Sakasa Kebari on circle hooks are effective

by CM
(VA)

I wanted to share a hook to consider to help prevent deep hooking when using tenkara, keiryu, and seiryu rods.

Try using circle hooks for your wet and dry flies.

I tied a couple Sakasa Kebari on size 8 circle hooks and fished using Seaguar Invizx fluourocarbon line as the main line with 7x tippet. I used both a Suntech Field Master 39 and a Nissin Air Stage 240 with this setup.

I caught a number of panfish in the 4-6 inch range. All of them were lip hooked. None of them required actively setting the hook. There were no long distance releases. Every fish that committed to taking the fly was hooked and brought in. With the barb crushed down releasing the fish was easy and quick with minimal fish handling required.

To be effective circle hooks require that the angler NOT set the hook. The hook is set when the fish takes the fly/bait, turns and runs.

This means that when using a Sakasa Kebari style fly (or Killer Bugger, Utah Bugger, etc) is that you don't need to worry about using (or watching) strike indicators.

Currently the only brand of circle hook I have been able to find in a wide variety of sizes is Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp L702 series. They are made in sizes 14 - 5/0 and can be found on-line if your local store does not stock them.

Remember to crush the barb.

Enjoy,
CM

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.