Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Gents what's your opinion?
Single hook/circle hook deadbait rigs
- Thread starter Phil Hatton 2
- Start date
chav professor
Well-known member
A circle hook is very effective for Bass. I have used them in a hair rig style. A circle hook with a size 1 hook to lip hook a pouting.
Now for Pike, I am not so so sure that I have faith that every pike will 'smash' into a livebait with enough gusto.... The trick with the circle hook is in no way strike. you have to tighten into the fish - or more frequently the tension on the rod is sufficient for the point to turn and catch in the lip and if you are not on the ball - you'd loose your rod.
I like the arrangement of having 2 treble hooks fore and aft for pike - I strike as early as possible and even then miss the odd bite or two. Quite possibly these are mostly smaller fish?
I wonder if the single hook encourages anglers to leave the bite to develop longer..i.e. make sure the bait and single hook is in the mouth. They are not for me.......
Now for Pike, I am not so so sure that I have faith that every pike will 'smash' into a livebait with enough gusto.... The trick with the circle hook is in no way strike. you have to tighten into the fish - or more frequently the tension on the rod is sufficient for the point to turn and catch in the lip and if you are not on the ball - you'd loose your rod.
I like the arrangement of having 2 treble hooks fore and aft for pike - I strike as early as possible and even then miss the odd bite or two. Quite possibly these are mostly smaller fish?
I wonder if the single hook encourages anglers to leave the bite to develop longer..i.e. make sure the bait and single hook is in the mouth. They are not for me.......
sagalout
Well-known member
I have used circle hooks for pike all this year and have found them to be excellent. I have had a better then 80% landing rate and all have been hooked in the side of the lip or the scissors.
I have used circles for pike but I do not like the wait for the fish to turn I have gone back to my two Vic Bellars which way doubles the vas majority of my fish are hooked in the scissors I have used these hooks for over thirty years. Note I did read in a reseach study by the austrailian govenment on commercial long line fishing that by using circles the hook up percentage was increased by up to 20% and that if the hooks were snelled instead of tyed with a knot a further hook up improvement was gained. This reasearch was carried out over three years I do not have a link found it by accident last year very interesting read.
Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Excuse my ignorance, what is Snelled?
Only started piking sereously last winter. It was not wanting to use trebles that put me off for so long.
After seeing lots written about single hooks I realised that I could catch pike successfully and more importantly safely without trebles. I have been very pleased and my catch rate has been at least the equal of a freind using trebles.
Got lots of helpfull info from here
Pike Watch - Home
and here
2007PIKERIGS
After seeing lots written about single hooks I realised that I could catch pike successfully and more importantly safely without trebles. I have been very pleased and my catch rate has been at least the equal of a freind using trebles.
Got lots of helpfull info from here
Pike Watch - Home
and here
2007PIKERIGS
Snell knot, Phil, for tying a hook.
A friend of mine uses circles for piking, but on hearing his description of "feeling" for the hook to work its way up the mouth until it catches I was a bit put off.
If I was going to use them it would be with a heavy lead (deads only, not lives) and with a tight-ish baitrunner to set the hook, but also pay line after.
I've used single, normal hooks with hair-rigged deads before which have caught, but never persevered with them, mainly because the clubs I fish insist on trebles (albeit semi-barbless) and I don't want to fall foul of some little jobsworth bailiff.
I've always liked the idea though.
I use a single hook (Korda long shank carp hook size 1) when fishing for pike with small and medium baits such as sprats, smelt and half sardines. Occasionally I will miss a take on the strike, probably because the fish was fairly small.
Although I've never used circle hooks, from reading anglers' comments I don't think they are that effective for pike - see the book Tactical Pike Fishing by Mike Ladle.
Although I've never used circle hooks, from reading anglers' comments I don't think they are that effective for pike - see the book Tactical Pike Fishing by Mike Ladle.
Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Those of you that use the single hooks do you fish them singly, so to speak or in some sort of tandem rig.
sagalout
Well-known member
I fish it as a single hook. Our club has a no barbs rule so I crush the barb with a pair of small round nose pliers, I find this tends to break the barb of the hook, then put the hook through the nostril of the bait and then put a small piece of Mr Postmans red band on the hook to stop the bait coming of.
I fish mine as a single hook with the bait hair rigged using the tag system. I use size 2 ESP raptors with micro barb. I put a small nugget of disolving foam over the hook point as I occasionally had the hook pick up the bait on casting. Since I started using the foam never had it happen.
Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Barry, another question I'm afraid. What's the tag system?
Tied with a spade end knot or knotless knot .
Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Thanks pal
Hi Phil
The tagging system uses a price tag gun to mount the bait remotely from the hook, like a hair rig.
A small ring or eye is made in the end of the wire and the hook is then tied on using a knotless knot. The trace is then finished off using a swivel, clip or whatever you like.
The bait is then mounted using the tag through the 'hair' eye.
Theres a few photos on this link that may make things simpler.
Pike Watch - The Tagging System
When mounting lail first I make a few turns of bait elastic round the wrist of the tail.
Head first I just tag through the eye sockets, in one side and out the other.
If you need to give a realy hefty cast mount using a bait flag to spread the load.
Hope you can follow this.
The tagging system uses a price tag gun to mount the bait remotely from the hook, like a hair rig.
A small ring or eye is made in the end of the wire and the hook is then tied on using a knotless knot. The trace is then finished off using a swivel, clip or whatever you like.
The bait is then mounted using the tag through the 'hair' eye.
Theres a few photos on this link that may make things simpler.
Pike Watch - The Tagging System
When mounting lail first I make a few turns of bait elastic round the wrist of the tail.
Head first I just tag through the eye sockets, in one side and out the other.
If you need to give a realy hefty cast mount using a bait flag to spread the load.
Hope you can follow this.
Phil Hatton 2
Well-known member
Barry, much obliged, I understand how it works now.
red110kev
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2008
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I'm a big advocate of Single hooks for Pike (particularly Circle hooks), and I fish them singly or in tandem and never wait for the bite to develop.
My usual set up is a deadbaits (whole Mackerel to Sprats), heavy lead, a running rig, tight to the bait runner, bobbins and usually bite alarms (Delkims).
I usually fish the Trent and bites range from line peeling off the baitrunner to taps on the rod tip (they don't always run, even on a river).
Hookup rate is excellent and I've never had a deep hooked Pike or Zander. All you have to remember is DO NOT strike. Just tighten up and lean into the fish so the hook can turn on the lip and take a hold.
My hook sizes range from 3/0 down to 1 depending on bait size.
The Pikewatch site is an excellent resource for info on Single hooks and the Tagging system (which I sometimes use), and after using singles for 3-4 seasons now, I will never go back to using trebles.
Checkout this link Pike Watch - CIRCLE HOOKS for more info on circle hooks. My set up is detailed with pictures on page 2.
Cheers
My usual set up is a deadbaits (whole Mackerel to Sprats), heavy lead, a running rig, tight to the bait runner, bobbins and usually bite alarms (Delkims).
I usually fish the Trent and bites range from line peeling off the baitrunner to taps on the rod tip (they don't always run, even on a river).
Hookup rate is excellent and I've never had a deep hooked Pike or Zander. All you have to remember is DO NOT strike. Just tighten up and lean into the fish so the hook can turn on the lip and take a hold.
My hook sizes range from 3/0 down to 1 depending on bait size.
The Pikewatch site is an excellent resource for info on Single hooks and the Tagging system (which I sometimes use), and after using singles for 3-4 seasons now, I will never go back to using trebles.
Checkout this link Pike Watch - CIRCLE HOOKS for more info on circle hooks. My set up is detailed with pictures on page 2.
Cheers
micksmith39
Member
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- Jun 6, 2012
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HI.do you use them as singles or doubles, and do you use them on deadbaits,i,e would you just use a large circle on a herring.
---------- Post added at 13:08 ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 ----------
No need to reply, ive read the rest of the posts now and i think my question has been answered. I think it will take a leap of faith for me to try these circles ,i have got some Fladon size 2/0 and want to give it a go but round here in the lea valley runs are few and far between.in the last 4 trips i have had one run.