Circle hooks in my opinion have increased our hook-ups on flatheads
tremendously, In fact I swear by
them and will not be going back to the regular style hooks anytime soon.
I got tired of picking up a rod and
swinging and missing fish, circle hooks eliminate that problem.
It takes time to
learn how to use these things, for a novice it is pure pleasure, small
jerk one fish, on the
other hand for a seasoned catman or woman they can drive you crazy. Your
first reaction is to grab the rod
and sweep it back and all your going to get is air with no resistance
from a fighting cat.
Patience is the
key to success here, you just have to learn not to get in a big hurry.
We wait until the
rod is loaded up with a pull of a flathead before we start to even reach
for a pole which is so much different
than it used to be. Lots of times you missed a cat with normal hooks if
you didn't get on it quick, not so
with circle hooks, just kick back and wait till the rod is down and the
drag has released under the pressure
of the pull.
I used to be
nervous as a cat when I started using these things because it was a
different way than I had
been taught.
Cutbait is
awesome on a circle hook as most cats will grab the bait and turn, the
point just digs right into
the corner of the mouth and the soft part acts like a shock absorber to
a fighting catfish, he just can't get
any ground because it gives as he pulls and it will wear him down.
They are a
little tough to use on live bait, it gets hard to stick that hook in the
back of a shad due to the
point being turned in towards the shank, and that is why I like
Gamakatsu circles because the point is offset
just slightly so that I can thread the hook into the back of a shad.
Livebait rigging
with circle hooks is much different. I use a three-way rig with about a
foot of weight line
so my bait is off the river bottom just slightly. I use my clickers on
my 6500 but only with live bait, as a
flathead moves off I pickup the rods outs of the rod holder and maintain
that constant pressure. Then engage
the reel with a turn of the handle and hold on. The rod bows down and
the drag breaks free, and the fight is
on, big fish just tear off and you hang on.
Some people hate
circles, some like myself love them it's all just a personal
preference. And my
preference is I want to boat every fish that jerks the end of the pole.
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
I can be reached at at my email address<plange@woh.rr.com>
or look for me out on the "Brown" this spring but,
when the river warms up then I'm off to there!
Thanks,
Tim "Doc" Lange
Doc's Website: <http://www.hookedoncatfish.com>
Ohio River Catfishing at it's finest. |
