Deep Hooked Fish

[Hotrod2066]

I just finished watching a show where the host had deep hooked some bass with his tube. He didn't attempt to use pliers to get the hook out and just snipped the line off leaving the tube in the fishes mouth. He said that the acid in the fishes stomach would dissolve the hook. I personally don't believe this to be true, if it was a light wire hook I could see it happening but do you think a fish is going to digest 3/8 ounce of lead, a chunk of rubber and a tube jig hook? I don't. I think it was irresponsible and more effort should have been made to remove the hook and I really don't think the fish are likely to survive long with a big hunk of plastic, lead and steel in it's stomach. I personally would have rather seen him keep the fish if it was gut hooked, I was just wondering how others felt about this........

[uglyfish]

the fish won;t digest it all, but once the hook it self rusts it'll fall out fairly quickly. it happens a lot faster then u might think. and the fish have ways of gettin the hooks to come out as well. its far better to leave it in, and allow it to come out in time, then try and get it out cause u WILL kill the fish if u start twisting things around with some pliers.

[Hotrod2066]

The hook will fall out where? it's in its stomach. What about the chunk of lead? I don't think the steel they use in the hooks now will rust out very fast if at all. I could be wrong but I think the whole hook rusting out may have been true way back when most used live bait and the hooks were made out of inferior steel compared to today. I caught a bass that had line coming out his .....orifice shall we say and I pulled on it until I could work the hook out (ouch!). The fish was skinny and the hook hadn't dissolved one bit, I couldn't imagine a 3/8 ounce tube head coming out. I bet the fish felt alot better after though...lol

[Greencoachdog]

Not to worry! He was releasing them into a mesh bag held open by a diver so they can use the same fish on next weeks show!

 

... but seriously, if he was doing that.... it was very irresponsible! I know the reason he did it was so as not to have footage of a bleeding fish. He needs to go back to catching Bluegills and practice his hook removal skills!

 

Whenever most people look down into the mouth of a deeply hooked fish they think "OMG"! how am I gonna get that hook out??? Especially if the fish has teeth, but it's actually very easy. Lay the fish down on it's side and open up the gills with one hand, this will give a much better view of the hook and is a much shorter reach for the hook. With practice, this method is very effective and the fish can be released with minimal hook damage and blood loss.

 

Most big fish you see dead on the water or looking very sickly these days are victims of either poor hook removal skills or ingested tackle that has blocked the feeding or digestive tract... some can't be helped (bite and break offs), but some can.

[NBR]

Years ago it was thought that the hook would rust out very fast. This probably came from saltwater fishing. Good hook removal skills are a better way; barbless hooks are easier to get out and there is a gadget that snips the hook off and has a magnet to remove the hook part. I think it is called a "Barb-It" but not sure and I don't know where mine is since I haven't put stuff back in the boat. IMO cutting the line is a last resort.

[Hotrod2066]

I agree GCD and NBR, he didn't even attemp to use the pliers and I don't know how many shows I see where the host doesn't have them at the ready and tries to use the finger method. I thought it was irresponsible to say on camera that the hook will dissolve, it sends the wrong message. The big problem I could see was that he had waaay too much line out dragging the tube and couldn't feel the fish until it was too late. Going through the gills to get the hook out works wonders and it would give the fish a much better chance to survive, they aren't delicate creatures, they eat all kinds of things with sharp ends ie. crayfish and spiny perch. I realize it does happen where you can't get them all out but releasing a fish with a tube stuck in its belly just sentences it to a slow death, I feel its better just to take it home and eat it.

[shane]

I agree that you should make every effort to remove hooks. Or at least cutting the hook part off of the chunk of lead. A pair of longer handled side-cutters is good for that.

 

I also had a similar experience to Hotrod2066.....I caught a little bass with a piece of line hanging out of it's butt and I slowly pulled on it until the shaft of a hook came out and then I got the hook turned around and worked it out. But this hook was all rusted and lumpy with corrosion and I actually snapped it in half with my fingers. The line was in better condition than the hook!

[shane]

I forgot to say that I have seen some fishing shows (Bob Izumi comes to mind) where they have given demonstrations on how to remove deep hooks or lures.

[Ben_Daniels]

I think your better off clipping the hooks as close as your can (if a fish is hooked very deep), and leaving as little of your bait or hook in the mouth, but not messing around in the fishes gills. Just my opinion.

 

I saw another fishing show where a guy was fishing in a tournament and all 5 of his bass were deeply hooked with tubes. he cut the line and put all the fish in his live well, when he went to grab his fish at the end of the day all 5 of his tubes were in the bottom of the live well. Those fish worked the bait out of their throat in a couple hours, as for them sallowing the whole tube, I think once the hook wiggles free they will spit it out easily, fish spit minnows and other crap out all the time, even partially digested stuff. i just don't think its a good idea to go messing around in a fishes gill area.

 

-Ben

[Ramble]

I'm inclined to agree that it isnt good for the fish to leave it in thier. Efforts should be made to free the hook. Especially a deeply hooked fish on a jig....he was being lazy....or maybe that was just beyond his skill level OH BURN!

 

Seiously tho... it's nother argument for barbless hooks lol.

 

-R-

[OhioFisherman]

I didn`t have much trouble with deep hooked bass, I did keep a pair of wire cutters onboard to cut deep hooks and a pair of forceps to remove the barb end.

[camillj]

Doesnt anyone eat fish any more ???

[BillM]

Doesnt anyone eat fish any more ???

 

 

Doesn't seem like it.

[livinisfishin]

use spoons without hooks , great way to avoid this problem!

[Ramble]

Hooked in the gills.......they become keepers.

-R-

[Cookslav]

I've seen first hand that leaving the hook in is not a bad idea when stomach hooked....

I told this story before but what the heck, why not again?

 

I Deep hooked a Nice sized Smally years ago on a Sunday during my summer Vacation, only the eye and part of the Shank were showing, as the rest was in her belly...no blood so I cut the line at the Eye and wished her luck, but not before noticing a distinct wound on her back(more then likey a snaping turtle wound)

 

Anyway long story short the Following Friday I caught the same fish, in the same spot, same time of day....not a smart fish LOL

I noticed it was the same fish right away so I had a look at the hook I had left in her earlier in the week.

 

The hook was VERY deteriorated, and looked as though it was ready to pop out so I gave it a second whirl...It litteraly crumbled when I touched it and She once again swam away....

 

I have no doubt what so ever that clipping the line is the right thing to do if its a deep hook.

 

However that being said there are always circumstances that do not apply.

If its a big trebble hook, or a bulky lure that may impede feeding, or even gill movement you HAVE to remove the hooks, or keep your fish.

Ifthe fish can't eat for a week or two, or can't breath properly its done for.

But that being said, if its a small single hook, or tiny Jig and you've tried to get it out but it seems that it is going to cause more harm to remove it, I say let it be.