New Striper hook rules in Maine

[FishermanTim]

I haven't used a "J" style hook for baitfishing for close to 10 years.
I don't know what the problem is regarding the use of circle hooks.
They are easy to use and catch just as many RELEASABLE fish as "J" hooks.
However the reverse cannot be said, that "J" hooks are gut-hooked as much as circle hooks.
When I used "J" hooks, being able to release a fish unharmed was uncertain because you never knew where the hook would end up in the fish. Circle hooks are almost ALWAYS found in the corners of the mouth when used properly.

Any steps we take, even "baby steps", to help reduce fish mortality and increase the fish numbers will be a good thing.

[spinncognito]

I don't know. I do not do as much chunking as I used to but to me, a big part of bait fishing is the act of setting the hook. With circle hooks you lose that important aspect of fishing. I can agree with circle hooks for those who sand-spike or dead-stick as this leaves too much time for a fish to inhale and swallow a bait. But for me, the real thrill is "feeling" that pick-up and waiting a few seconds before setting the hook. That involves skill and technique, circle hooks reduces it to "reel in and land" which takes the fun out of it- at least for me.

[DZ]

Originally Posted by spinncognito

I don't know. I do not do as much chunking as I used to but to me, a big part of bait fishing is the act of setting the hook. With circle hooks you lose that important aspect of fishing. I can agree with circle hooks for those who sand-spike or dead-stick as this leaves too much time for a fish to inhale and swallow a bait. But for me, the real thrill is "feeling" that pick-up and waiting a few seconds before setting the hook. That involves skill and technique, circle hooks reduces it to "reel in and land" which takes the fun out of it- at least for me.

You got it Spin - it will be interesting fishing a "riggie" equipped with circles. I envision lots of "swing and miss" sets.

Thing that scares me most is the precedent this might set. By 2015 you might only be able to fly fish in Maine with a barbless hook no larger than size 2. Too much goverment for me.

PETA will be all over this and push for more.

DZ

[Rockfish9]

Maine is just the first state... other states have been talking about circle hooks for years.. it's coming.. and I'm fine with that.... .... I only use J hooks for eel fishing... circles just dont cut it... at season end, you will have hooked far more eels than you do bass.. about 2:1... I've tried them several times over a period of years , and use them for everything else EXCEPT eels...and I gut hook very few bass, most are hooked in the roof or side of the mouth... I havent used a treble in a Mackerel for years, I came up with a sliding hook rig that I use with a pair of 8/0 circles that works awesome... I dont fish cut bait, so that is not an issue... as much as i like the keel effect of two belly hooks on my plugs, being a plug maker, I can adapt...whatever it takes for the health of the fishery is fine by me... now if we can only stop the waste that goes on on the wintering and spawning grounds.. we'd be onto something...