Circle hooks and tuna trolling

[viejo blanco]

So we all know that next year if we are targetting billfish we will be trolling more baits rigged with circle hooks. But here in the Northeast canyons we also see a lot of tuna fish action. What has been your experience catching tuna on the troll with circle hooks? How do you rig circles for our trolling style (tuna and marlin)?

[anthony]

That applies only to tournaments. I can promise you I will NOT be trolling circle hooks when meat fishing or when putting out an all around spread for both marlin and tuna.

[WhiteMarlin]

They do work when trolled properly for tunas....but like anthony said that rule is only for tournaments...my meat fishing won't change either

[Offshore Custom Tackle]

Same here. I only like using the circles when chunking..

[capt. woodward]

That's pretty funny!

I gave up using J hooks about 12 years ago for meat fishing. I went from #7731 & 7691 to #3407 & 9175. Finally settling on #39948, 39950-51-52 & 54's. These are the very same hooks that commercial catfishermen use in the Mississippi drainage and grouper fishermen in Florida. It's now what we use for Sturgeon and Halibut here in Canada. Mustad Circle Demons. We don't hardly lose a fish on account of the hook pulling out or straightening.

Btw: All the tarpon flies I last purchased for use in Florida were tied on 71 streamer circle hooks! They did a marvelous job of hooking those monster fish--my largest 109# on 20# tippet. It was a short 20 minute struggle.

I'll probably never own another J-hook, because I have no use for them.

[fish4bills]

I will not even think about trolling a circle hook for tuna. Why be concerned when you're gonna put the steel to it and stuff it NDABOX. IMO your catch rate will decrease tremendously with this tactic. J's only on my boat for meat and mixed bag fishing. Thank goodness we have a few months before we are FORCED to fish circles in the tourneys.

As for rigging circles...check out the videos section. Marty gives great demos on the Guacamole rig.

[viejo blanco]

I understand that they are only going to be required for tournaments. We have been using them for billfish for 3 or 4 years ago after a trip to Guatemala. But switching what we do just for a tournament doesn't make sense. So how should we be using them for multi-species fishing? Same as billfish, freespool and feed the tuna?

[Capt Carl]

I have been using them up here in NJ for 4 years now. Originally the thought was only for billfish, but many tuna have just piled on. Everyone has been securely hooked, so I am sold as far as rigged bait is concerned. I haven't been brave enough to rig any plastic with circles yet, but I may try next year.

[waynofish]

I have been using them for several seasons now, billfishing, since I have been going to Costa Rica. I was sold on them completly a couple of years ago when we were catching the "incidental" tunas while billfishing off of O.C. MD. A small circle rigged at the head is not much different then a small J-hook rigged at the head. Not exactly a tuna bait. It seems the fish you hook up with stay glued better with the circle.
Fish em like you would if all your hoos were rigged on 9175's.

[anthony]

That's pretty funny!

I gave up using J hooks about 12 years ago for meat fishing. I went from #7731 & 7691 to #3407 & 9175. Finally settling on #39948, 39950-51-52 & 54's. These are the very same hooks that commercial catfishermen use in the Mississippi drainage and grouper fishermen in Florida. It's now what we use for Sturgeon and Halibut here in Canada. Mustad Circle Demons. We don't hardly lose a fish on account of the hook pulling out or straightening.

Btw: All the tarpon flies I last purchased for use in Florida were tied on 71 streamer circle hooks! They did a marvelous job of hooking those monster fish--my largest 109# on 20# tippet. It was a short 20 minute struggle.

I'll probably never own another J-hook, because I have no use for them.

Sounds like you have had great luck with them...but yours is a different application. We are talking trolled baits here.