How do you cat and sturgeon guys solve this problem? The line can get caught where the eye meets the shank. I’ve never broke off but I dont want to deal with it anymore either. I was thinking a dab of superglue maybe?
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I am no sturgeon fisherman but I have used hooks like that in the past and kept cutting the line due to it.
so, I soldered the joint shut and no more problems.
Snell knot
I get the snell knot deal, but for the type of fishing I’m doing I’ll stick with braid and a palamar knot for now.
A dab of super glue, paint, epoxy, whatever you can get to build up the area and stick. At times when I had nothing else I’ve even taken a length of line and tied a couple Palomar knots with short /no tag ends onto the eye to keep the knot from slipping toward the gap. That worked great just not great looking, but I doubt a fish cares…
Jb weld works too
Use 30,40,or50# big game mono for your leader. Easier on fish too when they roll. I snell most all cat/sturgeon rigs for 25% more hookups.
Spilt ring thru the hook eye, then tie to the split ring?
Use 30,40,or50# big game mono for your leader. Easier on fish too when they roll. I snell most all cat/sturgeon rigs for 25% more hookups.
So, I like using braid for everything up till the fish is on, then I wish I had mono on for the forgiveness. Can a short section of 50# big game leader take the stress of a braid main line and the pressure of a huge fish?
Why do I ask? This past weekend my buddy lost the biggest sturgeon I’ve ever seen due to 80# braid breaking at the hook (I think). It tried jumping and got his head out of the water. The fish was a true whale. I had him tie me his knot (palomar) after and he did it correctly. Trying to do everything possible to not have that happen again 
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40# mono is easily tougher than 80# braid. The downside is you still have a knot in the braid somewhere. This is better than using regular line for leaders. https://www.amazon.com/Berkley-Trilene-Game-Mono-Leaders/dp/B0036DU9JA/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=leader+line&qid=1633988130&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-7
Happy fishing.
My biggest issue with hooks! 
I keep a tight drag and have lost some nice fish due to the gap issue. You think you break off, then you reel in only to find a little loop at the end. Maddening…
Trokar hooks have a welded eye and I have switched over to them for a couple of years now. I was using the TK9 Kahle for Flats/Live Bait, but Eagle Claw recently discontinued everything bigger than 5/0 in that model so when I run out, I’m going to have to either downsize to that 5/0 or find an alternative, but they work great. They are spendy hooks though.
Also, after using them extensively I’ve concluded that the AP TK5 (all purpose) is the best circle hook I’ve ever used. In fact, even though I’m not a fan of circles and Flatheads, I may experiment with the 9/0 version with live baits next year. The Tk5 blows away every other circle hooke I’ve used. The next best I found was the Gammakatsu Octopus circle, but I was literally cycling through packs of those due to bent or broken tips. They are very sharp, but only lasted about an average of 5 fish for me and straight to the trash.
Sorry, long answer, but I’ve also struggled with the hook gap and have tried work arounds with hit and miss success. Welded eyes are the answer, and especially for cut bait and sturgeon, I highly recommend the Trokar Tk5 and I personally use 6/0 for Sturgeon.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
Use 30,40,or50# big game mono for your leader. Easier on fish too when they roll. I snell most all cat/sturgeon rigs for 25% more hookups.So, I like using braid for everything up till the fish is on, then I wish I had mono on for the forgiveness. Can a short section of 50# big game leader take the stress of a braid main line and the pressure of a huge fish?
Why do I ask? This past weekend my buddy lost the biggest sturgeon I’ve ever seen due to 80# braid breaking at the hook (I think). It tried jumping and got his head out of the water. The fish was a true whale. I had him tie me his knot (palomar) after and he did it correctly. Trying to do everything possible to not have that happen again
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You’ll get a small amount of shock absorption. But what you really get is a line that is less fragile to sharp objects. You’ll get a knot that don’t slip into the eyelet gap. If you shell you’ll get increased hook ups and with a snell it’ll never run into the eyelet gap.
Did I mention it is way easier on fish that roll on the line too.
Darren, I love my 10/0 circles for flatheads for CUT BAIT only on a tight drag.
I don’t do that type of fishing but I like the VMC hooks that have the coating on the eye.
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