Any ways I was wandering if anyone had considered using circle hooks on stick baits for Kings.  

The idea being to run light drags and allow the fish to take then increase the drag to set the hook in the corner of the mouth.

Advantages could be a secure hook up in the corner of the mouth with less hooks thrown by fish thrashing about.

Negatives could be missed fish that are just swiping at a lure. 

With more non offset circle being available due to the restriction in the USA there could be a perfect hook out there just waiting for a young free thinking hippie to stumble across. 

http://yo-zuri.com/Products/Sashimi_Circle_Hook_Series/details/Sashimi_Circle_Hook_Pencil_Floating.html

 

 

Using a strong hook on an appropriate lure is the intention.  

I can't think of a way to run a drop back either.  More a drag setting where it is set just at of above what is needed to work the lure.  Then increased after the hit and a lift of the rod rather than a violent strike. 

It may not work at all on Kings but with out testing we will never know. 

 

Convincing a predator to strike a lure isnt hard, convincing it to chew and swallow a tastless hard object so that the circle hook can be pulled from its throat and lodge in the corner of its jaw.....

 

 

Kings take head first or so iv been told, so id go for a circle hook on a very long Dacron dropper.  If you can time it well, flick the bail arm open as the fish takes the lure (sounds easer than it will be), let the fish turn and take the lure, then flick the bail arm and apply pressure. 

 

Id say that it will be very difficult to get the system to work, but you never know.  Iv used long Dacron droppers tied from the eye of the lure with regular J hooks to catch Sampson fish (very close relative of the kingfish) and that works a treat for a clean hook in the mouth causing very little damage to the fish, and rarely dropping a fish.

 

One thing I would say is that if your intending on C&R,  "don't be using trebles".  Was a fishing show on TV last night and the damage to the fishes lips and eyes from trebles and then they were releasing them?  VERY uncool people!

From what i have heard from a few people lately.....the new thing of using inline single hooks is causing plenty of damage too as they make it easier to get down their throats....the fact they are barbed means they are hard to get out.....more likely serious damage to the fish...They can now engulf the baits and suck them down far easier than with a bulky treble hook...Barbless trebles are the way to go......would you like your blood taken with a barb on the end?............look how easy the needle comes out...........the chance of a fish coping one in the eye is quite slim......If you get one of those inline barbed hooks in your body you are in for a whole load of pain too!.....Id rather have a barbless hook of any design in me...if i had a choice......i believe there are barbless inlines available now....I feel some charter operators have gone the wrong way with this one....BOTTOM LINE= a barbless hook comes out in 2 seconds and it comes out clean......a barbed one does not and makes a big mess,

As for the post......agree give it a go......I would consider using a split ring/nt swivel/split ring to circle hook....so it hangs down low and further away from the lure....another option for you......Good on you for thinking outside the square and Hopefully you get a result

Its just a theory ......i think the king hits the live bait and when it turns and weight comes on the hook pulls from the live bait and goes straight into the corner of its mouth........I dont think the king has or is attempting to swallow the bait....it is hooked by that very action......it hits directly on the hook and then turns and is hooked........it always happens so fast..........you cant tell me all kings hit the fish and swallow it immediately..........and if it is swallowing it......we would all have to wait a while for it to swallow it but most hook ups ive had on live baits have been instant.

I would be interested if someone like Carl from epic or capt Phil could comment on this.............because even with J hooks and live baiting.....all the kings i ever caught never took the bait too their stomachs......they were all hooked in the mouth or throat and the live bait was no where to be seen.

IMO.

 

LBD  convinced or not I think that sums up nicely what happens when live bait gets eaten,  Pretty sure the kingfish doesnt give the bait a bit of biffo or let it inspect its mouth for parasites!

 

 If the kingfish aint trying to swallow the bait whats it bloody doing in its mouth???

 

 

All live baits get swallowed head first, otherwise anal spines, dorsal spines, gill rakers and scales cause issues for predator.

Think about how you many times you got yelled at by skipper to not strike when fishing live baits with circles..... strayling for snapper being a prime example, strike to early and you pull the bait out of the fishes graps, let the fish run,  allow the rod to load up and bingo.

 

I come from a flyfishing background and barbless hooks have been common place in flyfishing for some time.  In fact many trout streams in certain countries you cant fish unless the hooks are barbless.

 

When fishing for Sampson fish, Iv never had a fish hooked deep when fishing a single hook on a Dacron loop.  Im guessing the same will be the case with kingfish?

I have a very good hook up rate with circle on kingfish with live baits fishing with the drag engaged and just letting the weight load up.  

i was thinking a long soft stickbait rod would have enough play in it to allow the fish to hit turn and for the hooks to bite and set before the fish could spit. 

It was just something that has been bouncing about in my head for a while now. 

Hang a circle hook off the back off a stickbait or maybe off the front on a assist and you will hook some them for sure, not all of them but some... the benefits of doing which over just single J I'm not really sure? Maybe to avoid gut hooking in situations where fish are extremely plentiful, extremely large and extremely hungry ( to the point they are swallowing the lure completely on the bite and being gut hooked)... trolling for giant bluefin on a wide open bite being such an example.

Happy to defer to your experience, knowledge and Bsc .....

 

Will wait to see the results Gspot