# 16/0 Circle Hooks



## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I just saw some 16/0 Mustad Circle hooks on EBay. Whats the largest you've ever used?

I have used 8/0 Octopus hooks by Gamakatsu, but thats my largest.


----------



## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I have used 10/0 regular J style hooks often for Flatheads..Circle hooks I used 8/0 for flats, 5/0 for channels...I really like circles for channels, not sold on them yet for flats.


----------



## TIGHTLINER (Apr 7, 2004)

Bad hooks, dont waste your money, been there, tried that, not a good idea! They're too big, and impossible to tie a good knot onto them and hard to hook live bait on them without killing the bait.


----------



## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Different manufacturers circle hooks can really vary in size. I think how they are ranked is according to the gap between the hook point & the shank or the distance from the eye & point. Not sure exactly, but I do know a 8/0 Dachii(sp) vs. a Gamakatsu is so great they don't even look close to the same size. I use 8/0 Gammys...octopus circles, they have landed from dinks the the 62# blue. I think I had some 10/0 Eagle circles, I don't care for them, not nearly as sharp and the eye is different, the Gammy's are on an angle.


----------



## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Jim

The reason the GamaKatsu circle hook have an offset eye is to help them do exacly as advertised. The offset turns the hook once it clears the fishes mouth and positions the point to dig into the corner of the mouth  

That is why you like them better  

Mellon:

The largest circle hooks I have used were GamaKatsu 10/0. The baits were 1/2 to 1 pound pieces of cut shad used for blue cats.


----------



## toboso (Apr 14, 2004)

I absolutely love VMC #7299 Octopus hooks for cut bait as well as live baits. I use 5/0 for smaller baits (channel cats & small goldfish/gills) and the 7/0 or 8/0 for summertime sized live baits for flatheads. I have had great success with hooking fish in the corner of the mouth. The octopus hook allows me to let the fish "load up" like a circle hook and still "set" the hook like "J" hooks. The VMC hooks are a newer alloy that is very strong yet very light--which keeps smaller live bait livelier.

I guess I didn't really answer the original question, did I? Sorry.


----------

