# Gamikatsu Big Eye Circle 10-0 tin color



## RogueRon (Nov 4, 2003)

Tried this last weekend and they are keepers.
Snelled with 100lb and a short leader. They are inline/no offset like the standard Mustads with the Gami sharpness. Did'nt miss a single strike including numerous spinys. They hook up solid in the upper lip. Fishing buddies have been laughing at me for using such heavy duty , huge hooks. I've learned my lesson losing fish on those wimpy 8-0 octopus circles. They are okay for high/low rigs but thats about it IMO.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

Hey Ron, where do you get them hooks? I saw NTKG lost a few fish in the middle of the fight using the gami 4x hooks. I've been using the gami octopus circle myself, and it doesn't hook very good. I'm thinking of changing. I don't hook too many fish to be losing fish.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Ron..*

Is there anyway you can get a pic of that hook on here?? I'd like to see how it compairs to owner,eagleclaw,and mustad as far as inline and gap,thanks..


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

*the middle one*










Here's the link Kenny gami big eye circle


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Looks a lot like the eagle claw which is a good hook.. I love that hook for pup fishing the sound, in 4/0 size..


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

At $2.83 per hook I hope they hook up daumn well, but then again if ya hook up and the fish keep gettn off what good is a $ .02 hook. Oh what the hail guess I will have to go give them a look and get a pack. 
*later that night a call to Tackle Hoes Anonymous "Help me I got to go buy something new I saw on line"*


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

Question,

When snelling these straight shank hooks, do you thread the line thru the back or the front side? I always snell my hooks, and might have to bend these straight shanks backward for snelling.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Teo,with straight shank hooks I've always tied them as the hook was designed a nail straight to the eye. I know many others snell theirs and run the line from the "point side",so as to make the hook turn inward towards the fish.. Seabear and Dawgfish have taken to crimping theirs,leaving the hook to swing,as on a longliner rig..


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## RogueRon (Nov 4, 2003)

*Thanks Teo for pic*

Like Drumdum said with the point in up position run the line from underneath through the eye towards the point then snell. Yep they are $$$ but like you said if you wait for a bite all weekend ya better hook up.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Hooks.....*

Looks like I'm gonna have to get me some of those. They look real nice.


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## Kenmefish (Apr 21, 2000)

I read somewhere that you should not run the line thru the eye when snelling a straight eye hook. It puts a bend in the line which could weaken it. This guy said this bend caused him to breakoff on big powerful fish like Tuna. He snells and does not run the line thru the eye which keeps the line straight. The eye keeps the snell from coming off the hook. I don't use straight eye hooks so I can't say for sure but it makes sense to me.


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## RogueRon (Nov 4, 2003)

Kenmefish said:


> I read somewhere that you should not run the line thru the eye when snelling a straight eye hook. It puts a bend in the line which could weaken it. This guy said this bend caused him to breakoff on big powerful fish like Tuna. He snells and does not run the line thru the eye which keeps the line straight. The eye keeps the snell from coming off the hook. I don't use straight eye hooks so I can't say for sure but it makes sense to me.



I'd like to know about this cause I'm not sure I am doing this right.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

*more hooks questions*

Well, I personally don't like the thick shank on the hooks, like alot of the mustad hooks, and from the look of this new big eye, it could be the same. I like the thin shank like the gami J, or the owner. I guess if they work, no matter how they look. So, I've decided to switch to the owner and mustad circles. Now the question is, what model/serie of circle hooks from these brands are good? I got confused from looking at them online today. They all look the same but diff. name and series.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Id hafta agree with DD...Im not so sure straight inline eyed hooks are meant to be snelled....After the bend in the eye is so the line can be threaded straight through and the hook will be pulled straight instead of at an angle...like tieing a bent eyed hook with a snell or a straight eyed hook with a regular terminal tackle knot of ur choice would do......

Crawfish I agree with you, I like the lighter wire of the Owners...I have used Owner circle hooks for several years catfishing and used them in an attempt to catch a striper over Christmas...

I will have to say that the only problem I have found with most circle hooks is the fact that the hook needs to be exposed...Not a problem to me because I have rarely found that hiding a hook helps...BUT...you dont 'set' the hook with a circle as you would say a traditional J style hook....and a circle is only effective if the tip is exposed to penetrate...which leads to my main most complain...I have found...and if somebody can help me with this...that it takes a bigger circle hook that J style hook for the species targeted in order to hook the bait where you'll get penetration... With fresh bait or a tough bait it doesnt seem to be much of a problem bc you can hook less of the bait and it still stay on...but with mushy bunker or when catfishing with dead shad that have gotten mushy or have been frozen, I have to run the hook though more of the bait which in turn exposes the hook less...

In conclusion I think the hooks mentioned at the beginning of the thread will solve alot of that problem...and if im not mistaken, werent circle hooks evolved for live baiting tuna or something like that? which would leave the hook exposed anyway?

Sorry about the long winded post


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

EDIT- sorry i hit the enter button twice and it posted that twice


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## fisherkid (Jun 30, 2005)

I believe in the surfcaster catalog it says circle = regular size by the circle hooks ie. 1/0 circle = 1 regular. I don't remember the size diffrence. the circles _I think_ were desinged for longlining ships


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## fisherkid (Jun 30, 2005)

> Id hafta agree with DD...Im not so sure straight inline eyed hooks are meant to be snelled


that might be one reason I was having a hard time snelling the hooks.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

fisherkid said:


> I believe in the surfcaster catalog it says circle = regular size by the circle hooks ie. 1/0 circle = 1 regular. I don't remember the size diffrence. the circles _I think_ were desinged for longlining ships


 I think ur right too now that i think about it, although ive heard various reasons


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

*hooks*

I 've seen and used ones before called Makatsu or something. I cant really think of the exact name...I usually get them for sea mullet and pompano. I got some last week that were 10/0. They seemed to be wider then other though. Sharp as H3ll. 50 in a pack for $17.00.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*What were they used for originally??*

Not sure about that question,Treed. Although,on the ole Mowire someone? can't remember who posted pics of some of the first and they were from Hawaii,I believe. BTW those were made of stone...


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

lol yeah ive heard of stone hooks...hooks made of briars..."hooks" that were nothing more thana stick shoved down a baitfished body...in turn swallowed by a bigger fish...the stick was tied in the middle and then when the big fish swallowed it u pulled the string the stick was tied to and it turned side ways in the big fishs gut and wa-lah u have supper for half a tribe of indians in 45min lol....i like the stone hooks tho....no need for weights lol...cuts down on the whole terminal tackle/knots need


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

*Dd*

is the Mustad circle that you were talking about?

http://pierandsurf.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/976


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Yeap,they also have the "Demon" hook which you may like better,I've been told it's an excellent hook.. The hook in the pic keeps a fish buttoned up as good as any other circle I've seen,IMHO..


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

My 2 ct.
Dont matter how big the eye or how fat the shank. My brother was one of the first to use circles on the point. They was big aluminum lookin jobs with a huge eye. We just snelled straight to the shank. It give um a great "cam" action and we seldom missed anything. It was the in-line hook that made the difference. Got away from snellin all together.
I crimp my Mustad Demons with #130 Jenkai leader or #150 if the sharks are thick.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

> I crimp my Mustad Demons with #130 Jenkai leader or #150 if the sharks are thick.


 Greg,are you crimping like Dawg and Seabear? or are you "catspawin",for the "cam action" then crimping??


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

dd, are you doin the circle lean or crossin eyes,


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

NTKG said:


> dd, are you doin the circle lean or crossin eyes,


 I like a circle for stripers,and no I don't set the hook,I either let them hook themselves in the spike or tighten up on them when I have the rod in hand.. If we're talkin planks and drum,it's J,and yes *CROSS DEM EYES!!*


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## Gar (Oct 2, 2005)

CrawFish said:


> Question,
> 
> When snelling these straight shank hooks, do you thread the line thru the back or the front side? I always snell my hooks, and might have to bend these straight shanks backward for snelling.


I always go through the front when snelling. When I get through I put a 1-2oz sinker on the swivel end and hang the hook on the top rack of the oven and heat it 190-200 deg.


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

Drumdum said:


> Greg,are you crimping like Dawg and Seabear? or are you "catspawin",for the "cam action" then crimping??


I crimp to the eye of the hook also. Seabear likes single sleeve. I like double.. 

Catspaw? if that means snellin the shank with out going thru the eye, not anymore but I would in a heart beat. My brother stiil does. with them old fat big eye hooks too! (I think RW seen him In action last time he was down?) The gap in the hook is the width of your finger... He lived in Buxton 12 years. He is alergic to work, so he fished the beach everyday. I dont think I ever saw him lose a fish or gut hook one... Mongo sharks, 90lb Cobia etc.. The mind blower is this 6oz. hopkins he has with one of them hooks on it. He will catch stripers when no one else can???
When circle first caught on, most were offset, I would bend them straight  
Teo..I set the hook hard as I can every time.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

puppy

hey so when fish run in at ya, you set the hook, when your spikin you set the hook and you have good results?

i posted a similar ? on robs site just havent had it answered yet. like i said never had problems before, but one bad weekend does hell to your confidence


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

and which hook is this

are you settin the hook with the 10/0 ultra point?

or kenny's looks like the 13/0 regular mustads...

geez i never thought my asian self would leave GAMAKATSU for MUSTAD... what will the ancestors think now


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

No matter how the fish acts, I do the same thing every time, Even if he smokes out of the spike. When he stops I still nail him. I crank down lowering the rod tip till I feel the weight of the fish the rare back and give the rod 5 or 6 quik fast pumps. almost like shakin the rod.
All this give me confidence in the end game, cause I know I got him nailed.
If the hook will scratch your thumb nail, Its sharp enough. IMOP If you have a razor sharp point, It will hang some where other than the corner of his mouth and can come lose if he tumbles in the surf. 
Thats my story and im stickin to it!


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

The Mustad Demon Circle.. 
I would check your link but I takes me a minute just to scroll past your video. the link will take all nite. Let me go check www.boatersworld.com


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

> geez i never thought my asian self would leave GAMAKATSU for MUSTAD... what will the ancestors think now


Half my ancestors are from Krakow and I don't eat czarnina.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

> NTKG:i posted a similar ? on robs site just havent had it answered yet. like i said never had problems before, but one bad weekend does hell to your confidence



It is now (to the best of my ability  ), the numbers aren't included ,but a google will do that I'm sure..


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## flathead (Dec 18, 2003)

That Big Eye Circle is an excellent drum hook,although that's not what it was designed for.The thick shank won't affect your catch rate with a tough old drum.I am sorta like PM and Seabear,though in that I've gone to crimping most of my fishfinder rigs for drum,stripers,cobes,biters,etc. but I only crimp to the swivel if I'm using straight shank hooks.Much easier to control teh leader length this way.Still snell the turned eye hooks.For drum/stripers,and cobes I'm using 100# test with the double sleeves using the Jinkai SC-3C crimper.


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## RogueRon (Nov 4, 2003)

flathead said:


> That Big Eye Circle is an excellent drum hook,although that's not what it was designed for.The thick shank won't affect your catch rate with a tough old drum.I am sorta like PM and Seabear,though in that I've gone to crimping most of my fishfinder rigs for drum,stripers,cobes,biters,etc. but I only crimp to the swivel if I'm using straight shank hooks.Much easier to control teh leader length this way.Still snell the turned eye hooks.For drum/stripers,and cobes I'm using 100# test with the double sleeves using the Jinkai SC-3C crimper.


Thanks Flathead. I know what to do now. I was thinking over the weekend that snelling straight to the shank with such a big eye, that the line would be rubbing around the eye when fighting a big fish , therefore encountering every bur on the metal. I see the need to crimp.


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