HINOTSU - CH-2 NAUTILUS CIRCLE HOOK NSB JAPAN 4795 FISHING HOOK

Hinotsu CH-2 Nautilus Circle Hook NSB Japan 4795

The CH-2 is the second circle hook in the Hinotsu range and the more versatile of the pair. The Nautilus profile is a wide, rounded bend with the point curving back in toward the shank, forged for strength, finished in corrosion-resistant black nickel and fitted with a ringed eye. Where it differs from the CH-1 is the point: the CH-2 is offset, sitting slightly to the side of the shank rather than in line with it. That twist gives the point more chance of finding contact as a fish takes and turns, which is why the CH-2 handles bulky cut baits and soft plastics better than a strictly inline circle. It also runs one size larger, up to #6/0.

Where the hook ends up, and why that matters. A conventional hook buries in the first thing it touches, which on a swallowed bait is often the gullet or the gills. A fish hooked there bleeds, and releasing it rarely saves it. A circle hook cannot do that: the inward-facing point slides over soft tissue instead of catching in it, and only rotates and locks when the shank reaches the hinge of the jaw. The result is a hook in the corner of the mouth almost every time — out in seconds with pliers, no damage done, and a fish that swims off properly. It is why circle hooks have become the standard where fish go back, and it is worth having even if you keep your catch: a jaw-corner hold is also the hold that does not tear out.

CH-1 or CH-2? The offset point of the CH-2 raises hook-up rate and suits big and awkward baits. The inline CH-1 gives the lowest deep-hooking rate of the two, so use it where fish are released or where local rules specify a non-offset circle hook.

Key Features

• Nautilus circle profile: wide rounded bend, inward-facing point
• Offset point — set slightly to the side of the shank for positive engagement
• Forged construction, reinforced against opening under pressure
• Ringed eye for line, leader and bait-rig connections
• Corrosion-resistant black-nickel (NSB) finish
• Takes live bait, cut bait and soft plastics
• Six sizes, #1/0 to #6/0. Made in Japan

How To Rig It

• The reel sets this hook, not the rod — When the rod loads, leave it where it is and start winding, and keep winding until the weight is solid. Swinging the rod at the first tap pulls the hook out before it can rotate — the single reason people give up on circle hooks.
• Leave the gap open — Hook through the nose or upper back of a live bait, or once through one end of a strip. A circle hook buried in bait cannot turn, and a hook that cannot turn catches nothing.
• Keep steady tension — Bottom rigs, drifted live baits and running sinkers all work. A belly of slack means the steady pull that rotates the hook never arrives.
• Rod holder fishing — Set the drag firm enough to load the hook but loose enough to let a fish move off. Most hook themselves before you reach the rod.
• Releasing — Unhook in the water with long pliers where you can. The jaw-corner hold makes it fast, and speed is most of what survival depends on.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Bottom fishing for grouper (kerapu), red snapper (ikan merah), jenahak and mangrove jack; barramundi (siakap) on live bait at jetties and river mouths; stingray and shark from Malaysian and Indonesian boats.
• North America — Grouper, red snapper, amberjack, cobia and tarpon on reef and wreck baits; striped bass, redfish and sharks inshore.
• Japan & East Asia — Madai and kurodai on bait rigs, plus heavy bottom fishing for hata and ara from boats.
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Mulloway, snapper, coral trout and shark on Australian coasts; hamour and cobia in the Gulf; conger, tope and smoothhound on European wrecks and beaches.

Specifications

Model CH-2, series 4795. Forged bend, ringed eye, made in Japan.

Recommended Pairing

• #1/0–#2/0 with small live baits, strips and soft plastics on 15–30 lb tackle
• #3/0–#4/0 with squid, larger live baits and cut bait on 30–60 lb tackle
• #5/0–#6/0 with big baits on 60–100 lb tackle for reef, wreck and heavy bottom fishing
• Heavy fluorocarbon or mono leader tied to the ring or snelled to the shank; a moderate-action rod suits circle hooks better than a fast, stiff tip