Ten years ago, few anglers were even aware of the circle hook. Then, BAM, they were everywhere. But what are they? When and how do you fish them? Why should you consider making the switch? These questions cross every angler’s mind when they first hear of new gear, and the circle hook is no different.

What is a circle hook? Once you see one, it is hard to confuse it with any other design. Unlike the J hook, with its long, straight shank and u-shaped bend, the circle hook bend starts immediately below the eye. A wide, deep bend ends with a tip bent inward towards the shank. Instead of a “J” shape, you end up with a “C” or “G” shape.

The circle hook may be relatively new to the recreational fishing scene, but that doesn’t mean it is new to fishing. The design was initially developed for commercial longline fishing and soon became stable among longliners. Why? Because, unlike recreational fishing, longlining involves setting a line with thousands of hooks and leaving it–think giant trot line. The circle hook doesn’t require a hook set — the fish does all the work. The fishermen must return, pull the line, and remove the catch.

This same feature makes the circle hook well-suited for recreational fishing. If you use bait, the circle hook sets itself in the corner of the fish’s mouth once tension is applied — no need for a hard jerk. Setting the hook like a standard J hook will increase the chances the fish escapes. Just lift the rod tip, remove the slack, and reel. The round shape of the circle hook causes it to roll to the corner of the mouth, and the bent tip helps prevent the hook from being thrown. But these same features make it far easier to remove the hook once the fish has landed.

Circle hooks really shine when practicing catch-and-release. Because the design almost always hooks the fish in the corner of their mouth, there is very little damage and a very high survival rate. As I said earlier, hook removal is so easy that it rarely requires tools.

Due to the increased survival rate, many states have started to require circle hooks when fishing with bait on certain waters. Pennsylvania and the Delaware River are examples, where circle hooks are required when fishing with live or cut bait due to the large number of striped bass.

Speaking of regulations, if you are fishing in an area where circle hooks are required, you will most likely also need to ensure they are non-offset. There are two slightly different types of circle hooks — offset and non-offset. Offset hooks have the tip bent slightly to one side, while non-offset hooks have a tip that aligns with the shank. Regardless of the presence of regulations, I prefer non-offset hooks and use them whenever possible.

Although you cannot use circle hooks for every species and in every situation, they are by no means limited to saltwater applications. They can be used for almost any game fish that swallows or inhales their food. They will not work for nibbling fish because the hook must be fully in the mouth to work. The only other limiting factor is having the proper hook size. A few years ago, circle hooks were only readily available in large sizes. Now, you can find them in various sizes and wire strengths that will match almost any fishing application. I will even be using some this trout season.