Ohio River guys, discuss circle vs J hooks

[riverrat12]

Jason, I guess it's going to be hard to teach this old dog new tricks. It seems I'm just not comfortable using them with the size bait I use. I purchased some 9\0 circles, and after seeing them thinking , kinda like in Roadhouse after meeting swazye (spell) I thought they would be bigger, but to my surprise nothing compared to my 9 and 10\0 true turn hooks.. I don't even think I tried them...I might try to devote a day to them while I'm using big chunks of cutbait right now for wintering catfish but...I'm still an old dog...good thread made me think.. Chuck

[Boat Bums]

I can vouch about the old dog thing!!!!!

[Boat Bums]

Hey chuck you been doing any good down there?

[riverrat12]

Hey chuck you been doing any good down there?

Been catchin a few mike, Sauger been real slow but the blues are warmin up.

[rickhise]

I fish live bait a lot, and after watching one of the guides test them by just reeling in the fish. With not even a jerk to set the hook its a see to believe moment. Circle hooks:

So I have found with those with less experience they seem to get more fish in on the circle hooks than the normal 1214 eagle claw ........

[SKIPJACK]

I started using J-hooks many years ago, missed a lot of fish. I switched to Gamakatsu circle 8/0, and my hook ups improved. The only part that I didn't like is that you almost always have to let the rod load up. Sometimes cats will pick up the bait and swim with it, without loading the rod then lay it back down. Now I use King Kahle 10/0 exclusively when I am catfishing. If a flathead decides to pick up the bait and swim with it and chew on it, I can cross his eyes!

[fishhound]

im a old dog to lol.. ive been fishin on the ohio river 30yrs plus all this yrs ive used eagle claw it works for me

[JD7.62]

Ive found a smaller hook can be used when you use circle hooks. It probably doesnt matter much for catfish but when the fish are finicky its amazing in the difference. We usually use 1/0 and 2/0 for red snapper. For bait we usually use whole ceiro mackeral (about 10-14") that is a BIG piece of bait for small hooks. When Im fishing farm ponds and want big bass I cheat and use the smallest hook possible to go through the back of a palm sized bluegill. If I use a bigger hook, the bass dont seem to hold it as long.

Are catfish like that? Do you guys think a catfish is likely to drop the bait if they feel a big hook or not?

I'm really looking forward this year to learning how to catch those big cats you guys do! From the very breif experience I had fishing with Chuck, the technique seemed very similiar to bottom fishing in the gulf and perhaps some of the technique Ive learned out there I can apply to cat fishing.

[DJD]

I was impressed with them while fishing with John "fisheater" last year. Every Catfish we caught was hooked in the side of the mouth. All I did was hang on when they hit....the current was rippin' that day so maybe that added resistance helped the hookups?