I haven't fished with mackeral or clam chunks in a while but at the end, I had success with large 8/0 circle hooks through the bait tied to a 24-36" leader tied to a decent swivel. On the mainline side I used a nylon fishfinder rig (see picture below) with a lighter line running between the fishfinder rig and the the casting weight (in case the weight got stuck).
As for the hook itself, I would bring it through the top of the chunk (mack) with the chunks cut as steaks in the bait (sometimes I would cut flaps in the side of the macks but that's another story).
The key thing on the mackeral or clams - go fresh as you can.
Very important when using circle hooks - DO NOT SET THE HOOK HARD as you will pull out the bait more often than not. Keep the rod tip pointed straight at the fish, let them take it a bit, then start reeling, once the line is tight, then lift up on the rod.
As noted
here :
How to Fish Circle Hooks - Circle Hook 101 - Tips, Techniques, Catch and Release, Conservation, Survivability
Quote:
The most important thing you need to learn about circle hook mechanics, is that it is imperative the fish is GOING AWAY from you when you set the hook. Unlike a “J” hook, you WILL NOT set the hook by jerking on the rod with the force to turn the fish’s neck on the strike. As much fun as this is, the macho feel of “setting steel” to an animal that you just fooled with your offering is not the way a circle hook does what it is designed to do. Instead, you must be use a bit more finesse. You will actually have to feel what the fish has done with your bait upon eating it, before you take action for the hook up. When a fish has taken your bait, pay attention to its exit strategy. When it swims away from you, THEN AND ONLY THEN, come tight for the hook set.. NO JERKING .. !!!
You will become a quick study as to how each fish species actually feeds in it's world – how it picks up a bait, and what it does with it after it has captured it. Fishing circle hooks will make you become more attentive to the behavior of your target species, at the same time making you an angler more aware. These are positive attributes. It is not a bad thing to learn more about your favorite fish. Let me hear the class say, “Yes teacher.”
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