My recent column about proposals for regulating fish hooks generated some reader response.

Pete Rosko, the avid fisherman and fishing guide who invented the Crippled Herring, Kandlefish and Sonic BaitFish jigs, thinks there ought to be a federal law requiring that all hooks being fished with natural bait be single and barbless.

Corey Wilcox wrote that he has been fishing with circle hooks for sockeye salmon for years. He claims that he rarely hooks a sockeye anywhere other than in the mouth, maybe one or two per season.

As anyone who fishes for sockeyes with hook and line soon learns, they seldom bite. This reluctance on the part of the fish poses a dilemma for anglers. To legally harvest a sockeye with sport-fishing gear in freshwater, it must be hooked in the mouth. Anglers catch most sockeyes by “lining”— .... http://peninsulaclarion.com/outdoors/2013-10-17/circle-hooks-and-barbless-hooks

Is it a common belief that Sockeye don't bite? I have caught Sockeye in low clear water conditions on a Size 3 spinner. My wife hooked about 5 on float and bait a few months back as well. Must be an Arrrasska thing

Based on a thread I read of Doc's a year or so ago, I switched over to nothing but circle hooks for river sockeye. This year on the Kenai/Russian my hook-up rate and hook-up to landing rate went through the roof. Not one foul hook with the circles (not that it cannot happen, it just hasn't with me yet). I was amazed how well it works.

And while those two fisheries are typically crowded flossing fisheries, we even get biters up there on the Russian. The key is to get away from the crowds, find fish that have settled down, and approach them like wary trout. Down here in WA, biters are not a problem at all.

Scott

Circle hooks are the only way to fly for the sox up here. Far, far fewer foul hooked fish. Much better hooked to landed ratio for those hooked in and/or very near the mouth. After three years of fairly heavy use with the circles I am sold entirely and won't look back. My main mission lately has been introducing the concept to as many people as possible. It doesn't take long to build believers at the local meat holes. I've given away literally dozens of "ultimate flossing rigs" and have even won over the local wildlife troopers in the process.

The few fish that I've seen foul hooked using circles usually have the hook in the dorsal fin as it tends to be a catch point for the hook and leader sliding over the back of the fish. The user plays a big part in helping prevent foul hooking as well. Wait until the fish pulls to pull back, and when you do, it only takes steady pressure. No need to grip and rip or set the hook. Just hold on and let the fish hook itself. Quite often I wind up gently lifting the front of the fish out of the water before it realizes it is hooked. Chaos usually unfolds shortly thereafter though.

Embrace the circles for sockeye.

Giving credit where credit is due, thanks Doc.

When you can get a meat-fisherman like Les Palmer to embrace circles, you know it's gotta be a GOOD thing.

Here's the thread that started the whole revolution.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/116682-Circles-for-sockeye

No one who I have introduced this method to has hesitated to make the switch... exceopt of course my older brother Noel.

An unapologetic ripper thru-and-thru.... and dam proud of it.

Jay Eff See!

Barbless circles rule!

Nice hat!

I have used circles for chums down here. While I had fewer hookups, what i had were all inside the mouth. No snagged fish.