooks with no hookup, yet the head turn slash turn is there.

I agree, most troll fish are not gut or gill hooked but some are especially when using micro tubes and small hooks when they'll only hit the small stuff. I occasionally still fish or extreme slow troll with pink pearl shrimp as bait only fishing. I tie up #8 circles for those occasions. Kokanee will take these deep on J hooks.

the trout caught on troll with J hooks are often deep hooked or at least too often for my sportsmanship, I seldom keep a trout.

 

[skookum9]

Smokin' Kokes, sounds like great advice to me. I think I'll give it a try next year if I decide to try trolling again. I'm not ready to trade in the trebles on the jigs for them just yet but I do think they should work nicely on the wedding rings and hoochies. From what I've read here on this thread, you've already tried them and experienced increased success. Personal experience like that is worth a lot to me and I'm certainly up for listening to new ideas. Am I reading right that you have tried them on koke's or only have you only tried them on coho and tuna? I like your suggestion here and thank you for sharing the idea.

 

[smokin' Kokes]

kokanee still and troll fishing, yes.
jigging, not yet
but have rigged up some jigs with a 3" dropper line and 2 circles with a hoochie trailer. we'll see just how dumb the Merwin kokes are.
hoping the dropper will reduce the thrown unhooks on jigs