Circle Hooks Lower Catch Rate for Offshore Anglers, Impacting Recreational Fishing

circle hooks excel with bait. not lures. lures hook fish on the first strike, bill fish dont inhale a trolled lure or bait. they swat at it and usually get hooked on the lower bill. now swordfish tournaments that are all nighters and people fishing baits down deep while anchored, they should work well, but not trolling.

also they suck for sturgeon, batrays and carp and im sure other fish with similar mouth. i use them for shark, yellowtail and seabass and never had a problem.

I use circle hooks using live/natural bait for everything except mackerel which I use treble hooks for and sheepshead which I use small light wire live bait hooks. My trigger fish rigs may or may not use the same hooks I use for sheepshead...

Ive not had any issues using circle hooks with live or natural bait and in fact I prefer them.

Artificials are a totally different story. Im no billfisherman but I have no clue how its possible to hook a marlin on a trolled rig at 10knots. None of my artificials for reds and trout or any other fish for that matter have circle hooks.