Usage notes on Circle and Kahle hooks for bluegills. Not too good.

[Questor]

I tried Gamakatsu #8 and #6 octopus circle hooks and Laser Sharp #12 Kahle hooks for use on bluegills. My experience is consistent with the fisheries research that has been done on these when used with bluegills when fishing with nightcrawler parts:

1) The goal was to reduce deep hooking. The result was that deep hooking increased when compared to a #4 light wire Aberdeen hook. In the case of the circle hooks, I think this is attributable to the need to wait longer before starting to reel in the circle hooks. The fish have more opportunity to swallow the hook. I don't know what it's getting hooked on down there, but about half the fish hooked with circle hooks were hooked deep.

All of the fish hooked on the Kahle hooks were hooked deep.

2) Many of the fish hooked with the larger circle hook were hooked through the eye, allowing the release of a blinded fish.

3) The hooking percentage with the smaller #8 circle hook was very low. Hooking percentage with the larger #6 circle hook was much better. Hooking percentage with the Kahle was excellent, and comparable to the results with the #4 Aberdeens.

Conclusion: Keep using the Aberdeens. Or use a jig to reduce deep hooking. If I strike immediately I can usually hook the fish before it takes the hook deep into its gullet.