# Best Hooks For beginning Surf Casters



## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

I've been reading up on what type of hooks would be good for a beginning like myself. What I've been looking for is a hook that: hooks a fish with little help from me, and keeps the fish hooked while me (or my young girls) bring them in.

What I came up with is the EAGLE CLAW LAZER SHARP OFFSET KAHLE hooks. The sizes that I was thinking of were:

6/0 Kahle hook: For the rods that will be casted in wash behind the shore break. 

--> size of the 6/0 hook: http://cgi.ebay.com/EAGLE-CLAW-6-0-...877?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230a633fa5


3/0 Kahle hook: For the bigger rods that I have.

--> Size of the 3/0 hook: http://cgi.ebay.com/EAGLE-CLAW-3-0-...368?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255dc6a0f0

I was thinking that it was ckeaper to buy them from brass pro:
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s..._47504_100010000_100000000_100010000_100-10-0


What do you guys think? Is this the best type of hooks and sizes to get?

Thanks,
Stan


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## RoryGoggin (Jan 6, 2005)

Circle hooks. The fish sets the hook, you reel in the fish. Rairly any guthooks. 

Size depends on the size of the mouth of your target fish and the size of your bait.

Spot = #6
Croaker = #4
Puppy Drum = 2 to 2/0

Bull Drum 6/0 to 10/0

As sort of a guide.

But it's all a matter of opinion. . . and we know everyone has one of those too.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Those are way to big for most things you'll catch during an afternoon with the kids. Try #4 or 2 kahle hooks or some 1/0 or 2/0 Eagle Claw Circle Sea L197 circle hooks. I'd go with kahles cause there's a bit of a learning curve with the circles and really don't have many gut hooks with the kahles. They hit hard and will usually hook themselves, if not a small pull when you pick up the rod will usually drive it home. No need to Bill Dance it.


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## DennyR (Aug 24, 2008)

Like RoryGoggin said, we all have an opinion. I've taken a lot of people surf fishing for the first time and have always used cirlcle hooks successfully. They've been described as the perfect hook for old ladies and little kids because they are (for the most part) self setting. I find it easier to teach some one not to yank back on the pole than to teach them exactly when to do it. Again a matter of opinion, but I've found Owner hooks to be consistently sharper right out of the package. 2/0s and 4/0s would handle most of what you are likely to encounter in the afternoon, I would think.


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

Great help, thanks! With circle hooks, I read that you have to bait them so that they don't 'spin'. I have no idea what that means?? I like the idea of the perfect hook for old ladies and kids. I am a very poor fisherman.......


Best Regards,
Stan


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Manlystanley said:


> Great help, thanks! With circle hooks, I read that you have to bait them so that they don't 'spin'. I have no idea what that means?? I like the idea of the perfect hook for old ladies and kids. I am a very poor fisherman.......
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> Stan


 I have fished many piers with youngen in tow.. Kayle hook will work fine.. If you go to most tackle shops they will have pretied bottom rigs.. Look for the pretied "pompano rig" by seastriker.. Not have much experience,as you say you do not,this is an easy way to do it and it works well on most species of bottomfish..


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

This has been a great help, thanks! I think that I'll go with the #4 and #2 kahle hooks. Then I'll get a few circles as backups--in cas the kahle's down't work out.


I found a link to the different types of seastriker pompano rigs:

http://shop.seastriker.com/pompanorigs.html

I have some time before my 7 November trip to OBX, so I'm thinking about typing all the rigs myself. I take it that a pompano rig is:

-- A bottom swivel clip for the sinker.
-- A top swivel.
-- Then the bottom clip and top swivel is tied on with some thing like a Surgeon's Loop.
-- THen off the loop is long line for the hook.


A couple of quick questions:

-- How long should the line be between the top swivel and the bottom clip??
-- Should I use a orange bead next to the hook or a float to keep the hooks awaw from the crabs??
-- How long should the hook line be??

Thanks for your help!!

Best Regards,
Stan


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

Manlystanley said:


> This has been a great help, thanks! I think that I'll go with the #4 and #2 kahle hooks. Then I'll get a few circles as backups--in cas the kahle's down't work out.
> 
> 
> I found a link to the different types of seastriker pompano rigs:
> ...


I tie mine with 20# - 25# pink Ande. I tie double surgeon loops for the sinker and the hook traces. The bottom trace is about 8" from the sinker loop, the top trace is about 12" above the bottom trace then I tie a barrel swivel 8" above the top trace. My traces are about 3-4".......make sure you wet all knots and pull them tight.

I am a firm believer in using a teaser (bead). Most of the time I use an orange bead but I also try one set-up with a "special" bead combination that mimics the color of coquina clams AND orange roe sacks of sandfleas. It is deadly ;-)


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

Just to make sure I understand, this is what your talking about, correct??


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

Manlystanley said:


> Just to make sure I understand, this is what your talking about, correct??


Yes......but I prefer a uni-knot to a clinch knot


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

As a dumb question, shouldn't the rig line be the same as my shock leader? So, if my shock leader is 50# shouldn't I make the rig line 50# as well??

Best Regards,
Stan


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

You don't need a 50# or any other shock leader for a two hook bottom rig. Same test as running line or as said, 20 to 25# is fine.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

Manlystanley said:


> As a dumb question, shouldn't the rig line be the same as my shock leader? So, if my shock leader is 50# shouldn't I make the rig line 50# as well??
> 
> Best Regards,
> Stan


I don't use a shock leader with a 2 hook bottom rig because I fish with light tackle and I don't try to launch my rig to Bermuda. I mainly fish with a 3oz sinker on top of a sandbar 25-50 yards from my feet.


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## Manlystanley (Sep 22, 2010)

DrumintheSuds said:


> I don't use a shock leader with a 2 hook bottom rig because I fish with light tackle and I don't try to launch my rig to Bermuda. I mainly fish with a 3oz sinker on top of a sandbar 25-50 yards from my feet.



Good point! As a couple more questions:

Are we talking about the same surgeon knots. A web site says that the surgeon is for joining cut lines: 

http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeo...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Wouldn't it be best to use a doppler loop: 

http://www.animatedknots.com/droppe...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Then tie the uni-knot to the loop??



*******

Then as a last question (at least I hope) what size of Barrel swivel and Barrel swivel with snap do I need??

Barrel swivel:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...100000000_100010000?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL

Barrel swivel with snap:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

wdbrand said:


> You don't need a 50# or any other shock leader for a two hook bottom rig. Same test as running line or as said, 20 to 25# is fine.


This. No shock leader. 25 lb mono max. 14 or 17 main line or 20-25 lb leader material. Most guys down here just tie 3 widely spaced loops in their main line. The top 2 get hooks, the bottom gets a sinker looped on. Very successful. 

Also for your other questions, there's a surgeon's loop (forms a loop) and a surgeon's knot (joins 2 lines). Use the loop, or even a dropper loop if you like it. The surgeon's loop is faster and holds just fine as long as you cinch it down really tight. 

I wouldn't get those swivels. I don't like the ones that have an eye formed by wraps. Also if you tie your rig the way I mentioned, in your main line, you don't need any swivels or snaps.


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't know why, but I've had no luck with circle hooks. Maybe I'm accustomed to setting the hook after 30yrs of freshwater fishing...which is way before we started having all these different types of hooks. I try all types of hooks and I like "J"s for small baits/panfish and offset or circle hooks for cut bait/game fish.

I'm not sure how just reeling will allow you to set a hook? With small bait and a circle hook you have to worry about the hook fitting in the fishes mouth. The other issue that I have with just reeling is that I use pyramid sinkers and there is a decent amount of resistance from the top of the sinker (the square surface with the metal hoop) especially if the current is running away from you.

My rigs are close to the same ManlyStanley uses, but I use a barrel swivel w/clip to attach the sinker. I do this because I switch sinkers depending on the current and weight requirement. I also use a loop at the top of my rig instead of tying directly to my line. At the end of my line is also a barrel swivel. The main line barrel swivel allows me to take the whole rig off. It allows me to store the rig in my tackle box after a day of fishing (no snagging it in my car, flesh, etc), I can change rigs quickly (between two hook or float type rigs) and it also allows me to loose the rig in order to attach a plug/lure.


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## DennyR (Aug 24, 2008)

I've seen some interesting replies in this thread. I thought ANYBODY could use a circle hook to catch ANYTHING. I've stopped using anything else. I have no complaints at all about them. Blues, flounder, spanish, drum, pomps, dogfish, skates, and even a few reasonable size sharks. It is hard to imagine a hook easier to use. I've used 1/0 up to 8/0 sizes depending on how ambitious I was feeling. I thought they worked great. And now I find people who have trouble with them. Shows what I know. Interesting.


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

i use circles when i am dead sticking bait with the kids around and i'm playing with them, etc. rod with a soft tip, some mono that stretches, and a sinker to provide some resistance will set the circle every time...i just walk over when i see my rod tip bending or newly straight up with slack in the line and a fish is on every time. if you are having trouble with circles you can switch to kahles which is like a hybrid circle that you can still set hard if you like, but will also set itself if you have a soft tip rod & fish that hits it hard and runs like a pomp.


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## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

RoryGoggin said:


> Circle hooks. The fish sets the hook, you reel in the fish. Rairly any guthooks.
> 
> Size depends on the size of the mouth of your target fish and the size of your bait.
> 
> ...


So right. Teach a kid to fight the fish and as they get older, they will learn how to catch them.


Manlystanley said:


> Great help, thanks! With circle hooks, I read that you have to bait them so that they don't 'spin'. I have no idea what that means?? I like the idea of the perfect hook for old ladies and kids. I am a very poor fisherman.......
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> Stan


I have never had a spin problem.


DennyR said:


> I've seen some interesting replies in this thread. I thought ANYBODY could use a circle hook to catch ANYTHING. I've stopped using anything else. I have no complaints at all about them. Blues, flounder, spanish, drum, pomps, dogfish, skates, and even a few reasonable size sharks. It is hard to imagine a hook easier to use. I've used 1/0 up to 8/0 sizes depending on how ambitious I was feeling. I thought they worked great. And now I find people who have trouble with them. Shows what I know. Interesting.


Old dogs, new tricks. As someone that has been Joked for new ideas/better ways/safety.etc all my life. I got ALL of that FISHING. I new a couple that the husband was at least 6'5", his wife was less than 4'(polio), and it worked for them. Taught me that different can work. New is not always bad. Use the circles. (All hooks spin in the wind /current depending on the bait.) ENJOY


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## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

For beginners hooks no smaller than #6 or bigger than 1/0. I would not want to fight a that takes bigger than 1/0 if a beginner. For example on, Topsail to kure beaches I have caught citation whiting and citation pomps using a 7' rod 12# test with 2oz. sinker and 2 drop loops tied direct on mainline and snelled 6" long leader and #6 circle hooks. You reall don't need a big hook to land good size (2 plus lbs.) fish!!!


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