Cats keep popping of my circle hooks

I keep having nice sized Chanel Cats pop off my hook during the fight or right after I think the hook is set. Just looking for tips on hooks and techniques. This happens when I chunk with cut bait in the Ct River. I use Shimano Baitrunners (4500's) on 7 ft meduim-heavy action Ugly Stiks with size # 3 or # 4 circle hooks. I use Fireline #30 line with a # 40 mono or flouro leader.

I just went out and bought some #6 and # 7 circle hooks today in hopes of solving this problem. Thanks for any advice.

Well, let me start off by saying that im not fully convinced on circle hooks, but i have been using them a little bit lately and have noticed a slightly better hook up ratio, but if i was you, i would step it up a little and try a 4/0 circle hook, the 4/0 has a wider tip to shank gap and will go deeper into the fishes lip and hold better and you can also use a bigger piece of bait on a bigger hook and that attracts bigger fish too,, and if that doesnt help i would try a 2/0 to 4/0 J hook. Hope this helps!

Channel Matt, i use 5/0 circle hooks and i catch 5 pounders with no problem,so i would try bigger hooks ,what kind of bait do you use? you use some fine rods,reels and line ,i wouldnt change those

I use 6/0 (slightly off set) circle hooks , and i never sit the hook, just leave it in the rod in holder till it goes down ,pick it up and start winding , i always check the circle hook to make sure it is sharp real sharp , most circle hooks arnt sharp enough for my liking right out of the package , I make a hook sharpner out of a chain saw file and they sharpen real easy . The hook on the left is new out of pack and the hook on the right is the same hook after i sharpened it.

I use a lot of chunk eel for bait. Tried some # 6 and # 7 circle hooks and I think I'll be settling on #5 or # 6. The bigger hooks definately helped so far.

Also, I use spinnning reels with "baitrunner" function, but with circle hooks I never know quite when to use that function correctly, since you are supposed to NOT "set" the hook with circles. Now when I get a hit I slowly tighten the drag and start reeling- seems to work most of the time, but I'm always open to suggestions !

Matt I have some bait runners also , I use a bolt rig , like a fixed 2 1/2 oz egg sinker (wont slide very much up or down ) and the circle hook below it , I set the drag fairly tight and loosen the bait runner drag so it pulls out fairly easy , when I get a hit and line is going out or rod goes down just pick it up and start winding , I pull line tight ,loading the rod and wind just dont jerk hard like in setting the hook . I dont think you will have many more pop offs .

Ok, Im kind of new to the board and mostly fish saltwater. What is bait runners?
I use circle hooks like the guys above, let the fish set or hook himself with circle hooks.
Thanks for the tip on sharpening hooks. I'll hook up with Home Depot and get me a chain saw bldde file.

Monty

Hi Monty,
a bait runner reel , is a (fixed spool )spinning reel that has a line drag separate from the regular drag that is like setting the clicker on a casting reel but the line tension is adjustable, common in the UK. and carp fishermen

Channel Matt, how do you catch the eels? down here we dont have many but have never tryed to catch them for bait,but occasionally i catch a few and cut them up and use them for bait

Hey Catfisher, I mostly buy my Eels at a local bait shop. Yeah, I kow thats like "cheating", but you need a commercial liscense to set an Eel pot (legally) here in Ct.

I had more pop-offs today, with the bigger hooks and all ! Something about the way the Cats arent hitting it all that aggressively (tap-tap type hits and short runs) isnt helping me right now.

I'm considering going back to regular hooks with the Baitruners.

Channel Matt, i dont call that cheating i call that convenience,LOL!! we do the same here we buy minnows goldfish and crawfish... i wonder would a eel pot work down here?

Yall done got me wonderin about eels now, I caught one this weekend and one a few weeks ago and started this evening, looking up info on them and found this site and it has some interesting info on eels.

Here is the link

http://www.stripers247.com/americaneel.htm

Just my opinion on Circle hooks. Understand "My opinion" I personally dont like them at all, Im a dyed in the wool lip jerker from way back. I like Kahle hooks myself. But here is what I know about Circle hooks. Make sure you size the bait to the hook, in that I mean dont put so much bait on there that the hook wont do its job, its suppose to be able to dig in, if you have to much bait hooked in it, it wont dig in, Hence "pop offs" as you call them. Dont worry about the tap taps. Leave it alone until that cat loads it up, bends the pole an keeps it bent, then pick it up with the Tip High, and start realing, once you know he is on, give it a Set to make sure. Patience is the key to a cirlcle hook in my opinion. I hope this helps you.....

drifter wrote:

I use 6/0 (slightly off set) circle hooks , and i never sit the hook, just leave it in the rod in holder till it goes down ,pick it up and start winding , i always check the circle hook to make sure it is sharp real sharp , most circle hooks arnt sharp enough for my liking right out of the package , I make a hook sharpner out of a chain saw file and they sharpen real easy . The hook on the left is new out of pack and the hook on the right is the same hook after i sharpened it.

i agree here
the circle hooks are developed for self hooking ,if your trying to set the hook with circles 9 out a 10 you wont succeed,they were developed for stopping so much gut hooking and help catch and release and as well most pros use them on there set lines .

i dont now if ya got em but for cats i would use 7/0 vmc cuttin point as they are a lot smaller in size than other brands and just put the hook through the first bit of skin,dont have the hook the full bite of bait as it interfears ,and dont double the bait on the hook.ya hook up rate will be higher for sure and these hooks are deadly.give it a go

Circle hooks - u gotta trust them 'cause they work! I use circle hooks for all my channelcat and blue cat fishing. I use 1 size for 98% of my fishing and thats a 8/0 gamagatsu. I've caught fish from 1/2 pound up 70+ pounds with this hook. You have to completely forget what you learn about setting a hook and wait on the fish to do the work for you. The biggest problem I've seen people do in fishing cut bait is to put a huge wad on the hook and not leaving enough room for the point of the hook. You will never land a fish if you can't get a hook into the fish. I use VERY large baits, at times, but only put the hook thru enough "meat" to keep it there. I don't do much flathead fishing (but I want to do more) but when I do I use a 9/0 King Kahle hook. I'm beginning to wonder if this hook is tough enough, though, since I've had a couple of 3 hooks "straightened" for me.

Nela

aw hell nela , u done hooked the back end of one of them barges going down the river ......... the 75 was caught on a 9/0 kahle ... i tried the circles a few yrs ago , just never could get use to them.... i like trying to snatch their eyes crossed i guess .....