Hook
Circle hook
How to fish a circle hook for Bottom Fishing, Trolling, Live Baiting, Drift Fishing, Surfcasting.
Characteristics
-
Points
1
-
Offset
No
-
Barbed
Yes
-
Gap
Standard
-
Shank
Short
-
Weedless
No
-
Habitats
Freshwater, Saltwater, Brackish
-
Methods
Bottom Fishing, Trolling, Live Baiting, Drift Fishing, Surfcasting
Inward point
Sharp point turned back toward the shank to hook fish in the corner of the mouth.
Bend
Wide circular curve that helps self-hooking when the fish takes the bait and swims away.
Eye
Closed metal loop at the top of the shank for tying the fishing line securely.
What fish can you catch with a circle hook?
What is a circle hook used for?
A circle hook turns in the mouth and usually finds the corner of the jaw. You do not strike hard — you come tight. It includes freshwater.
How is a circle hook different from similar gear?
The point is turned in. Go two sizes larger than a J for the same bait. Not a J-hook with a round bend.
When should you use a circle hook?
Fish it for bottom fishing, trolling, live baiting, drift, and surfcasting when the fish should hook itself and you want fewer deep hooks.
What problems does a circle hook solve?
It cuts gut-hooking on bait that sits a long time, and it is the default for many live-bait and conservation kits.
Circle hook size chart
Common sizes and ratings for this part of the kit.
- 4
- 2
- 1 1.07 mm 8.778 mm 17.6 mm
- 1/0 1.15 mm 9.633 mm 19.3 mm
- 2/0 1.25 mm 10.545 mm 21.1 mm
- 3/0 1.32 mm 11.571 mm 23.2 mm
- 4/0 1.42 mm 12.654 mm 25.4 mm
- 5/0 1.62 mm 13.851 mm 27.7 mm
- 6/0 1.82 mm 15.276 mm 30.5 mm
- 7/0 2.04 mm 16.872 mm 33.7 mm
- 8/0 2.18 mm 18.582 mm 37.1 mm
Circle hook guides and comparisons
- How to Tie a Fishing Hook: 3 Knots That Hold Three ways to tie a hook to fishing line — the Palomar, the improved clinch and the snell — and when to use each one.
- Circle Hook vs J Hook: Differences and When to Use Each Circle hooks set themselves in the corner of the mouth and suit bait fishing and catch-and-release. J hooks need a hook set and suit active fishing.
- Fishing Hook Size Chart: How Hook Sizes Work Hook sizes run backwards: a size 20 is tiny, a size 1 is large, then 1/0, 2/0 and up get bigger again. A chart by species and bait.