Why We Tie On Mustad Demon Circle Hooks for Big River Catfish
Heads up: this post includes Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, 319 Bait may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list gear we use on our own boat.
If you have ever ripped a hookset on a big blue cat and come up with nothing but bare steel and a bad attitude, this one is for you. Down in South Florida I learned early that circle hooks do the work for you. Up here on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, they are the first thing I grab when the bait goes in the water.
My go-to is the Mustad Demon Perfect Circle inline hook. We keep two versions in the boat: the 39944 Wide Gap in black nickel and the 39954NP. Both are in the 319 Bait Amazon storefront.
How a circle hook works
A circle hook is shaped so the point turns back toward the shank. When a catfish eats and swims off, the line pulls the hook out of the throat, slides it to the corner of the mouth and rolls it in. That is why you see so many circle-hook fish hooked clean in the jaw. Fewer gut-hooked fish means easier unhooking and a healthier release, which matters when you are throwing back a 40-pounder so somebody else can catch her next year.
Why the Demon Perfect Circle
- Inline point. The point lines up with the shank with no offset, so the hook rolls into the corner of the mouth the way it is designed to. Some fisheries require non-offset circle hooks, so check your local regulations.
- Wide gap on the 39944. There is room for a fat chunk of skipjack or a whole mooneye head without the bait filling up the gap and blocking the point.
- Black nickel finish. It holds up to river water and keeps a low profile on the bait.
- Plenty of sizes. The 39944 runs from small sizes up through 8/0, so you can match the hook to the bait instead of the other way around.
The one rule: do not set the hook
This is where most folks mess it up. When the rod tip starts bouncing, leave it in the holder. Let the fish load the rod, then reel down tight and lift steady. A big swing of the rod pulls a circle hook right out of the fish's mouth before it ever gets a chance to turn. Patience puts fish in the boat.
How we rig them
We run the Demon on a simple slip-sinker rig with a no-roll sinker, a ball bearing swivel and a mono leader. For fresh dead bait in heavy current, bridle the bait so the hook point stays fully exposed. If you want more on cutting and rigging bait, check out how to keep shad fresh and rig cut bait.
Shop Mustad Demon circle hooks
Watch the action
Want more hookups on big fish in current? Bridle your fresh dead bait.
Tight Lines!!