Took out of Little Creek around 11:30 this morning and hit the jetties where we loaded up on croakers. Cruised thru the chop to the yellow cans and casted croakers up on the bouys on our way out to the CLT.

We had 3 cobia hook ups but only landed one that was 48". The 2 that were lost were on a circle hook. I never use circles for cobia,should have known better. We lost one that was atleast 60 lbs. It got off 3 feet from the boat.

Trolled over to the CLT using #2 clarks (gold/silver) in hopes of some kings.
No kings but plenty of Spanish. Kept about a dozen for Marlin bait and a dozen for the fryer.

Great day on the water. Water was clearer today than yesterday and *77.

Seen one AJ out at the reefs gettin it. Did'nt have a chance to get a bait to him.

Do you have much luck with the kings?? I havve never caught kings up this way...hell i didn't know that was an option

I trolled around the tower for Kings yesterday (Sunday 7/9) and didn't have a hit either.

Circle hooks !


Ok my 2 cent.. I am all about conservation and all that other granola crap....But if it means i'm losing a cobia because i should feel bad how the hook sets in him. Screw that ! I will stab a cobia in his face with my D*#k if it means i get him in the boat !

Just sayin'

I asked this queston the other day with no reply? I agree with Jeff if it comes to loseing a fish but I have had great luck with the circles for cobia and rvery other fish.I may just have been lucky but my hook up raito got a lot better.Does any one have any info they are willing to share I just don't want the odds against me if I can help it if you know what I mean?

I use them with Spade and Drum. Ive had great sucess, just never set the hook.

I have no opinion with Cobia though. Never caught one, only fished for them once. The closest Ive come to catching one was trying to bail one off a log near the hotdog the other day.

Eric

For WIW, I have fished Circle Hooks/Octopus Hooks for almost 15 years. I lived on the Islands in which they were invented (Hawaii) and fished them up to a 10" Diameter...

The biggest problem with them isn’t the hook... It’s the "Old School" way of using them us "Western" fisherman use them...

#1) DONT UNDER-SIZE THE HOOK!!!!!- If you use too small a hook you will lose bait and game... Go 2-3 sizes bigger than your instinct...trust me.

#2) HOOK PLACEMENT!!!!- Do Not place the hook through the mid section of a live bait. Only the eyes or the third or 1/4"-1/2" under last third of dorsil fin! Anything deeper will bind up the throat of the hood rendering it useless.

#3) DON’T SET THE HOOK!!! Its made to “turn” into the jaw of fish with minimal or no pressure. Test…

#4) The hook itself was designed for "soft bodied baits". It isn’t called an "Octopus Hook" for nothing. It was designed for "He'e, Tako, and Octopus"...big ones....5 pounds and over... Use it with these soft baits and it will be the best thing you ever used.

I can't catch a cobia, so can tell you if circles work or not!!!

There you have it, circle hooks 101. Thanks nocturn.

I like the way circle hooks feel for drum and Spade. With Spade I just hold the rod stiff until the line peels off. With drum I leave the rod in the holder until it is taking line off in free spool then I grab the rod and tighten the drag.

Eric

I use 4/0 Owner live Bait Gorrilla Hooks and trail a stinger treble hook in the tail area.Last year I tried Circle Hooks for Cobia I gave it 5 tries lost all five at some point during the fight.This year I used some old Drum 8/0 circle hooks my first day out I lost 2 more nice ones.I like Circle Hooks for everything but Cobia seem to spit them easier than other fish.

How do you rig your stinger I have only used it with wire for kings? Do you tie the stinger to the eye of the bait hook or to the line.? I use owner 9 or 10/0 circles and after I have tightened the drag I don't jerk but I pull back firm to sink it in a couple times. I have had a couple come to the top and shake the hook before I had the chance to sink it in. also I think the bigger hook with the wider gap gets around that big jaw bone a little better.

Bingo Gary.

People size their Octopus/Circle hooks on common methods. Its not the right way to use them. As mentioned, you will need to go bigger than the standard size you may think...Honestly. You MAY think you are using a large enough hook but if you measure the throat size, its usually too small for a solid Jaw lock.....I've seen it over and over and over...

These hooks are made SPECIFICALLY to grab the jaw of a fish...not the gut, the gill plate or any other thing it can grab, like conventional hooks.


As mentioned...DONT SET THE HOOKS!!!

If you are using TRUE Octo/Circle hooks...you are "wollowing" out the hole the hook has already made! Thus...fish loss.

Test the hook....

Put the hook on a leader.....Place the point on your finger tip and pull the leader. If the hook point digs into your skin, Its not a true Octo point.

If the hook slides away from your fingers....you have a TRUE Octopuss hook because the tip of the barb VIOLENTLY right angle's into the shank.

I'll post a Pic of a 5" Octo....We used to slide these to Ulua in Hawaii...