Circle Hooks on Tip-ups

Hello,

Curious who uses circle hooks on set lines (tip up or rod with open bail). I am primarly a C&R guy, but would like for my kids to be able to catch more bigger fish and tip ups seem to make that happen. I’ve heard of people using cicle hooks to reduce gut hooking fish compared to quick strike rigs.

looking for feedback, rigging tips and hooksetting tips. Thanks

Sureset Trebles. May be tough to find but they are the best I have used

X2…Sure Set trebles are the only hooks needed on a tip up

I’m a big fan of Circles for Just about any live bait application on ice. try and find gamakatasu off set circle hooks in size 8 for smaller fatheads, and size 6 or 4 for shiners or smaller suckers. it’s important to use a Snell knot when tying these onto the line for the hook to work properly. i use a 12 lb fluoru leader and don’t get bit off too much. for tip ups / rattle reels just hold the line taught and the fish should hook it’s self when swimming away. this is a great set line system, put a rod in a sturdy holder and rig a live bait below a float, peel off a littel extra line so the fish has time to swallow the bait while pulling down the float, it will load the rod and hook itself. just loosen the drag a little for fish that hit hard and run right away. this works great with jingle bells attached to the rod, spread within earshot around other holes you’re fishing

I used to use them but ended up loosing too many with them. I went to sureset trebles and the Bigtooth prerigged quick strike rigs for big pike. I’ve really been happy with those.

If you can find sure set’s that is great. Otherwise I would go with any gamakatasu? hook but I think that trebles work better than circles on tip ups.

Not sure what state your in but if your running multiple lines try different things out you will find what works best for you.

I’ve never used circle hooks for tip ups but have used them for Lindy rigging for a more than a decade. I have more gut hooked fish with the offset ones so I use ones with the everything inline. The hook needs a big enough gap to hook up consistently. I learned that one day on Rainy when I missed 9 out of 10 bites until I changed to a larger gap circle hook. I don’t see why they would be good on tip ups for walleyes. I wouldn’t use them for pike.

Good ol’ Kahle is better and as safe as a circle.

There are some circle hooks that look like a Kahle with the hook tip turned in. Those are the ones that I was having trouble with. Regular Kahles are the hooks my dad always used ice fishing for pike with good results.

Circles are meant for a slow engagement.
Think reeling slowly as your rod bends slowly vs setting the hook.

Rattle reel line tends to have no stretch. Be gentle and slow when engaging that hook for best results.