Fishing Circle hook dead baits while pulling lures

[teamjefe]

Hey guys, I fish off the Texas coast all summer and had a question about using circle hooks. Circle hooks haven't been that popular here so i have had few opportunities to learn how to use them. We usually just pull lures(drag and snag) but I want to incorporate some dead baits into our spread. If I rigged some ballyhoo with the chugger head in front of it like the Squidnation Chugger Rigging video showed how would I fish them? Since we usually pull large lures off our flats I would be pulling these off the riggers probably on 50w's instead of our normal 80w's. Should I leave a large loop of line hanging down from the rigger? Or just set the drag at close to freespool so when the fish hits it can take the dropback? Any advice will be greatly appreciated, especially since i'm almost done with classes for the semester and will be getting back into fishing mode full force, no more school ha.

Thanks,

John Rogers

[Squidnation]

I fish with a guy in venezuela who will pull mostly chugger/ baits during the spring blue marlin season. Actually that is where the chugger rigging video was done. He likes to fish them with just a little more drag than total free spool, Maybe 2 or at the most 3 lbs. His reason is this. At the high speed you are more then likely gonna be late to the rod when the strike occurs. If you are late then there is no need to free spool to the fish. You are better off with a couple lbs of drag and hope for the best. Seemed to work fine for us.