Aim

To compare the mortality of fish hooked using circle hooks, j-hooks and lures.

A hooking mortality experiment on silver perch was conducted at the Grafton Research Facility during November 2001, whereby silver perch were captured by rod and reel by three researchers, simulating typical angling practices in an aquaculture pond. The aim of the study was to compare the percentage mortality of fish hooked using circle hooks, j-hooks and lures. Two hook types and sizes were tested: a conventional J-hook commonly used by recreational anglers, and a circle hook, which were fished using frozen peeled school prawn bait. Artificial lures were also tested against the circle and j pattern hooks.

Hooking location appears to be the principal determining factor for hooking mortality in silver perch. Results of study showed a high percentage mortality for deep hooked fish using both circle and j hooks with the hook removed. Conversely, mortality rates were recorded as low for deep hooked fish using a j hook with the line cut (hook not removed) and for mouth hooked fish using j hooks and for fish caught on lures. No mortalities for mouth hooked fish using circle hooks were recorded. The low or zero hooking mortalities for shallow hooked fish using j and circle hooks that were caught and released in this study suggests a high survival rate for this species after capture. However, mortality rates of deep hooked fish using both hook types were high (>70%).

Results also showed that using j hooks more than doubled the chance of deep hooking a fish. When the line was cut near the mouth of deep-hooked fish using j hooks, hooking mortality was considerably reduced (28.6%). Other studies have come to similar conclusions. In typical fishing conditions, anglers rarely cut the line when a sub legal fish is caught or when a bag limit has been reached. Management strategies need to focus on fishing practices of anglers and should involve encouraging the cutting of line for deep-hooked fish and the use of circle hooks which are more effective in ensuring lower incidence of deep-hooking thereby increasing the proportion of surviving released fish.

They are good to use with bait but I doubt that they will work well with HB lures or for jiging.