Circle hook experiment

[Tin-Can]

I have changed over to 6/0 Octopus hooks almost entirely on my catfish poles. They seem to hold the big carp chunks better, and when the fish takes any part of the hook, they seem to get hooked more securely. Plus with the bigger hook, I get fewer hook-ups with the little mud cats. I still have the small taps from the baby cats and mudders nibbling at the bait, but when the pole bends over and drag starts screaming, I know something larger has taken the hook.

Fishing for cats from a boat, ALWAYS have rods in a good rod holder. Fishing for cats from the bank, again, ALWAYS have rods in a good holder. I made some pretty sturdy bank rod holders last year that have done quite well.
A piece of 1/2 inch rebar 40 inches long with point cut on one end. A piece of 3/4 inch PVC band clamped to a piece of 2 inch PVC.
Drive rebar into the ground about a foot to 18 inches, slide 3/4" PVC over rebar, put rod handle in 2" PVC.
I keep these in the tool box on my truck with a 2 lb. sledge hammer.
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