What hooks do you use for fishing with bait ?

[Ranger99]

I've been using the Eagle Claw #186 plain
lacquered hooks for a long time.
They're a good strong-for-size forged
hook, and I've seldom broke one catching
a fish. A while back, anything in general
was fairly scarce, and I couldn't resupply
my usual hooks. I bought some kind of
circle hooks on a friends advice, but
haven't used any until lately.
Seems to me that the bait stealers can
pick me and not get caught since the
usual hook set technique doesn't
translate with circle hooks.
Another friend suggested trying some
octopus configured hooks.
I might try some of those if I see
some reasonably priced somewhere.
I'll also be buying a larger supply of
the #186 hooks if I see those

[Lone Star]

I use the EagleClaws, usually #2 for channels and flatheads up to 15#.  Sometimes #6 if I run out of the #2s.  Never lost a fish from a broken hook, tied onto 30# PowerPro line.


I used circle hooks for halibut when I lived in Alaska, they are designed for the fish to swallow the bait so you don’t set the hook like normal hooks.



.

[Mule 11]

I don’t fish like I used to and use what I have in my tackle box. Getting more interested lately as my kids want to catch fish and I want to eat em and freeze em...

[Ranger99]

Just an observation-
A while back when everything you
could name was scarce, I couldn't
resupply my usual Eagle Claw #186
hooks. None to be found in this area.
I did find what I thought would be a
workable substitute, some Mustad
( no number on the plastic envelope)
hooks that are nearly identical in
configuration to the Eagle Claw.
Well after using most of the first
package, I can authoritatively state
that these Mustad hooks I bought
aren't half the hook as the Eagle Claw
hooks are. They don't hold up as
well, and are a weaker hook, and
do not sharpen as well and stay
sharp as long. I know that's blasphemy
to a lot of Mustad hook users, but
that's my real world observation.
The Eagle Claw hooks are forged
and are the bronze finish hooks.
The Mustads I used were a silvery
finish, either stainless or a plating
of some sort. That might be the
difference, I don't know.
But I can say that I'm very disappointed
with what I used.