by Dave Mckenzie
There’s a million types of hooks on the market, but it’s easy to overlook this and have only one or two styles in your tackle box. Hooks are designed for specific purposes, and generally this relates to presenting the correct bait, the correct way. If you plan on using multiple types of baits, then it stands to reason you should have the best hook for each of these baits.
When live baiting, I mostly opt for the Octopus Circle hooks to pin the bait fish in the nose. The extra bend at the point of the hook provides additional security in holding the bait on the hook as it swims and gets pulled around in the current. The more lively the baitfish, the more this becomes a huge benefit. Slimy Mackerel are an active bait, and without this extra security, you will find your livebait will free themselves from the hook after being in the water for extended periods of time.
An important thing to remember when using circle hooks is that you must not strike your rod when you feel a bite. Circle hooks are designed to pin the fish under a gentle increase in pressure. Effectively, this means let the fish hook themselves. Leave the rod in the rod holder if you can’t handle not striking! Once the fish is hooked, it is almost always in the corner of the jaw, and very very rarely lets go once set.
Cheers
