Be prepared
"I'll rig all tackle, baits and/or lures the day or evening prior to a trip, so when I set forth, my job is to hunt for the signs that will lead us to fish. Refuse to get distracted by rigging tackle or baits on the way to the grounds. When you hit the water, you should be 100 percent focused on signs that will lead you to fish."
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I'm replying to the "circle up" recommendation which is good for iron-jawed tarpon. However, I'm troubled by the trauma that I have seen over the years with anglers releasing fish after being caught on a circle hook. The 90 degree angle of the hook point on a circle hook is enough retention to land the fish. However, when adding a barb to that hook, an effortless release is very difficult. I'm a strong proponent for the elimination of the barb for both the fish and the angler. Accidental hooking of one's self , with a barbed hook, can be very serious. Without that barb, self removal is simple as with a surgical needle. In 38 summers of metal jig fishing for chinook salmon in the Pacific NW, catch rate was almost 99%...all with barbless hooks. Barbed hooks have been illegal during those 38 years. A metal jig like the Crippled Herring, or Kandlefish, is the ultimate test for landing fish with a single barbless hook. This is because salmon are not only strong jumpers but their jaws are hard like those of tarpon...excellent tests for removing that damn barb! Capt Pete
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