Deeply Hooked Bass

[Felix77]

How do you guys handle deeply hooked bass? Do you change hooks, leave the hook in, anything else?

[Scott F]

If I'm using a bait that a bass can take in deep, like a Senko, I pinch down the barbs first. Even if they get hooked deep, I can turn the hook around, and it comes out.  In a lot of cases, if the line is cut and the hook is left in, it does not rust away like they used to say, and it blocks the fish from being able to swallow.  Get a pair of hook cutters and cut off as much of the hook as you can.

[zip pow]

I pinch the barbs closed on all of my worm hooks so if I deep hook one it'll come right out. Especially when fishing a senko . If I deep hook one on a crankbait I'll use endsnips to cut the rounded part of the hook. Thats my way of doing it,also good rods helps keep it from happening. 

[Goose52]

Check out post # 17 of this thread.  This hook removal method is the single most important piece of information that I've learned on this board. Since learning this method, I have never left a hook in a bass and once I removed a hook that someone else had left in the fish.

 

Deep-Hooked Removal Method

[Loop_Dad]

Check out post # 17 of this thread.  This hook removal method is the single most important piece of information that I've learned on this board. Since learning this method, I have never left a hook in a bass and once I removed a hook that someone else had left in the fish.

 

Deep-Hooked Removal Method

 

+1, I agree, this is the single most important piece of information I've learned from here. I also pinch barbs and fishing became a lot more joyful.

 

I carry two tools for cutting hooks, 7" end cutter and 7" bolt cutter. With these two, cutting hook is easy in the most of situation. I cut hooks when trying to remove hook might hurt fish (ie. hook came out very close to the eye.)

[Jig Man]

Everyone who fishes should know how to do this proceedure.  It works well.  Fishes' gills are not nearly as fragile as they seem.  Your fingers won't hurt them.  It is much better than leaving metal in their mouths. 

 

I have caught several fish with mono hanging from their butts with a hook on it that was passed completely through their system and did not dissolve like many think that they will..

[PotomacBassin]

How do you guys handle deeply hooked bass? Do you change hooks, leave the hook in, anything else?

All you need is a pair of heavy duty wire cuters from home depot and needle nose pliers.  I know sometimes you have to leave the hook in, but it's not always guaranteed that it's going to rust out. Some people pinch the barbs which is awesome but you still can't always get the hook out.

 

My method requires that you can see both the pointed/sharp end of the hook and the eye side of the hook (shank).  If you can see both, all you do is use your wire cutters (looks like regular pliers but has a sharp cutting blade) to cut the eye side of the hook as close to its throat as you can. It doesn't have to be too close because you don't want to risk cutting the fish. You're essentially cutting the shank of the hook in half. Then you take your pliers and grab the sharp end of the hook and it will come straight out with nothing to snag in the fish's throat. 

[Hyrule Bass]

1) With the hook in the gullet, note which side of the fish's mouth the hook shank is toward. Note: For illustration sake, the line is eliminated here in steps 2 through 5. In reality, the line stays connected as this technique is performed.

(2) With a finger or two, reach in through the last gill arch on that side of the fish and push and pull down on the hookeye so the hook turns and . . .

(3) rolls out below the gill toward the side of the fish. At that point, amazingly, the hook, barb and all, almost always pops free from its hold in the fish's gullet.

(4) Reach into the fish's mouth and grip the bend in the hook (which is now up) and . . .

(5) lift it free. If the fish's mouth is too small to reach in with your hand, use a needle-nose pliers to grip the hook bend.

What needs to be emphasized is how resilient a fish's gills actually are -- far from being the fragile organs often suggest by some sources. And the occasional bleeding fish? Does it have to be kept? Just get the fish back into the water as soon as possible and, more often than not, the bleeding stops.

The technique also works superbly on walleyes, smallmouths, and other fish, usually taken on smaller hooks, often salmon-style hooks.

 

^^^this

 

as of others have said, its one of the most important best things i have ever learned on this site. and it works to perfection. in fact, i think that just the post of Glenns should be pinned at the top of the forum as this question comes up a few times a year. no need to pinch the barb either, the hook will pop right out with this method

[SPEEDBEAD.]

That technique works very well.

 

It's a little more difficult with a smaller fish, but still able to be done.

[Felix77]

This is great info. Thanks!!

[TrapperJ]

the times i have gotten them in the throat, by the time I would have reeled them in the hook has made and exit point near the spot he swallowed it, i would just cut the line, and reverse the hook back thru so the barb isn't catching on anything. Re-tie and get back to fishing.

[PotomacBassin]

the times i have gotten them in the throat, by the time I would have reeled them in the hook has made and exit point near the spot he swallowed it, i would just cut the line, and reverse the hook back thru so the barb isn't catching on anything. Re-tie and get back to fishing.

Awesome.  This is the same technique I use (discussed above) , except sometimes the shank is too long for me to not cut the hook and get it out, so I cut the hook then take it the same way you do out.