Best circle hook for snaps?
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=94230
Printed Date: 03 Aug 2026 at 7:22am
Topic: Best circle hook for snaps?
Posted By: Garry 23041
Subject: Best circle hook for snaps?
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 7:27pm
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My wife always fishes bait and we are trying to change her to a good circle hook. I am interested to know which ones hook up well but are less likely to gut hook? She watches me soft baiting and lip hooking everything and is over it!
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Replies:
Posted By: Surf_fisher
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 7:46pm
| I use youvella mutsu hooks and they have never let me down |
Posted By: pirate
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 7:50pm
| gammy 7 or 8/0 look no further |
Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 8:10pm
| Depends on the line weight you are using. If you are fishing light tackle (under 6kg mono), you will want to look for fine gauge (e.g. Mustad Demon) to set the hook. Look at the different brands in the same size & you will quickly see the difference. |
Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 8:54pm
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The shape of the TARGET SNAPPER HOOK allows positive penetration through the toughest parts of a snappers mouth even when used on long lines. Nickel Teflon coated Target Snapper Hooks are the best shaped snapper hook.Nickel Teflon Ultimate Recurve Hooks Nickel Teflon Ultimate Recurve Hooks 50 Pack of 5/0 Nickel Teflon PFK Hooks Buy Online Nickel Teflon Hooks Only 50 Pack Price: $ 20.00  you can purchase them here, http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/htmfiles/where.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/htmfiles/where.htm ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: Nemesis
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 8:57pm
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Gamukatsu 6/0 or up. ------------- www.marine-deals.co.nz If you play with tigers, you will get covered in yellow fur. |
Posted By: Helmsy
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 9:36pm
| New Trokar hooks look wicked, have an awesome point |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 9:43pm
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Mustad Demons & Gamakatsu recurves are great hooks. Being a fine wire they are well suited for light tackle. Circle/recurve hooks don't need to be as big as suicide type hooks and 6/0 is the perfect size IMO for snapper. 8/0 or 9/0 recurves will not set as readily and 6/o will not gut hook fish when used properly. I use De Coro hooks in 4/0 for gurnard and 5/0 for snapper. They aren't a fine wire hook but they are cheap and work really well. Remember that with a recurve, big snapper aren't going to crunch the hook because the fish will have the hook in the corner of its mouth. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: hkt_up
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2013 at 9:58pm
Youvella mutsu and Gamy circles both get my vote  The hardest bit will be getting her not to strike every time she feels a bite...
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Posted By: Garry 23041
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 7:30am
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Thanks guys. Not a strong winner but a few favorites have emerged for sure. Like most stuff it will be a good start and we can try a few you guys have suggested and see what works for us. We are also putting her back on nylon from braid as she prefers nylon so this is a good time to change hooks me thinks. Went out for a fish yesterday and got a real little mixed bag....3 teriki, 2 red snaps and a johnny. Must be winter. |
Posted By: Garry 23041
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 7:44am
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Hey Lethal, just took a look at the site you offered up. Very interesting ta. Did not know snell knots were the "proven" go for hooks.... Just goes to show I am like a dolphin, I can learn stuff. Not much though.
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Posted By: :Hunter:
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 8:15am
| I have used Wasabi recurve hooks for years and caught some big fish on them with no problems. Reasonably cheap too, especially when you get them from Rebel Sports on sale. I think how you bait the hook is more important than the brand, they need space to be able to swing into the corner of the mouth, the hook cant be clogged with bait. I only ever put the hook through the bait once. |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 9:12am
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Good advice Hunter, recurves do need to be used properly to work well. A couple of other points (unintentional pun there...) - don't strike the bites as hkt-up mentioned just lift the rod and wind in one motion when you think the time is right and tie the hooks by putting the trace through from the point side of the hook. Snelling or dropper loops are the best way to attach circles IMO. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: letsgetem
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 11:54am
| I think hooks need to be - very sharp, and thin gauge - to penetrate readily. Black Magic or Wasabi circle size 6 does the trick for me, and are relatively cheap too. |
Posted By: Jet_ski_fisher
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 1:06pm
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lethal i like the hooks but to thick gauge for my needs. even saw this on his site So i have to use a fancy dancy super duper snapper hook now? just so i can feel happy about reducing fish mortality.and not adding to the responsibility of declining fish stocks due to rec fishos not using the correct hooks.. wheres my wallet... oh dam to many moths in it...oh well back to soft baits.. ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow">  MH... Catch measure release...<*))))< |
Posted By: markosharknz
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2013 at 11:25pm
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I've changed to the mustard demon in either 5/0 or 6/0 and getting much better hookup rates, 2 on a dropper setup. Not striking is hard :S
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Posted By: gollyfish
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 12:31am
| those look great lethal will be ordering some for moki, thanks!..... i use yeovella mustu's for most fish ...owner k's and mustad demons for moki. strong hooks are essential for moki. |
Posted By: Garry 23041
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 7:20am
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Talking about the not striking thing I did a bad one not long ago... Looking for kings with livies and I decided to sit there and free spool my reel with my thumb on it. It had been awhile by the time I got a take and when I did I was someplace else in my little mind. When I felt the line start to fly out I clamped down with my thumb nice and hard! Knee jerk stuff, most likely cost me a good battle. |
Posted By: John_Ra
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 10:03am
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Most circles/recurves will do the job no problem. Black Magic KL's are usually my goto 6/0 up... But these day's I'm using a few diff types, one brand on bottom another on the 2nd loop of a ledger, then swap around Those that say this is better than other's have you really given other type's a really good test? I get a few hooks come thru to test out.. Sakura's still testing em so far there working well..... only cause last few trips been canned.. have had these awhile though, nice strong hook Trokar is also one am testing....price will put most off, over $2 per hook as mentioned put hook thru bait max twice..... even though after lot's & lot's of years fishing the urge to not strike & just lift is bloody hard. Usually have your rod pointed to the water so you can lift. Mistake most make is strike to early, you feel the tap tap tap strike & miss, what you want is to wait for the pull.... lift & booya should be in... Things I look for in a good hook: Durability - will last the whole day Point penetration, point wont break off after a couple of fish, hook set Strength, not going to straighten or bend easily even colour can make a diff... gauge too thick or thin... Shape ... Some days you just can't hook a fish for whatever reason using your fav hook, change to a diff one, Recurves not working goto a suicide... Those not working!!! time for a cuppa  & lunch...cause by now your at the you mutha..... So have a break & rethink a new approach... ------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: sappercatcha
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 10:21am
me to I use 4/0 I find that the best size just feel the weight come on and slowly lift the rod do not strike with a circle hook.... also its important with any circle hook if your putting on a dropper loop that you put the loop trough the front of the hook not the back otherwise you wont hook up.... pm your addy and I will put a few in the mail for you to try
------------- http://www.legasea.co.nz" rel="nofollow"> keep up the good work boys
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hunter708 wrote:Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 10:27am
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best results ive had with recurves is to use a soft tip rod left in the rod holder, the fish grabs the hanging bait swims away with it and the rod starts to bend, fish is either hooked or rod stands up and resets itself... ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |
Posted By: Surf_fisher
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 1:50pm
I have about 100 of the youvella 4/0 mutsu hooks got 3x 30Pc packs off trademe for $11 I mainly use 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0 I damn near landed my PB snapper back in 05 with the youvella hooks the only thing that let me down was the leader let go from abrasion to the leader during the fight just as we were going to gaff it, took 15mins to get to the fish to the edge of the rocks it would have exceeded 10kg in weight easily thought I had a stingray till we started to see some colour.
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Posted By: Garry 23041
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 6:03pm
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Yeah lethal I have a mate who fishes like that. He is a smoker though and I think in his case he needs his hands free. It does work well though I admit. Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. You guys have been more than generouse with your help and even some gear thanks for your input. I guess I gotta get the leg back on the boat and get after it now because Nancy is fired up to fish! I put a little Avet on her rod for the season and I think she will notice the step up from her cheapie..
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Posted By: Lethal
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2013 at 6:30pm
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well done Garry, here is hopping your next adventure is full of success and extra large snappers... ------------- Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing |