Help me with Circle hooks

[Reveille75]

All the methods I have seen to use a natural bait with a lure have a circle hook bridled above the ballyhoos bill. If I rig my baits that way I have zero chance of catching a wahoo or a dolphin or anything other than a billfish. I've lost more fish than I would like to admit because he cut me off behind a j hook coming out the vent, forget a circle above his eyes. If I got 10 shots a day at billfish, I would target them exclusively with the circle hooks but I don't. If we get one billfish into our baits a day, we high five and tell the story at dinner to anyone who will hold still. Looking back, I am probably pretty obnoxious when we actually tag and release one.
The season is approaching and I have never read this new regulation that is dooming me to reeling in heads. Can anyone provide me a link to the actual regulation?
Secondly, does anyone have a method of rigging a bait so the circle hook comes out the bally's vent? I have read that having meat on the circle keeps it from setting but I've got to try it for myself.
I have been hoping that this mess would go away, in fact I am hoping it will go away while I am typing this. It doesn't appear that it will so I really need some help with this. Nobody loves this sport more than me but I am humbled by the talent out there.
David

[WAHOONBOX]

DUDE I PROMISE TO COME BACK TO THIS ONE TOMORROW BUT TONIGHT THE POLLEN IS AT AN ALLTIME HIGH IN MY YARD AND I AM DYING

GREAT QUESTION AND MAYBE SOME OTHERS WILL ADD TO THIS

[Glenn W]

If we get one billfish into our baits a day, we high five and tell the story at dinner to anyone who will hold still. Looking back, I am probably pretty obnoxious when we actually tag and release one.

And what do you think?--- the rest of the world is not obnoxious when they fly the rag for the day?----

David, I hope you understand that this new circle hook rule only applies to tournaments--- you can use a J-hook any way you want when fun fishing. Catching Dophin and Yellowfin hasn't been that bad of a hookup ratio ( it's all been by-catch while billfishing thus far), but I have only hooked one Wahoo on a circle hook rig thus far-- I guess you know you can also rig a circle as a skip bait ( or even swimmer) with the hook coming off the beak instead of of the top.

[Reveille75]

I do understand that circle hooks are required only during tournaments but I am afraid that if I don't fish them all the time, when it's tournament time I won't be competitive. Glenn, you mentioned catching only one wahoo with a circle rig. I have always rigged for marlin, a wahoo or dolphin has been considered a much appreciated by catch. It sounds as though the bycatch days are over. Would you consider putting a couple of j hooked artificials in the spread just for dinner fish or would that be giving up too much billfish possibility.
I always thought that all I wanted to fish for was marlin but now that I am facing the possibility of doing just that, I'm not so sure.
The regs say Atlantic billfish. I fish so far south in the Gulf of Mexico, most people around here couldn't spell Carolina let alone find it on a map. Does this God awful law even apply to me?
David

[Glenn W]

. Glenn, you mentioned catching only one wahoo with a circle rig. I have always rigged for marlin, a wahoo or dolphin has been considered a much appreciated by catch. It sounds as though the bycatch days are over. Would you consider putting a couple of j hooked artificials in the spread just for dinner fish or would that be giving up too much billfish possibility.
David

You're a funny guy-----
Good or bad, right or wrong, I almost never use "artificials" for meatfish.

If it were me, and wahoo's are the concern, I think I'd be locked and loaded with your circles on the flat's and short riggers. Load your longriggers up with J's for the Wahoo's --- It ain't the end of the world if you snag a white boy on a j-hook fun fishing.---- OR---- hopefully we will see and learn a good way to rig these circles that is also effective for Wahoo's.

[Squidnation]

I do understand that circle hooks are required only during tournaments but I am afraid that if I don't fish them all the time, when it's tournament time I won't be competitive. Glenn, you mentioned catching only one wahoo with a circle rig. I have always rigged for marlin, a wahoo or dolphin has been considered a much appreciated by catch. It sounds as though the bycatch days are over. Would you consider putting a couple of j hooked artificials in the spread just for dinner fish or would that be giving up too much billfish possibility.
I always thought that all I wanted to fish for was marlin but now that I am facing the possibility of doing just that, I'm not so sure.
The regs say Atlantic billfish. I fish so far south in the Gulf of Mexico, most people around here couldn't spell Carolina let alone find it on a map. Does this God awful law even apply to me?
David

Do you require an HMS permit to fish in your waters?

[Reveille75]

Yep, I do have to have the HMS permit. That's a pretty big net. Guess I better learn to spell Carolina. What I really need is to learn how to have a satisfying day of fishing under these regs.
David

[Squidnation]

Yep, I do have to have the HMS permit. That's a pretty big net. Guess I better learn to spell Carolina. What I really need is to learn how to have a satisfying day of fishing under these regs.
David

Check your PM in a minute. I don't know how to post a PDF but I will try to get Jer to post to tomorrow. until then I will PM you some information.

[SeaMent]

R75, there are alot of artificials out there that will catch both Bills and Meat, when your Billfishin are you pullin dredges ? If I was I would have all circle dead baits out there, if you aren't pullin dredges and step up the speed a little put some plugs out there on the longs and let er eat

[Bert Rodgers]

On a recent FL trip we caught 4 out of 5 dolphin on circle rigs as well as several bonitas. Trolled not livies. Fish them from the pins with light drags and play every bite like a billfish. You will be suprised. But I will admit our only wahoo biite was an instant cut off.

Bert