IGFA Letter to NMFS regarding Circle Hooks

[Squidnation]

I want to thank Jason Schratwieser for providing me this letter concerning the IGFA's belief in what a circle hook should be. Please understand the IGFA does not regulate circle hook type. But this letter is providing the NMFS some guidance on what the IGFA believes a circle hook should be.

[Squidnation]

Thanks for setting this up for me Jer.

[Deep C]

Very nocely done bringing this here Bill thank you...

[WhiteMarlin]

I really prefer a hook with an angle closer to the Owner...
Mustad has a very similar hook...and I've all but exclusively switched to it...I don't think the VMC's are greater than 30 degrees either (and you seemed partial to them Bill).

I've found that the Eagle Claws and their smaller gap width don't provide quite the hook-up rate...

Just my two cents...I am all for circles...but that seems a little restricting....I want a hook with a bigger bite to grab more of the bone in the mouth?
Any Thoughts?

[Squidnation]

I really prefer a hook with an angle closer to the Owner...
Mustad has a very similar hook...and I've all but exclusively switched to it...I don't think the VMC's are greater than 30 degrees either (and you seemed partial to them Bill).

I've found that the Eagle Claws and their smaller gap width don't provide quite the hook-up rate...

Just my two cents...I am all for circles...but that seems a little restricting....I want a hook with a bigger bite to grab more of the bone in the mouth?
Any Thoughts?

Jon this letter to NMFS was nothing more then a letter of advice in defining what a circle hook is. We are trying to get an answer from the NMFS to see if they have come out with a definition of an approved hook. Furthermore the IGFA told me under no uncertain terms that they are not in the business of regulating circle hooks. But they are in the business of regulating approved rigs and that is what we will try to understand by Tuesday April 8the When Jason joins us on line at 2:00pm

[snowranger]

Interesting. Thanks Bill.

[Rod-Builder]

How much testing have you done using these hooks..How are you hook up do you find that one hook work better? Do you use them only with bait?

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

Next i guess they will recomend we use circle hooks with no barbs or 10lb test breakaway leaders.

[Mike15]

This is going to create this summer during tournaments. Even if they define some of the angles as pictured above - the lines drawn are still very obscure. For example look at the 19 degree angle on this owner here. Given that there is no "flat" spot on the radius of the hook where that line comes from - I could draw this line to be anywhere from 10 to 40 degrees - how they came up with 19 is very debatable because there is really no flat spot there.

[sanchoco]

I am not an engineer but I can clearly see that the 19 and 30 degree angles come from a line Parallel to the hook shank.

Whitemarlin, As for hook up ratio with bigger or smaller gap size. How many fish do you hook a year?? how can you tell any difference? are your conclusions just opinion or what is your data?

unless you are fishing the 2 different hooks side by side in a location that you get 20 or 30 bites a day how do you know it is just not the fish that day or your anglers?

IGFA and the people listed are just trying to make things less complicated for you this next summer. I think this is one thing IGFA may be able to help on even though they do not have any regs for release fishing.