Larry,
I have a crazy question, but first some background. While fishing shallow to deep (from shore casting out), I was fishing for some catfish with cut bait. I allowed a free line so they could take it; when they started to move off I just tightened up and reeled in. Results, with Mustad Demon non-offset circles (3x heavy, 2/0 and 4/0), was perfect corner of the mouth hooksets.
A later trip I fished deep to shallow, using the same circle hooks, same bait, same to slightly larger fish (+/- 27" channels), same method. Results, deep gut hooks, and none were in the mouth.
I have never had a non-offset circle hook in the guts before, well maybe a few times, but not every time. The only thing I can think of is that because the fish were in skinny water (less then 2'), and they moved toward me when they took the bait, they had it much deeper than normal. Still, I always thought that circles were designed to pull free of the stomach.
Is it my technique, my choice of hooks, the hook size, or......?