I have a spot where I�ll be fishing straight down in deep water and using a slip float to keep the bait a foot or two above the bottom. Will be using small shrimp, fresh perch cut bait, and chicken liver secured with panty hose, for bait. Would you use a circle hook on this rig or another kind of hook?

I�d use a 2/0-5/0 circle hook.

Thank you sir. Appreciate the reply,

If I fish for eating, I usually use J-shape hooks, if for release - circle hooks. For best results, the hook size should match to the bait size.

I would use j hooks in this scenario.

#4 3x treble

I have had good success with smaller kahle hooks for this. In the salt water they call them croaker hooks and are hard to beat for eater sized fish. they will self set a lot like a circle hook or you can set the hook. They don't seem to gut hook the fish as often as regular J hooks.

Just want to say thanks for all the replies. I fished this afternoon from 12 to 3. Decided, instead of using a float, to use the lightest weight that would get my bait down to bottom in 50� of water. Tried chicken hearts, chicken liver wrapped in gauze, and small shrimp. The chicken livers were the channel cats� bait of choice today, didn�t touch the other baits. Used a 4/0 Gamme circle hook, put rod in a rod holder, and let the bait lay on the bottom. Didn�t touch the rod myself until it bent over. Caught four little eater size and one about five or six pounds. I continue to watch YouTube videos, read articles, talk to you guys and try to learn everything I can. Nothing like time on the water though. I think maybe using the lightest weight possible, just a large split shot, is a good thing to do. But I don�t know if a light weight slip sinker rig might even be better than the split shot. May not make any difference. I tend to over-think things. I may try those Kahle hooks. They look strange to me, but a hook that acts like a circle hook, or that I can set, sounds pretty good.

I�m also new to catfishing, but the most important thing I�ve learned is that fresh bait is the key to consistently catch fish. Buy a cast net and practice, it will pay off big time.

Yes, fresh shad is an unbeatable bait for cats.

I can usually catch a few perch for cut bait, but haven�t used a throw net for twenty years. Never did learn to throw one very well. Agree there is no better bait, so may get one and give it a go. Thanks.