As for Rods & Reels here are my preferences:
Calstar Grafighter 600XL or 700XL matched with a high-speed reel such as a Diawa SL-20SH, Pro-Gear 255, or a Newell 220 or 229 filled with 20# test.

The combo of composite rods with light tips and excellent backbone and high-speed reels give you the one, two punch you need to set the hook and land that fish.

The one tip that will guarantee improved results when fishing circle hooks is fish a "Hammered drag". Button down your drag and you will increase your hook-up/catch ratio. Remember where circle hooks are designed to stick fish? It happens to be the hardest places in the Salmons mouth. When it's time for the hook to stick, you don't want a loose drag that slips when that hook is trying to bury itself. Loose drags will not bury hooks, the hook will end up "hang-nail" at the jaw and eventually shake free.

The best way to hook Salmon with circle hooks is to slowly pull the bait away while the fish is biting. You want the fish to turn away with the bait to get the ideal hook setting. So when you get bit, slowly turn the handle as the Salmon pumps the rod. Each time you see the rod pump make a slow 1/4 turn on your reel then stop, rod pumps, 1/4 turn then stop, another pump, 1/4 turn then stop. By slowly pulling the bait away from the Salmon, you will trigger him into a grab and run. So when your rod goes from a pump,pump,pump, to a solid steady pull down, start cranking your reel as fast as possible.As soon as you detect solid weight loosen the drag and let the fish run. When you hook that "smoker" you'll notice they're hot for a run, so back your drag off and let him get away from the boat. You don't want a hot fish too close, let him tire out away from the tangles of the boat and when he begins to tire, put some pressure on the fish and get his head turned to the boat and bring him to the net. You'll notice circle hooks set themselves in the corner of the jaw whereas "J-hooks" will usually gut-hook the fish. With the circle hooks it will make for a tougher, faster, and more entertaining fight unlike the gut-hooked Salmon that will follow his guts right to the boat.

Sometimes Salmon will swim up with a bait, which will create slack in your line. This frequently happens when you start counting out your bait. It is very important that as you slowly catch up to the slack to look at the position of your line. If the fish is coming straight up don't crank down on the fish. All you will do is pull the bait out of his mouth. Watch your line at the point it enters the water. As soon as you see the line start to angle, crank hard and fast until you either,
1) feel weight and pulling back or
2) your sinker is out of the water.
Once you commit the set, keep reeling. If you slow down or stop before one or two happens your chance of a hook-up decreases dramitically.

About Craig "Shim" Shimokusu: "Shim" as he is commonly known, started working as a deckhand in 1990 aboard the Salmon Queen III in Emeryville, CA. Before becomming a deckhand, Shim was a student at San Jose State University while fishing every chance he had on his own skiff as well as the charter boats in the San Francisco bay area. Shim currently works on The New Salmon Queen running out of Emeryville, CA.