Here are some broad hints on hooks:

• Wide gap hooks are good when using large bait. You do not have to go up a hook size.
• Circle Hooks are particularly good for hookups without a violent hook and for reduced fish mortality.
• Diamond point hooks are very sharp. Use them when you don't sharpen yourself; however, they are very hard to sharpen once them become dull.

Circle hooks are showing more and more advantage over more typical hooks. They offer the following advantages.

• Circle hooks lower fish mortality due to being deep hooked. They are as much as 10 times better than standard hooks.
• Circle hooks nearly eliminate foul hooking fish is some circumstances.
• Circle hooks are great for hooking fish and keeping them hooked. They are as much as twice as efficient at bringing in fish as standard in some circumstances.
• Circle hooks are easier to set for less aggressive fish because of the circles natural tendency to twists in fish's mouth once bitten.
• Diamond point hooks are very sharp. Use them when you don't sharpen yourself; however, they are very hard to sharpen once them become dull.

Conservationists are urging the use of circle hooks over standard hooks because the design results in many more mouth hooks and many fewer throat and gut hooks. This dramatically increases the fish’s chance of survival after release. Icing on the cake is the fact that circle hooks produce higher catch rates, higher hook rates, ease of retrieving the hook after catch, and less snags on structure during certain bottom fishing. Beginning fishers will also benefit; it has been said “little kids and little old ladies never miss with circle hooks.”

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