I have about 20 or so Gamakatsu 8/0 Octopus Circles in my box that are brand new, and so far they have proven to be overkill for what I'm trying to catch. I'd be willing to trade for some no-rolls or some smaller 5/0 or 6/0 circle hooks. I just don't have a need for hooks that big and I think I'm probably missing a ton of hookups because the eaters I find are not big enough.

Wait until winter, you'll need 8/0 and maybe some 10/0. I'd keep them

Ive caught fish under the legal size limit on mustad 12-14/0 saltwater circle hooks with regularity, you know the ones that are big around as a welding rod?

I've fished year 'round with 8/0 circles before and caught fish all year, but when it's a numbers game in shallow water and I'm trying to fill the cooler I downsize now.

6 and 7/0 increase hook ups for me on small fish, so when I expect 90% of the fish to be under 10lbs I pull most my 8/0 off and all my 10/0. I leave 1 or 2 rods with 8/0 for flathead and if a big blue want to play.

I've had 2 lb blues swallow an 8/0 octopus with a whole bluegill on it.
I wouldn't expect a channel to do the same thing unless it was a real biggun.

I would expect a 2 lb channel to do almost exactly what a 2 lb blue did...

I went out Tuesday evening and did okay. Took 4 home for the freezer but they were all between 1.5-3 lbs. Only one was on shad, the other 3 were on punch bait and a #6 treble. I had a bunch of decent takedowns on the shad rigs but missed a few hookups. I worry that my hooks are just overkill since I don't fish the big lakes with the big fish.

All I got is Bait size dictates hook size esp with C hooks..don't cover point or fill throat of C hook