Circle hooks or not

[Capt. Bill]

Someone asked me why he should use circle hooks offshore. Here's what I told him. A) It's the law b) It sets in the corner of the fishes mouth instead of the gut and 3, it's better for the fish. He ignored me and went back to duct-taping his boat together.

[tunatamer]

Also with circle hooks you don't set the hook, when you feel a bite just reel. Works great on sheephead

[turk182]

We like to use circle hooks on deep drops even before they were required. It allows the fish to hook itself even with a big bow in the line. Someone needs to come up with a small version of the tarpon jig to use for smaller game.

[WVHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Capt. Bill Someone asked me why he should use circle hooks offshore. Here's what I told him. A) It's the law b) It sets in the corner of the fishes mouth instead of the gut and 3, it's better for the fish. He ignored me and went back to duct-taping his boat together. The law? I keep resisting the urge to try them because they just don't look like they'd work and my fishing time is too valuable to waste experimenting. So I should bite the bullet and use them?

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Its the law? Where at Capt Bill

[Superman]

The Gulf Council, officiators of the Gulf coastal states, deemed in 2008 that any angler fishing offshore for grouper or snapper must use circle hooks. So that means Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas are under this law. It is a fairly benign law, mostly enforced for commercial interests, or especially on poachers. This doesn't mean the game officers or USCG are checking recreational boaters, but it could happen. Personally, I use circles for everything I can because of the precise hookset into the corner of the mouth. It makes it much easier to remove a hook and it doesn't get into the fish's gullet, making releases far more optimal for the fish. Another law passed by the Gulf Council in 2008 was the de-hooker law, requiring any vessel fishing in the Gulf of Mexico to carry a functional hook removing device. This one IS enforced, and lack of the tool can cost you a fine of $75 for the first offense. Keep reading those regs, it helps! Capt. Bill AKA Superman

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Yea,,I did read something about that in Sport Fishing Magazine a while back. I use the hooks and the tool every time I'm in the Atlantic......................... .