Photo by Pete Barrett

Egyptians and Polynesians used an ancient version of the circle hook centuries ago, fashioned from bronze and animal bone, but for East Coast sportfishermen, circle hooks jumped into the spotlight just several years ago when the big, bad Hatteras bluefin tuna fishery burst wide open. The huge amount of publicity generated by this fishery helped focus attention on the phenomenal hooking power of these unique but odd-shaped hooks.

Today, circle hooks are becoming the hook of choice for many fishermen all along the coast, especially when fishing with live or fresh dead bait; but circle hooks are also used with some types of lures. Circle hooks are now used to more effectively fish live eels and bunker chunks to fool wary striped bass, and they are proven hooks for doormat summer flounder. Canyon runners use circle hooks to catch yellowfin tuna while chunking with butterfish baits, and a circle hook added to a diamond jig is a sure bet to catch fall stripers and blues when deep jigging.

"Will they work for me?" is a popular question heard around the counters at tackle shops, on the docks and at fishing seminars. The reputation of the circle hook is either enhanced or discredited, depending upon who is doing the talking; but for most anglers who fish with bait, the answer is a resounding "yes!"

WHAT ARE THEY?
Norwegian and Japanese commercial fishermen originally used modern circle hooks, and their use has expanded throughout the world's oceans, eventually gaining some popularity with recreational big-game fishermen in recent years. Now their popularity is expanding rapidly among the inshore clan.

They get their name because the hook point is angled toward the shank so that the hook forms a circular shape. This unusual shape is what makes the hooks such incredible "hookers," and when properly employed, it is a rare event to miss a fish once it takes the bait.

Hook sizes (1/0, 2/0, etc.) are based on a numbering relationship between the hook's shank, bend and gap devised long ago by hook manufacturers; and for traditional hooks (also called J-hooks), the numbering sizes are somewhat similar from one straight-shank design to another -- a 2/0 beak hook is not dramatically different from a 2/0 octopus hook.

However, with circle hooks the sizes are downright weird. A 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook is a good size for summer flounder fishing, where a traditional J-hook would be size 1/0. Because the hook size numbers may seem odd, it is best to rely on your own eyes to select which size hook seems to be the best choice for live-lining an eel, chunking a bunker head, drifting a killie and squid combo, or drifting a juicy sandworm.