Clipping hooks while musky fishing

[Devious]

I just finished watching an episode of simply fishing and for every musky they caught they just clipped the hooks instead of removing them? Is this usual practice when musky fishing? I always thought you only did this if you absolutely needed to but they did it for every fish they caught.

[fish_fishburn]

Obviusly there not paying for there hooks

[Terry]

I think some people are over the top about cutting the hooks

 

but they are big hooks and if it is going to damage the fish, I do cut them

 

but if you have lots of money and respect for the fish, it sure can make the release faster by cutting them

[jediangler]

We don't all have lure companies giving us unlimited tackle to use on fishing shows. I cut only if the survival of the fish is in question. Of the last 10 muskies I caught over the past 2 seasons, only 1 needed the hooks cut. Of course I don't use lures with multiple trebles, or live bait, when musky fishing. I burn bucktails for the most part and the majority of my hook-ups are in the front or side of the mouth, making hook removal fairly easy. It's always a good idea to have bolt cutters and a jaw spreader at hand when pursuing skis.

[cram]

If its multiple hooks on a plug and there hooks aren't just popping out, i find it fastest/easiest/safest (for the fish AND me) to just cut them. Plus, the hooks aren't really expensive guys. Maybe you guys catch more muskies than i do.

 

If its on a bucktail or spinnerbait...

A - there's generally only one hook

and

B - its usually integrated right into the bait (i.e you ruin the entire bait by cutting the hook)

....so its worth the effort and is a little easier/safer anyway. If its really stuck, i'd just cut anyway.

Edited March 29, 2010 by cram

[Devious]

Thanks for the replies fellas....what you described is pretty much how I felt/thought that muskys should be dealt with when releasing them....I was just a little caught off guard when i saw these guys clip the hooks right away before even attempting to remove them....and they were using bucktails. I'm a novice musky angler and all the fish we caught last season the hooks weren't that difficult to remove so I wasn't sure if this was the ideal way to release muskys.....I do keep cutters on hand when going for skis but I didn't know if this was the right thing to do or not.

[cram]

Thanks for the replies fellas....what you described is pretty much how I felt/thought that muskys should be dealt with when releasing them....I was just a little caught off guard when i saw these guys clip the hooks right away before even attempting to remove them....and they were using bucktails. I'm a novice musky angler and all the fish we caught last season the hooks weren't that difficult to remove so I wasn't sure if this was the ideal way to release muskys.....I do keep cutters on hand when going for skis but I didn't know if this was the right thing to do or not.

 

3 things to keep in mind..

- some bucktails have hooks that easily separate from the bait (ie. connected via split ring).

- if you've ever been stung by a hook from a thrashing musky, just cutting the hooks might sound like a good idea

- hooks aren't expensive...25 for 10 bucks or so? So for the price of a sub sandwich you get to make 25 releases really easy. Doesn't sound too bad to me.

[Devious]

3 things to keep in mind..

- some bucktails have hooks that easily separate from the bait (ie. connected via split ring).

- if you've ever been stung by a hook from a thrashing musky, just cutting the hooks might sound like a good idea

- hooks aren't expensive...25 for 10 bucks or so? So for the price of a sub sandwich you get to make 25 releases really easy. Doesn't sound too bad to me.

 

I agree...so my next question is if the cost of replacing hooks for your baits isn't an issue is this the best way to deal with/release muskys? After watching the show I assume leaving half of the hook in the fish isn't a big deal....

[cram]

I agree...so my next question is if the cost of replacing hooks for your baits isn't an issue is this the best way to deal with/release muskys? After watching the show I assume leaving half of the hook in the fish isn't a big deal....

 

I sometimes cut just to make it easier to extract the hooks. I still pop them out or plier them out. That said, if you leave the point of a hook in a musky (with the rest removed so there's nothing obstructing the oral pathway) i don;'t see it doing much harm.

[Devious]

I sometimes cut just to make it easier to extract the hooks. I still pop them out or plier them out. That said, if you leave the point of a hook in a musky (with the rest removed so there's nothing obstructing the oral pathway) i don;'t see it doing much harm.

 

Sounds good, thanks Cram.

[MuskyGreenHorn]

hooks are cheap and when u cut a hook, all parts come out. I haven't cut many either, more for big pike than muskei as they really seem to inhale baits deeper. Tom Gelb has an article about romoving hooks off teh split rings to make it wasuer to unhook the fish in teh latest issue of musky hunter. Now thats cheap and kills fish... Way to much time operating on a buck or less... I just got a bunch from lebarons's 1.85 for 3 4x strong 5/0. VMC's. nuff said.

[bigbuck]

If it looks like you are going to hurt the fish trying to take out the hooks, get your Knipex cutters and cut them or if it looks like it will be too hard to take them out cut them. Hooks are not that expensive, killing a big musky.........(not money wise but resource wise).

[NAW]

I posted almost the exact same thing about simply fishing about 6 months ago..

 

I'm not much of a musky fisherman, the only muskey i've ever had hooked up swam away with my entire lure still in it's mouth!

Edited March 29, 2010 by F-is-H

[Pigeontroller]

I value my hands, and a Muskie, in that order more than $20 for a box of hooks...Hooks are cheap! If you can afford the gear to chase Muskies seriously a few dollars more for hooks shouldn't be a big concern! That being said, if a hook looks like it'll come out easy I try with the long nose pliers...If multiple hooks are imbedded in the fishes mouth, I cut! I even cut the ones that aren't in the fish...Last summer when I didn't cut the loose hook it ended up in the palm of my hand!!!

[carp-starter]

Fishermen always look for solutions that become difficult solutions.

 

I have never fished for muskies. But I have fished many weekends for pike.

 

Most marinas have many pike and large ones. I had a 32 1/2 foot express cruiser so home port always had pike. I had the big toy until the year 2000. The only years that were not good for pike were years - part of 1996 and part of 1997. The best years were 1995 and 1997 to the end of 2000.

 

One always heard how good and concerned muskie fishers are to the muskies. C & R most of the time and blah, blah. Here is your chance guys.

 

Make your hooks bar-bless. Just make them bar-bless. Believe me, you will be happy and so will the muskies.

 

When I fished for pike every week-end, I wanted to release every pike - meaning that I did not want the pike to throw the lure. But around halfway in July I would start to chant - please, please, I hope that pike throws the hook. I no longer wanted to release the pike. It is not funny to have the pike jump into the air when I am trying to grab the pike and then have the hooks land on my hand on the way down with the pike still hooked. I always wore a Rapala glove. And on all occasions, I was lucky that the none of the hook points penetrated through the mesh in the glove. Otherwise the fish would be dead cause my hand will always be priority number 1. How would you like a musky or pike still hooked and hooks are in your hand and the crazy fish is shaking all over.

 

All you will need is a smooth pair of pliers. No “ribs” on the inside of the face of the pliers.

 

The results in de-barbing the hook come out in 2 ways. If you just pinch the barb, you will still have a small hill with a barb. You have to pinch to the point that there is a little hill but without the barb. To test out if you have a barb-less hook, just fold something soft (sweat pants) about 3 or 4 times. Then stick, one by one a hook point into the folded part. Now pull the hook out and if it comes out nice and easy and smoothly, you have a 100% barb-less hook. Otherwise, you still have a hook stuck in your pants.

 

Believe me, de-barb and you will make both the musky and yourself very happy.

 

So, muskie fishers, here is a chance to do something good. This would show everyone that you guys are concerned about the well being of muskies. Otherwise it will be nothing but hot air and blah, blah.

 

De-barb your hooks………………….

 

carp-starter

 

In 1973 I went C & R for trout. In fact it was C&R for all fish. Then soon after I realized that if I release all trout, why should I use barbed hooks when tying flies.

 

No matter how careful I was, barb-less hooks became so much better for the trout.

 

I always pinch my barbs. I sat down one year ago to de-barb about 1,500 dry fly hooks. It was very time consuming. I got tired of all of this work. Last August and December 2009 I ordered on-line tons of “no barb dry fly hooks”. Now fly tying has become simple and enjoyable.

[anglerspro]

If a musky is going to die during the release it's not usually due to the hooks or the puncture wounds from the hooks but most often death is due to poor handling of the fish(time out of water). The most important thing to remember especially with very big muskies is to keep their head in the water the whole time. Give yourself 20 seconds for pictures, then back in. Cutting the hooks is often the fastest way to get the hooks free from the fish and allows the muskies head to remain under water the whole time which significantly increased the chances of survival. Cutting hooks is also the best way to free a musky who's head is high up around the rim of the net which makes it very difficult to keep the fishes head under the water, cutting also works best if the musky is wraped in the net from twisting or is severly hooked. Use common sense when dealing with big muskies, if you can't get the hooks out with pliers fast or can't keep his head under the water, cut hooks....

 

Once the hooks are cut I often try to remove the loose pieces of hooks while the fish is resting in the net.

 

The other thing to remember even if you don't like or want to use the hook cutting method be sure to have a quality pair of hook cutters within close reach everytime you're dealing with a musky. The last thing you want to experience is a hook stuck in you with a pissed of musky stuck on the other end.

 

Here's another release tip for you guys.. Don't rush a musky release. after the hooks are out let the fish rest and catch it's breath in the net for a few minutes while you get the camaras out and clear the boat for a good place to take a picture. Allowing the fish to rest for a few minutes before you pull it out is easier on the fish then pulling it out immediatly after a hard fight.

 

Good luck musky fishing.

 

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