Well, what are you using?
I mainly use Gamakatsu 4/0 and 5/0 circles (offest), but I am going to try some 2/0 and 3/0 ones tonight. I also briefly used some Mustad Demon circles last year without an offset. They worked fine, but I broke one on a big fish, so I lost a little faith in them.
Anyone not use circles? Do you have to worry about hooking them deep? I have exclusively used circle hooks, but a J hook might be fun, if deep-hooking is not an issue.
All I useare 3/0 gamakatsu Circle hooks. The 2/0 seems too small, and the 4/0 is a heavier wire hook that for whatever reason seems to reduce the hookup ratio for me. The 3/0 also seems to be the perfect hook for shad, it doesnt tear them up. Hook in through the eye socket, and out the gill plate on the opposite side.. single hook and they stay on great.
I have had problems with deep hooking fish with J hooks. The way the sturgeon’s mouth is designed, its very difficult to get the hook out once its not exposed.. even if its not a gut hook. Circles 100% for my boat.
I’ve use 2/0 circles and Octopus hooks. This year I’ve gone to the 4/0 Gama circles. In the past, my only concern was “light wire” which made it easier for the LS to vacuum up the bait.
My reasoning behind switching was from a biggun that got away last year. The hook came out. Now I have no way of knowing if there was a good hook set in the first place, but in looking at the 2/0 Gamakatsu hooks, the wire is pretty thin. I’ve never had one break, but I’m a bit concerned that the thin wire will pull or should I say RIP out of a big sturgeons mouth. I know the 2/0’s work fine for 99% of the fish…but we had one last year that just didn’t stop taking line out…to the point of lifting the anchor because I was worried about getting spooled… when the hook came free.
I’m hoping that if we get a shot at Mr. Big this year, the thicker wire will help hold on. At least that’s my hope!
I’ve never seen a “gut hooked” sturgeon. Then again I’ve never used a plain J hook. I think if you’re watching your rod and line close enough, gut hooking wouldn’t be a problem. Small fish and not watching the rod/line would be a issue with both a circle or a J…IMO.
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I’m hoping that if we get a shot at Mr. Big this year, the thicker wire will help hold on. At least that’s my hope!
Let’s find out Friday 
I’ve really downsized my sturgeon gear. I’m using spinning gear with the reels spooled with 30# test HiVis PowerPro. My preferred setup is about a 24″ leader with a 1/0 Octopus circle hook. I use light wire hooks which are nice for nightcrawlers and thin slices of sucker cut bait. I don’t worry about straightening out hooks because I keep a light to medium drag setting on the reels and it is not enough of a strain to break a line or straighten out a hook.
I tie the hooks to the leader with a good snell knot. I’ve been using 5/8 oz Flat Spoon sinkers for weight and I hook them on a size 1/0 or size 1 snap swivel which I run through my main line just above the leader snap swivel. This way the line runs through the sinker swivel and does not telegraph any weight to the fish. I use large snap swivels for my sinker and my leader so I can change weights or hook setups in the dark without having to retie.
I’ve also come way off on my drag settings. In my opinion, most lost fish are from pulling the hooks loose. The sturgeon spots I fish are relatively clear of debris and I don’t need to stop a fish or horse a fish in any way. I just keep a nice tight line and let the fish tire himself out. My biggest concern when fighting a fish is the anchor rope. Anchor ropes seem to be some kind of sturgeon magnet.
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Anchor ropes seem to be some kind of sturgeon magnet.
Ain’t that the truth!
#4 Gammi circles for me. As long as they work, I have no need to go lighter and risk a broken hook when big momma shows up.
Here’s my thought on “going light”.
For the heck of it I took my 6’6 med action graphite “bass” casting pole spooled up with 8/30 or 10/40 PP on Sun.
I knew one of the poles was going to be hand held all day, and those fiberglass monstroids I have can get heavy.
I was hooking and catching fish with no problems with the hand pole….until I hooked a 42″. A 42″ fish is not big by any means,
and I fought it for about 10-15 minutes at times having zero control over the fish due to the light drag setting and no lifting power.
A 50″ inch fight would have been tenfold and I don’t even want to think about a 60.
My thoughts are that, if I can’t turn an average size fish, then I’m undersized.
I’ll be purchasing a heavier action graphite pole for my second “hand held” pole. I just don’t think it’s good to be overfighting any fish, clean water or not.
I have a lot of confidence in the 3/0 gamakatsu hooks. We got a low 50″ fish into the boat on saturday with the drag setting way too tight from my fishing partner. A 280# fisherman hlding onto a heavy action rod managed to get the fish to the boat in just a couple minutes… I have never seen a big rod bend so far 
When *Mr Big* does hit.. I dont think its really going to make a difference on how heavy your gear is, that fish is not going to come in until its good and ready.
We have straitened out 10/0 gamakatsu’s on flatheads… I am not ready to start using a 15/0, or 3X circle and sacrifice bites just in case that big one might hit, and I can hook it to a winch if I want to.
3/0 gamakatsu’s put several 60″+ fish in my boat last year. I might switch up to a 5/0 if I were to put out an unusually large piece of bait in hopes for Dickey-Moe.. but that would be about it.
I use kahle 5-0. I pinch the barb down. I set and 99% it’s in the lip. They are easy to pull out. I rarely lose a fish. I tried circles but they can remove the crawlers before you wait for them to move with the bait.
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