Which Hook When Trolling for Salmon?

If you paddle when trolling do you use a circle hook so you don't have to set the hook or a different hook and set the hook?  Why?

Circle hooks are never an advantage, we just use them while mooching because we have to.

When trolling, your forward momentum is what drives the J hook home. No need to swing on them. The rods stays in the holder until you see it start bouncing, then you quickly grab it and start reeling steadily to keep tension. The more you swing the rod around, the more likely you are to lose the fish.

Circle hooks are never an advantage, we just use them while mooching because we have to.

When trolling, your forward momentum is what drives the J hook home. No need to swing on them. The rods stays in the holder until you see it start bouncing, then you quickly grab it and start reeling steadily to keep tension. The more you swing the rod around, the more likely you are to lose the fish.

Thanks a lot!

Reviving this thread... 

The only two salmon I've had hook-up this season have spit the hooks.  I was using J-hooks while trolling.  AlexB's reasoning about maintaining momentum makes complete sense, but I'm wondering that it might not fully apply to kayak trolling.

On a pb, the boat's momentum (even after going into neutral after the hook set) as well as reeling the fish in as fast as possible keeps the tension on the fish.  Tiring a fish out is less of a concern as getting it to the boat ASAP for a quick net by your boatmate.

On a kayak, momentum dies down very quickly once the fisherman grabs the pole to work the fish.  Taking your time and actually fighting the fish comes into play to make netting it by yourself a little easier.  In this scenario, the salmon may run at the kayak, thereby reducing the tension on the line, even with quick reeling, allowing it an opportunity to shake the hook. 

Another point of escape is when the salmon gets close to the kayak.  I'll start thinking about netting it and as I reach for my net, even if I keep my pole tip up, I lose some tension on the line because I'm not actively reeling.  As I begin to net the fish, I'm also not putting as much tension on the fish as I would while actively reeling it.

So, looking at the research about circle hooks, there's a dramatic increase in catch rates based on long-line fishing with snelled circle hooks (no mention about being barbless).  The circle hooks appear to set and hold better.

So... the bottomline, I'm thinking about trying circle hooks while trolling.  I know I'm over-thinking the hell out of this, but feel free to correct any of my babbling or correct any errors in technique.  Just trying to improve my catch rate, thanks!

Circle hooks are designed to catch the corner of the fish's mouth as the fish swims away with a bait and an angler reel's down on the fish.  There is no hook set per se, its a slow gradual pressure that allows the hook to slide into position and "set" itself.  That's why they work on longlines, the fish hook themselves when they swim off with a baited line. Getting a circle to stick on a troll strike would be a tough one I think.


Dropping fish while trolling happens sometimes.   What is your current trolling setup (rod, line, trolling rig?), maybe you could do some tweaking there to increase your landing ratio.   

I thought about the initial strike while trolling verses mooching. I don't troll very fast (~1.5mph tops) and I would think the salmon strike a bait fast regardless of trolling or mooching, so the fish would hit then run regardless, thereby setting the hook under its own power anyway. I can see a circle hook potentially popping out with the additional tension of trolling, but conceptually, seems the same as an open hook popping out.

I use only one set up right now: Trevala Med, 6,6" and a Revolution inshore spooled  with 50# braid and a top shot of 30# mono.  I've heard to go lighter on the line and pole as well. 

School me on my rig!

**edit** 
First fish:  I was using a DoubleDeep6, 11" flasher, and FBR w/ anchovy
Second fish:  DoubleDeep6 to a FBR w/ anchovy, no flasher

Waiting on a teleconference bored...

I think a lot of folks will tell you to go lighter but I am going to disagree.  For all my salmon, 5 pounders to the the big ones in the ocean, I run 50 to 65 lbs braid, to a flasher/dodger then heavy leader.  My leader is typically 40 to 80lbs flouro carbon.  What you will find is that the thicker leader imparts more action to hoochies from the flasher and with bait, the fish aren't leader shy at least here in Alaska.  I don't think it matters so much as the fish approach from behind the lure/bait. Guides run 100 pounds or better leaders. 

Also the lighter rods may help keep the hook in the fish better as you play it, but my experience is that the longer softer rods have caused me to lose a lot more fish near the kayak as you have much less control over the fish.  The fish tries to dip down a foot as you net it, the softer rods allow it.  rarely will you have the fish next to the kayak AND have the softer rods fully loaded to keep control of the fish.  the heavier sticks can keep the fish on track to enter the net.  For me, I don't actively "net" the fish"  I leave the net in the water, and guide the fish into the net. 

I am also not a huge fan of circle hooks but if you watch enough underwater video strikes of salmon on trolled gear, 90% of the fish will hammer the bait and immediately turn.  So I would think a circle hook would be fine.  Still don't like them. 

Not sure what the law allows in California but I have had some success on my trolled gear by leaving a hangback hook 12 to 18 inches behind the lure/bait.  I am amazed how often the second trailing hooks that far back will catch the fish. 

Oh and as a final disclosure, I fish to put food in the freezer 90% of the time.  Light gear fishing is a blast!  But it's a completely different sport and tactics to put fish in the freezer!