Considering trying out circle hooks for red drum this spring. Do they hook the drum and cobia effectively? It looks like they run a few sizes smaller the j-hooks for a given size too...

yes, they are a good choice. i use them for reds with a fish finder rig. that way no matter which way they go, they are pulling against the sinker set point which helps to lodge the hook in the jaw. i've found that 5/o to 10/o in size work best.

Circle hooks do work well on drum...cobia is another story. I have tried circles and had nothing but misses and spits with cobes on circles.

I like live bait short shank hooks with a few treble hooks trailing for the Cobia.

I'll echo TP - great for drum. Haven't caught any brown suits, so I can't advise.

Excellent...can't wait for the season to start warmin up...all the pun in the world intended.

When fishing for the monster drum in May, I use nothing BUT circle hooks. One, they do tend to set themselves in the jaw and GOOD. Second and most important, it greatly cuts down on guthooked fish, which in the case of the red drums slot limit, you are able to release those big boys unharmed!

I haven't fished for red drum, but I am going to try it this year. I do have one question though. Do you use chum while fishing for them or just a fish finder on the bottem? Thanks for any help.

My most successful red drum experiences have been fishing anchored off the shoals near the Inner Middle Ground throwing fiddlers on a fishfinder rig both on the shoal and in the deeper slough of the shoals, preferrably on a good incoming tide on cloudy days or nighttime when the shoals are flooding. I picked this up from a GREAT article in Saltwater Sportsman last year, used the advice, and subsequently landed (and released) several 40"+ reds last year in May. Of course I've got a favorite sweet spot marked on the GPS, but only other person knows it and hes not saying a word, right Duke?

I've always done the same, Inner Middle Ground, 9 foot shoals and fishfinder rigs. The surf is good sport too.

Circle hooks rock! Just remember fight the urge to set the hook by jerking the rod tip up, the design of the hook allows it to "slide" through the thoat around the inside edges of the mouth, twisting into the corner of the jaw. The resistance of the fish swimming away from the pickup point forces the hook to lodge itself into the corner of the mouth as the fish swims away. Direct pressure causes the point of the hook to puncture into the tissue of the inner mouth setting the hook on its own.

Cobia's are crusher feeders, this makes the circle hook a little harder to use on these fish. As the hook slides through the throat and jaw of the Cobia an internal nerve reaction takes over and the fish tries to spit the hook out of it's mouth like it would trying to discard a portion or section of a crab, or muscle, or clam shell. "J" hooks work best for the Cobia beacuse it is easier to lodge the hook into the softer portion of the fishes inner mouth or throat. Those big powerful lips on the fish once clamped down on your line or leader material make it impossible to set the hook because you have no pulling power on the hook once it is "captured" inside the vacuum of the mouth closed off by those lips.

Tight lines, and good luck this spring run everyone.

Just let the Cobia have it with the drag set lightly let it make his run then bump the lever to strike lift the rod tip up and reel,never giving one hair of slack the entire fight and if everything goes your way you will have him at the side of the boat in about 45 min or so.

we use stritly circles as well- not complete circles cause it makes it really hard to get bait on the hook- we did have a couple of gut hooks last year with them(letting them take it too long I presume, so instead of trying to get it out we would just cut the leader off close to the mouth. actually have caught the same fish twice in the same night as well. we dont change our rigs for cobes either- good luck!!!

when tying on a circle hook do you tie a loop and let the hook swing freely or use a snell or similar knot to make a straight connection? I have seen pre-rigged drum fishfinders with both in various tackle shops, but I have always either tied a loop knot or crimped the hook on because it seems that by snelling the hook on you lose the whole "in mouth action" that a circle hook needs to set properly.

I usually either use a snell or a clinch knot- never tried a loop although I see your point. seems like we hook most of our bites also (hope im not jinxing myself by writing that!!!

a little off subject but since we are talking about big reds and such, what are the real requirements for a release citation? I caught one last year that would have qualified but didnt know the length required so I tossed him back for someone else to fight. Any site or page that lists the requirements for a valid release citation?

Also, what size circles do yall use? I have used 8/0s but someone who thought they were much wiser (and older) than me told me they were too big and to switch to 5/0s or 6/0s. I have lost fish, but never enough to make me think about changing hooks. Any thoughts?

Last year the citation was 46 in for release only. VSWFT hasn't put up any info for 05 that i've seen...way to be on top of things on their part.

With a bent eyed hook you can snell the hook and the hook will run true. With a hook that does not have a bend on it tie a uni knot and you will be fine.

the 2005 regs are out- i picked mine up at cca show at vmrc booth- ill try to post a copy-

heres the size and possesion limits while im at it-