# Why Do Most Catters Perfer Circles over Khales?



## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

The more I use the Khale Hooks, the more I enjoy them over reg Circles. For me it seems like I can wait & lift up like on a circle or can go ahead & "Set the hook". Naturally I try not to set the hook on purpose, but if I slip & forget the fish doesnt get off. Like we've all agreed on in the past, it's whatever feels comfortable with, but I've been to the stores & heard people dogging Khale hooks while bragging about circles.


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## Predator225 (May 14, 2005)

Mellon, i prefer circles because i have lost several nice cats at the shorewhen using khale or khale-style hooks; especially when ya hit them with that light for the first time and panic seems to ensue, or they start rolling. seems like the circles "dig-in" better. but i must admit, sometimes there is definitely the need to "break theirjaw." (call it a primal instinct? ) so i do keep khale and other hooks for when im fishing froma boat or with one of my "bridge rigs" when the fish may actually move towards me .

JB


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I use kahles and prefer just about anything over circles for my style of fishing. I can see circles working well in some situations, but not shore fishing. I've never felt that hook style is a big contributer to lost fish, but I suppose it could be.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

I use kahles for flathead fishing in lakes. Eagle CLaw L144R in 5/0 to be exact.

I cannot remember losing a fish because of this hook style.

When fishing in rivers I switch to appropriate size Gamakatsu Octopus hooks.
The current keeps my line tight and I allow cats to hook themselves as they attempt to swim off with baits. I tend to miss more cats with the Gamakatsu
hooks but the reason could be other than the hook style. Small fish attempting to take a large bait often do not get the hook point in their mouth and pull rods down until the bait slips out.

No matter what we do we lose fish. Understanding why and eliminating as many possible causes as possible is all we can do.

After you believe you have done all you can to help hook fish you should then concentrate on not dwelling on missed fish. Unless you observed something you can correct on a missed fish, there is no good coming from worrying about it.


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## Predator225 (May 14, 2005)

Like Mellon said, whatever you feel comfortable with, and with circles i am confident with. but when i go to maine every year and fish for stripers in the surf, i use khales exclusively. And i will admit, since the "circle boom" i have used khales less, they are still in my box. i am heading to mosquito tonight for the first time since the spawn there, and im gonna be hangin gills for flats, i will throw caution to the wind, and use a khale!!! If i lose a biggin' Mellon, its your fault!!  jus' kiddin!

JB

JB


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I think one thing I personally do is not wait long enough for the cat to hook themself when using circles. I have to train myself to let that rod go down more. I think right now I'm 55% set on Khale hooks espically after the last time I used them on the GMR, however granted there was basically no current. 

Robby/Magis, I'm no where as experienced as you guys, so I gotta know, whats the downfall to the Khales in heavier current?


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

I see it simply as this. With circle hooks you wait till the rod loads up. Real evident with an aggresive fish or weighty one. Occasionaly you make get the bait back into the hook point and lose the fish and that is just the way it is. If ya pull through the soft skin that is just the way it is too. Any error factor other than self error is part of the game in my opinion. I like the fact that with circles it is pretty much a no brainer. I'll be the first to admit that I am just not attentive enough to wait and then send her home, I've missed alot of fish setting the hook at the wrong time in the past as well, way more than lost using circles. So, I suppose it does come down to preference and ability? 

I will save the eye crossing for when I fish for bass. ya here that mellon!


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Basser!!!!!!!!!!!


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

funny thing is I catch more bass than you do catfish. and I've only gone a few times this yr. walleyer


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Dude that Walleyer shot was low.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

personally,i like the kayles for big live baits.i use circles for channel cats on cut bait or shrimp.right or wrong,i think with big live baits,a fish(flatheads specifically) will often take the bait from behind,make a short run,then stop to turn the bait after smashing it,before moving off again.that coupled with the fact that a circle can get pulled back into the bait,is why i won't use them for flatheads.channels,on the other hand,when agressive,will just slam a "dead bait",and go,which ups the odds on circles.just hope they don't run at you


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Mellon fished for sheephead, not eyes.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm not even going to commit on that last post.


Misfit I agree 110%, I think it's alot easier to use big live bait w/ the Khale hooks .


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I just envision certain hook styles working better in certain situations. I think circles are best in a vertical presentation, such as river fishing from a boat. The fish really has no choice but to swim away, setting the hook itself. That's also why they caught on so early with juggers and limbliners, and saltwater trollers. The whole principle behind circles requires the fish moving away, and that just isn't so with flatheads, specifically in lakes. I'm sure they would work well with channels cats anywhere, as they are usually much more agressive than flatheads. I saw this first hand last week when I watched Rick catch one channel after another using circles. I tried for months to catch a fish on them and just couldn't. Rick made it look easy.


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

that catfish guys only use circles or Kahle hooks? I refuse to use Kahle hooks, lost a few fish on them years ago, never used them again. I use Gammy octopus hooks for the river, if the snags are real bad, I keep a box of eagle claw hooks for those spots. I like the feeling of setting the hook.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I didnt say (or think) that. The question was: *Why Do Most Catters Perfer Circles over Khales?* I would say that regular hooks are used by the majority of catters.


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

I say unless a cat moves/swims backwards after taking a circle then there is a good chance it'll get hooked. Even if it swims straight in the line is turning against the fish. To each his own. circles for all my catn'. except if I decide to use a non circle just for the heck of it.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

when a fish is swimming toward you,the line will get a bow in it,but usually that is not eneough pressure to get penetration from a circle.as you take up slack,and tighten up,the hook generally will pull free,unless the fish turns away or swallows it first,which many times,results in gut hooking.
by design,circles need to rotate in order to penetrate the tissue of mouth,which is next to impossible,unless the fish is moving away from you to some degree.
i say "next to impossible" because,with eneough drag from the line,it's possible to get eneough penetration for the hook to be set,but that is the exception,not the rule.

that's my story and i'm stickin' to it


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## bill_gfish (Apr 5, 2004)

great story but I disagree.  all it would take it a stick, rock, or muck to put enough pressure on the line to turn the hook. even the mouth itself is enough to turn the hook, I would say once the fish feels the hook point ever so lightly is will bolt like heck in one direction or another. Aren't circles supposed to work by the fish swallowing the bait without gut hooking and then pop out to hook in the corner of the mouth? any how the will lay flat with very little pressure if any at all. But I agree it does take force to impale the hook.



> when a fish is swimming toward you,the line will get a bow in it,but usually that is not eneough pressure to get penetration from a circle.as you take up slack..,and tighten up,the hook generally will pull free,unless the fish turns away or swallows it first,which many times,results in gut hooking.


The fish has to turn away at some point or it will hit the bank.

I know there is prob. no end to this discussion and prob. no true right or wrong. I like circles cuz I'm lazy. that is the truth and I ain't admiting it.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i like your story.that's good eneough for me 


> I like circles cuz I'm lazy. that is the truth and I ain't admiting it.


circles are no gaurantee against gut hooking.they merely are designed to minimize it.if a fish swallows the hook,chances are pretty good it will be gut hooked.i think the cause isthe the innards are compressed around the hook and makes penetration into the tissue pretty easy.i've seen quite a few fish gut hooked with circles.


> Aren't circles supposed to work by the fish swallowing the bait without gut hooking and then pop out to hook in the corner of the mouth?


when fishing from the bank,the following is very true 


> The fish has to turn away at some point or it will hit the bank.


and after he turns and moves away,he's most likey gonna get hooked  

but if by chance, he hits the bank,just slip the net under him


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I have seen a flathead this year gut hooked with a 8/0 gamma circle hook.


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## catfishhunter33 (Apr 6, 2004)

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