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Official Circle Hook Research Mission Statement

A Performance Comparison of Two Types of Circle Hooks in the South Florida Live-bait Fishery for Atlantic Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus.

Objectives: 

(1) Compare circle hook performance for (Eagle Claw L2004) and (Owner 5178)  circle hooks relative to:  catch and hook rate, hook location, and occurrence of blood;

(2) Compare the effect of drop-back time on these variables (catch and hook rate, hook location, and occurrence of blood) and hook types using three time categories (<6 second, 6-15 seconds, > 15 seconds).

	L2004EL LAZER SHARP® BLACK PEARL™ SALTWATER	CIRCLE SEA™ LIGHT WIRE WIDE GAP NON-OFFSET RINGED EYE SAILFISH	7/0,8/0,9/0,10/0
	PENN INT'L BILLFISH #P170 SEA GUARD™ RED	CIRCLE SEA™ NEEDLE TIP RINGED EYE ZERO OFFSET FLAT FORGED 7 X RUST RESISTANT FINISH	7/0,8/0,9/0

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIEW CIRCLEHOOK RULE AND LIST OF APPROVED HOOKS

THE CIRCLE SEA HOOK
This functionally-shaped fishhook results in more fish being hooked. Fishermen are learning that the Circle Sea is catching 60% more fish than conventional J shaped hooks, including a 95% lip hook rate so the fish cannot escape. The Circle Sea hook is scientifically proven to reduce fish mortality. Hook set is not required. This hook has greater holding power, more hookups, fewer drop-offs and it holds bait better. Ideal for all freshwater and saltwater fish species.  

Circle Sea^™ Hooks     

These two Eagle Claw brand hooks are our most recommended hooks for use in the YCMBT.

In the late 1920's Drew McGill and Stan Wright formed the Wright & McGill Co., for the tying of high grade fishing flies. Drew was on the upper Colorado River pursuing his favorite sport, fly fishing that magnificent stream.
It all happened when he stopped to light his pipe and take a short rest.

The morning's fishing had not been as good as it could have been, for it seemed that even though the rainbows and native Trout were rising, they were difficult to hook. While thinking of this and the ways that he could improve his fishing techniques, he watched the lazy circles of two large eagles. As he sat quietly enjoying this wilderness scene, one of the eagles slowly spiraled downward and landed beyond him in the top of a dead cottonwood; the tips of the

bird's talons lightly gripping a weathered bare limb. His thoughts turned to the penetrating power of those lethal claws, and then to the penetrating power of the fishhooks he was using.

As the powerful bird took to the air, Drew took his fly and holding it by the tiny leader pulled it across the leather of his fishing creel. The point scraped along the leather, but did not penetrate. Using his fishing pliers, he changed the shape of the hook by slightly curving the point.
He tried the fly again and found that, this time it would penetrate. He quickly modified several flies and was back on the stream. The results were encouraging, and he eagerly tested shapes and sizes until driven from the stream by an afternoon thunderstorm.
Returning to the fly factory in Denver, Drew started

working to produce a fishhook design with greater penetrating power. A hook that would exert this power in the direct line of pull of the leader. From this research came a fishhook that had sweeping curves and sharper points. It was forged for strength and was double offset for greater hooking qualities. The hook's point was in direct line of pull and shaped like the talons of that mighty bird.

The rest is history.

This design quickly swept the country, for it offered the first improvement in fishhooks in hundreds of years.

When Drew and Stan sat down to name their new product, what else could it have been except EAGLE CLAW? That's how it all happened, and that's the story of the bird that built a business.

Official Circle Hook Sponsor of the YCMBT