CT Striper Tournaments Require Circle Hooks — Most Anglers Rig Them Wrong

Connecticut DEEP marine fisheries regulations have required circle hooks when fishing bait for striped bass since 2021, a rule that trips up more anglers than any other regulation on the books. Hook choice, more than rod or reel, decides whether a fish comes to the net or gets gut-hooked and released dead. Anglers who fish the Connecticut shoreline and tidal rivers report that hook style is the gear decision most often overlooked in the tackle box. Most tackle boxes carry hooks that are too big, too small, or dulled from years of sitting in a tray. This guide breaks down the five main hook styles, which species each one suits, and the picks the community rates highest by type.

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