Circle hooks for stripers

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Two of the most serious year round Striper fly fishers I know, Andy Guibord and Jim Christensen, are fishing circle hooks most of the time for Stripers.

The big benefit is not loosing so many flies to snags in the rivers and Delta.

Be sure to come by the shop and have a serious talk with them about this.

We are having Galen Geller tie up some special Clousers with circle hooks as we speak.

We have Mustad and Gamikatsu circle hooks in stock.

PS: You don't have to use them if you don't want to.

[SullyTM]

Hi Bill...What sizes do you have and what is the pricing? Also, do you carry Swimming Nymph Hooks? Thanks. Thom

[Darian]

Hey Thom,..... You fishin' a swimmin' nymph for Stripers Somehow I can't envision Indo- or Czech Nymphing for Stripers.

[SullyTM]

Darian...About the only fishin' I've been doing lately is more of the Goldfish cracker kind ...However, this weekend is supposed to be NICE!!. I came across some swimming nymph hook patterns and thought they might be a nice addition to my hook box...Don't know if Bill has them or can get them...My local shop doesn't have either the swimming or circle...I can bend a straight shank hook but the integrity of it might be compromised?! Thom

P.S. Don't forget, one more week in the May Swap

[k.hanley]

Say hey Bill,
I know Andy has been a real advocate of this design for a few years now. This past season he and I fished these circles almost every cast. It took me a while to learn how to back off a bit, before setting the hook. It's very impressive to see how they take hold of the stripe via the corner of their mouth. There wasn't one deep hook incident (unlike "J" hook designs). As a bonus, we worked the circles around heavy cover just like they were weedless... pretty cool. I believe the circle hook design isn't for all species of gamefish... but... they are a great marriage for river stripers in California. I certainly will carry them in my field collection.
Cheers, Ken

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks for the feedback Ken.

I think it is very interesting. By looking at them, they don't look like they would hook fish very well.

Jim and Andy say the most important thing for them is not loosing as many flies.