Diver and Bait

I don’t fish this way so I don't know if they will work. Would circle hooks work when fishing with a diver and bait? It would drastically cut down on the mortality of wild fish.

[Mojo]

Keta,
You are on to something here. Seriously, the guys that complain about gill/gullet hooked fish, probably every on was hooked on an octopus style hook. I'll bet circle hooks work. Would you go with a larger size (2/0 or 3/0) and a glob of eggs? Maybe one of the guides could do a little experiment?

[Fishin Magician]

The fish is still going to inhale the bait. As soon as it turns on the bait it will get hooked regardless of either style. I applaud you in looking for a happy medium, however there is really no place for this method of fishing in any stream or river where wild fish are present and are required to be released.

JB

[Fishing Maniac]

I don't think it really matters what hook you are using...if they swallow the bait which many do they have a high probability of dying before they spawn. Personally I don't use diver and bait after about the middle of January as I just can't justify killing a native for the sake of a hatchery fish. For that matter I don't use bait that often even during the peak of the hatchery run as I really don't think you need it.

[Ramstrong]

The whole point of a circle hook is to try and get the fish to swallow the hook. The hook winds up in the corner of the jaw when they turn.

Keta, the only concern I'd have is the action of the diver may interfere with the hook catching the corner of the jaw. Also the diver is at a pretty flat angle to the boat. All of my circle hook fishing has been below the boat. How well do they hook without the fish being beneath you? It could lead to a lot of missed fish, but it also could be just the answer to the diver and bait problem.

FM and FM,
Circle hooks are made to be swallowed and then pull out, hooking well over 90% of the time in the jaw. I WILL NOT fish with divers and bait, but in the interest of saving fish I tossed this idea out.

Mojo,
3/0 look a bit big, I was thinking #2-1/0. I have some that I am thing of trying for bank fishing on Klamath Lake with dead minnows for bait.

Ram,
Someone should try it when there are hatchery fish in the river and report back. Better to loose a few fish than kill a wild fish you can't keep.

[ 02-20-2004, 10:31 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[Fishing Maniac]

Keta,

I commend you for looking for an alternative that would allow people to use this method to lower the kill rate on fish but even if they did work 95% of the time, I'm still not willing to take that outside chance on killing a nate. Let us know how the research goes.

0% mortality for C&R would be nice but it's not possable :depressed: , no mater what gear you are using.

Banning and bait is also an option.

Report Back :smile:

[Mojo]

Hey if this works we'll immortalize it by calling it the Keta. You know... "well saturday we got 6 on the Keta", or We're going to Keta the fish this weekend... :grin:

[Mojo]

Keta,
Next fall when the "A"-run fish are getting thick on the Clearwater I'll give it a try. I know a lot of the guides up there are running bait and divers right now(these are mostly hatchery fish folks, don't get too riled up). I'll suggest trying it to Kip, next time I see him.

Might give it a go on Springers too, just for kicks.