Best halibut hooks??? Circle, Big River, Octopus, or treble ???

I had a few great days fishing this past weekend.  From Thursday through Sunday I got limits everyday and lost 1 fish.  Monday was a different story, I completely missed 4 solid bites using circle hooks??? Thursday and Friday I was using 16/0 Big Rivers (lost one fish at the boat) and Saturday I stitched over to 16/0-18/0 circle hooks just to try something different and the circle hooks performed awesome with no fish lost. Just wondering what everyone is using, have you tried all styles, and what's your opinions.

I went 3 for 3 during the Neah Bay opening weekend this year on 9/0 BRB hooks. I'll be using them again.

I went 3 for 3 during the Neah Bay opening weekend this year on 9/0 BRB hooks. I'll be using them again.

BRBs! I did 2/2 with 8/0s.

BRB's? Big Rivers?

Got it figured out...Big Rivers are what I've always used since they came out, just wondering if they will bend on a 60-100lb butt

The 9/0 ones seemed to have held up just fine for both of the ~80 lb fish I caught. Not sure about prolonged use - further testing is needed.

Got it figured out...Big Rivers are what I've always used since they came out, just wondering if they will bend on a 60-100lb butt

Yep, Big River Bait hooks. A few weeks ago Jeff and Mark brought in fish that were right up against the 100# mark and the hooks did well. They can comment if they saw if there was any bending after the fact.

Copy that....Are you using crimps?

I know I am going to get opposition but I have said this before and I will say it again.  If you want to land halibut consistently and not miss strikes from a kayak, at least he way I fish, the circle hooks is a terrible option. 


You have to understand how a circle hook works.  Oh, and you also have to have been stupid enough to insert your entire hand into a halibut's mouth while trying to remove the hook.  They can crush your hand like a vise. 

They work fine when anchored to the bottom of an ocean or attached to a rod on a 5,000 pound boat.  As the halibut moves away, there is enough resistance that the hooks starts pulling out of its mouth, while orienting itself correctly, them it grabs the corner and punches through. 

It's not going to happen when the halibut has a vise grip on your bait and is just taking off.  It will hold the bait for a very long time.  Then at the surface or somewhere in between it opens its mouth and its gone.  A lot of the PNW guys probably have witnessed the same thing with big lings attached to their rockfish they had just hooked. 

Do circle hooks work.  Yes.  For me about 80% of the time.  I hear if you "bridal" the bait to the hook, i.e


The hook up ratio increase dramatically.  If I ever use circle hooks again, this is the only way I am going to do it.  I also will likely use smaller circle hooks.  Once again, the force required to punch through some of the pencil diamter Circle hooks I think is too much. 

But given my hooked to landed ratio is about 99% on halibut using large J-hooks and I rarely gut hook a fish, I am sticking to J-hooks.  I like the 12/0 Gamatsu Big River hooks sneeld with an egg loop knot to 200 pound mono. 

I think I can say I have NEVER lost a halibut due to the hook Big River hooks EVER.  All my "lost" halibut I think were using salmon hooks. It will  happen, barely hooked around the lips, snagged or whatever.  But it hasn't happened yet. 

I'll put the Big River J-Hooks up against an unbridled baited circle hook any day.  If I changed my style, maybe its different.  But at this moment and time, ,my advice is to stay away from the circle hooks.  It WILL break your heart when a big fish has just clamped on to your bait and then let's go. 

Here's an example I got on tape.  It's at the 1;30 mark if it doesn't cue up.
https://youtu.be/qUCBotkT75E?t=1m29s

Copy that....Are you using crimps?

I use 300# leaders so I do crimp mine.

I can snell hooks up to 200lbs.  I've had too many crimps fail..espcially the ones I didn't do myself.  But I have had those come out too.  Operator error I am sure.

That clamping action probably explained yesterday cause all of the hits were fast and solid with an immediate run then nothing. Definitely makes since they were just grabbing it and spitting it out. The other weird part was they only hit it once and didn't come back.

I used 150 lb because that's what I had laying around but I'll probably step it up to 200 lb next time. I tied my hooks with an egg loop Snell.

Lost two this last weekend on circle hooks...but brought in two for two on Big River hooks. I think ill stay away from circle hooks

Big Rivers it is then.....