Live baiting for barramundi using circle hooks (2024)

FAQs

Live baiting for barramundi using circle hooks? ›

The trick to hooking fish in the corner of the mouth, especially barra, is to fish the rod in gear and let the fish inhale the bait. Don't strike at the fish like you see on TV. Another tip is go up 1-2 hook sizes to what you usually use in a J hook or suicide hook, when live baiting with circle hooks

All fish caught on dead or live bait must be taken on IGFA-approved in-line circle hooks.

Both of these points lead to an obvious answer: you want to choose a smaller circle hook when using live bait. For shrimp, I like to use a #1 or #2 circle hook. For smaller baitfish, like a threadfin or finger mullet, I like to use a #2, #1, or 1/0 circle hook.

Even during the dry season, when Barras are at their most sluggish, well-presented live bait can spur them into action. Mullet are the go-to choice of Barra fishermen, especially poddy mullet. Other popular options include minnows, freshwater prawns (cherabin), and shrimp.

Artificial lures and circle hooks aren't the best combination. Circle hooks work best when the fish has a chance to fully swallow the bait and turn away from the angler; slashing strikes at a lure armed with circle hooks usually results in a missed opportunity. Natural bait is the way to go.

Similar studies conducted in the billfish fisheries reported that circle hooks achieved the following advantages over "J" hooks: there were about twice as many hook ups, 85% of the hook ups occurred in the jaw, fish caught on "J" hooks were 21 times more likely to bleed, and that circle hooks minimized deep hooking, ...

Sabiki rigs are highly effective bait-catching contraptions. For those of you who don't know, a Sabiki rig is a setup of 6 to 10 small hooks tied to a single line, with a weight on the end. This rig can get you anything from threadfin herring and minnows to pinfish and grunts.

I love using egg sinkers on my live bait and cut bait rigs, but you need to be careful about the egg sinker you choose. If you choose the wrong one, your line could break and you could lose your entire rig, or worse, a big fish.

On the other end of the spectrum we discuss barramundi. Barra have big mouths, so its best to use a larger size circle. Generally a 6/0 to 7/0 is ideal but don't be afraid to go a little bigger. Barra love cherabin shrimp or small baitfish and circle hooks work well with such temptations.

The trick to hooking fish in the corner of the mouth, especially barra, is to fish the rod in gear and let the fish inhale the bait. Don't strike at the fish like you see on TV. Another tip is go up 1-2 hook sizes to what you usually use in a J hook or suicide hook, when live baiting with circle hooks.

What attracts barramundi? ›

Traditional minnows and soft plastics are good lures to use. Popper lures with a sluggish retrieve can be used at night. Running depths, motion, shape, colour, castability, hook up, holding, and buoyancy are all factors in creating a superb Barramundi lure, and everyone has their own favourite.

Although circle hooks were originally used to catch large saltwater fish, new models work well for catching a variety of freshwater species, even panfish and other small species. Due to the design of the circle hook, the angler must not snatch the rod tip when a bite is felt.

A circle hook is a type of fish hook which is sharply curved back in a circular shape. It has become widely used among anglers in recent years because the hook generally catches more fish and is rarely swallowed.

Similar studies conducted in the billfish fisheries reported that circle hooks achieved the following advantages over "J" hooks: there were about twice as many hook ups, 85% of the hook ups occurred in the jaw, fish caught on "J" hooks were 21 times more likely to bleed, and that circle hooks minimized deep hooking, ...