7's and circles?

[Chris]

Has anyone had good success with 7's and circles? I've got three runs the past 2 nights that were odd, a couple bounces like hard lobster hits, then slowly tighten up and slowly pull line, then when I tighten the drag and reel down to set the circle I feel heavy pressure and it pulls back but all 3 pulled loose seconds after. Could be mondo lobsters I guess...?

[sasquatch]

Don't use circles often. I have caught sevens with them though. Not enough time with them to say I have lost fish because of them.

[xjchad]

I've caught all my 7's (5) on circle hooks. 13/0 size.
Caught many bats too.

[Pinoyfisher]

Binh uses them exclusively. I'm 50/50 on their use. They work. Just gotta train yourself to not set the hook.

[spideyjg]

The key is leaving enough hook exposed on cirles period.

I run them almost exclusive if they are available in the size.

For sharking I am trying to figure out a variation on a carp hair rig that can be cast with a heavy bait.

Jim

[BackBayMan]

Has anyone had good success with 7's and circles? I've got three runs the past 2 nights that were odd, a couple bounces like hard lobster hits, then slowly tighten up and slowly pull line, then when I tighten the drag and reel down to set the circle I feel heavy pressure and it pulls back but all 3 pulled loose seconds after. Could be mondo lobsters I guess...?

The circles should set themselves. Problem with mondo lobsters is they are just hard to hook period. Damn exoskeleton

[Chris]

I've been using circles exclusively the past 5 years or so with success on many species and all the shrk species here. I've only caught one 7 from shore (making that two total) and both were on the same style 10/0 hooks. These bites just threw me off and feeling a decent amount of weight pull and then release 3 times is disheartening.

[LONGCAST JOE]

Seriously sounds like it could be lobster dragging it into their crevice or weeds...
Most of the time when 7s hit you’ll get a small double bounce and then very slack line as they tend to come towards you after they pick up your bait, but 13/0 circles pulley rigged have done good on my 7s
I was going to ask you the same exact question when it comes to taxman. We had 5 pull like that on the initial 5-10 second run lately .Do you think a 13/0 4xstrong circle takes to much pressure for the barb into a strong hide? It seems like if the barb gets set it shouldn’t  get thrown, that why I’m thinking it’s not getting set. When it pops out it is a sharp pop and by the feel of it I thought it was my line breaking, and surprised to see my rig intact when reeled in...

[Fish Jerk]

I have caught everyone of my sharks on circle hooks. For 7's I use 13/0 hooks that are about the size of 16/0 mustads used very successfully by the east coaster sharkers. I do open the gap about 1/8 - 1/4 in. On sharks with big teeth, if it doesn't set directly in the corner, it's probably getting caught between the teeth and popping loose without actually catching skin. On the east coast, when they are hunting big sharks with big teeth, the hook of choice are 20/0 which are big enough to get around the jaw bone as well if it doesn't catch the corner. I believe I am somewhere in the 90% bite to hook and land ratio with the hooks I use. Plus at 5.99 per 25 hooks, they don't hurt the wallet. Last year, most of my sharks were also on hooks with the barb pinched down. Once a circle truly sets, it's almost impossible for it to come unbuttoned unless it tears loose.

I agree with circles, it's very important how you hook the bait to allow clearance. I always use bait thread to lock my bait in the position I want so it can't rotate and get the point buried back in the bait. I have been meaning to get some picks of how I rig my bait. Maybe I'll get some up tonight.

[BackBayMan]

I have caught everyone of my sharks on circle hooks. For 7's I use 13/0 hooks that are about the size of 16/0 mustads used very successfully by the east coaster sharkers. I do open the gap about 1/8 - 1/4 in. On sharks with big teeth, if it doesn't set directly in the corner, it's probably getting caught between the teeth and popping loose without actually catching skin. On the east coast, when they are hunting big sharks with big teeth, the hook of choice are 20/0 which are big enough to get around the jaw bone as well if it doesn't catch the corner. I believe I am somewhere in the 90% bite to hook and land ratio with the hooks I use. Plus at 5.99 per 25 hooks, they don't hurt the wallet. Last year, most of my sharks were also on hooks with the barb pinched down. Once a circle truly sets, it's almost impossible for it to come unbuttoned unless it tears loose.

I agree with circles, it's very important how you hook the bait to allow clearance. I always use bait thread to lock my bait in the position I want so it can't rotate and get the point buried back in the bait. I have been meaning to get some picks of how I rig my bait. Maybe I'll get some up tonight.

Would love to see some pics and get a link to your source of hooks

[Pinoyfisher]

Seriously sounds like it could be lobster dragging it into their crevice or weeds...
Most of the time when 7s hit you’ll get a small double bounce and then very slack line as they tend to come towards you after they pick up your bait, but 13/0 circles pulley rigged have done good on my 7s

This ^^^

[Eric H]

All my 7s came on 10/0 and 12/0 demon circles.

Never missed once.

Edit

Owners or mustad

[Fish Jerk]

The key is leaving enough hook exposed on cirles period.

I run them almost exclusive if they are available in the size.

For sharking I am trying to figure out a variation on a carp hair rig that can be cast with a heavy bait.

Jim

I haven't tried this yet, but have thought about it.

The "Handy-Man's Bridle Rig" - works with Mac heads only as body and tail would rip off on the cast.

Take a large Zip-tie and pass through the eye socket and loosely tighten it across the bony bridge between the sockets (similar to hooking through the eyes)

Now using a small thin zip-tie, zip your hook to the zip-tie that's thru the eyes of the mac head.

This in theory should keep the bait from inhibiting the hook gap, the barb should keep the small tight zip-tie from slipping off the hook and since the skull is pretty bony it should survive the cast.

My only thought on this, without having actually set one up this way, is that the bait may rotate around and lodge in the between the point and shank of the hook and totally block the gap as it washes around in the surf.

[Eric H]

Good and very important point mentioned above.

Leave a lot of the hook exposed and not buried in the bait.

Not doing so is gona result in dropped baits.

[spideyjg]

Last trip out I used some cut carp which will never come off and the lobsters were going to town with those little tugs.

Still thinking hair rig ideas and I think heads are the only bet. Gotta get a long enough needle though.

Jim