Circle Hook Gut
 

I have experienced gut hooks on my friends boat with circle hooks. I never saw this or experienced while surf fishing bat, but I have repeatedly seen/caught bass gut hooked while chunking from his boat. True circle hooks 5/0-9/0. Anyone else ever see this or have an idea wth is up?

Were they offset circle hooks? Using the in line circles I rarely guy hook fish while fishing bait from the boat but offset circles seem to be just as bad as standard hooks.

not offset

Not knowing you or how you fish my guess is that you let the fish run with the bait a bit long after he picked up the bait. However, from time to time a fish will pick up bait and get it down its throat really quick. This has only happened to me one time in many years though. I would think if it is a common occurrence for you then you may be letting the fish take the bait too long before lifting up on her.

Use a bigger chunk. The whole pogie head. Anything that will eat that and get gut hooked you can cram your fist down it's throat and unhook.
Problem solved
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I like your train of thought......:cheers:

When using circle hooks, you need to keep slack out of the line. When the fish takes the bait, don't try to set the hook - just hold firm. As the fish pulls away from the taut line, it should lip-hook itself. If you give them slack, they have time to swallow the bait, no matter what kind of hook it is.

I have experienced a few deep hooks fishing eels when I used the Gama circles. Some times the fish just gulp them down. Don't remember when was the last time I deep hooked a fish using J hooks.

Switched over to Eagle Claw 2004ELFS circle hook for bait and livebunker and haven't had a deep hook in years. Use the Mustad 39950BL circle hook with eels and no deep hooks but missing more fish. Switched back to Mustad 94150 J hook with eels and no deep hooks.

Agree 100%. Seen this happen to my buddy a couple of times last year - let the fish run waaaaaayyy to long with slack / freespool. Result was gut-hooked. Shouldn't happen if you are doing it as described above...

The thing about slack... these fish were caught on hand held rods or rods in a rod holder on a boat. They didn't run any longer than it takes to pick up the rod and engage the drag. They were typically gami's so maybe there is something to that. I think gut hooked would be better described as deep hooked. Not really in the gut, but not in the lip either. I have fished circles on and off for more than 10 years from shore and can't think of one time I had a fish deep hooked. The difference may very well be that the time it take to get the rod is long enough in clicker-controlled free spool for it to be an issue. When I use them in the surf, I have the drag engaged.

Offset or wide gap circle hooks are just as bad and at times worse than J and octopus hooks as far as hooking a fish deep. I use only straight ones . They even work great catching stripers slinging eels.You just need to learn how to use them.Takes a little practice but trust me it does make a difference especially releasing a lip or jaw hooked fish.

these were inline :uhuh: