What Do You Do When...

[airborne_angler]

You catch a Bass on a crankbait or Frog, and it totally engulfs your bait...deep. Not exactly swallows the bait but the bait is in there so deep that it fills up the entire cavity.You can't get your fat ol fingers in there and its stuffed in there that you really can't see what your doing.

How do you get the hook(s) out when there is zero wiggle room...anyone ever experience that? I've never had it happen but I'd like to know what to do for when the day comes.

[roadwarrior]

It's just like eating an elephant...One bite at a time.

 

Focus on removing the first hook point you can reach, then move to the next.

Be persistant, but do not rush. The highest probability of survival depends on

you removing the lure which is probably going to take longer than you like. Just

stay with it and keep moving forward.

[Gatorbassman]

I always have a pair of heavy needle drivers with me. 

[SuskyDude]

Needle nose pliers.

 

And if that doesn't work, I use a pair of wire cutters to hopefully make some room.

 

And if that doesn't work...and the fish is legal and in season...it becomes dinner!

[Paul Roberts]

Well… studies have shown that fished hooked in the esophagus –virtually anywhere behind the tongue–show very high mortality. Any further ripping or tearing and its downhill from a bad place to begin with.

 

Best you can do is extract each hook with hemostats. Sometimes you have to get the hook to come out in the same orientation it went in, and then it slips out easier. I’ve removed lures through the gills too. I’ve also realized the damage and simply killed the fish and dissected the lure out.

 

The best thing I’ve ever done in terms of minimizing damage to fish, and sheer ease of unhooking, has been going barbless. I started this with soft plastics bc of deep hooking. A barbless hook just slips right out and I’ve seen no issues with fish coming unhooked during the fight. Keep a tight line and it’s no different.

 

Small compact jigs, like hair or grubs, are a different story though, and jumping fish will throw them like butter. Keep the barbs on them. I’ve never de-barbed large jigs and really haven’t had to. Seems bass spit them, maybe due to the weight.

 

Trebles are the worst. So I took the next plunge and de-barbed some crankbaits and I surprisingly didn’t lose fish on them either. An internet buddy, Brian Waldman, did a barbless crankbait test and took over 200 fish and said he didn’t see a difference either. What’s really neat is when you get them in the boat and can just shake the hooks out. It’s so easy on both me and the fish. The only cranks I haven’t de-barbed are heavier lipless, bc they are more easily thrown than other cranks, possibly due to the mass in a compact package. I wouldn’t go barbless with a spoon or bladebait either.

 

There are also micro-barb hooks available, and these are really nice. That’s what Brian Waldman went with, as he’s a tournament guy.

[Deleted account]

A needle nose, hemostats, a flat screwdriver with a v notched out, dykes, and patience. Hooks in/around gills are usually easier to get loose, behind the tongue or throat gets touchy. Lipless seem to like to disappear in a bass' mouth for me sometimes. Its the smaller fish that get in trouble that are more difficult, with the larger ones, its like working under the hood of a 60s chevy.   

[Sam]

Needle nose pliers.

 

Don't leave home without them.

 

I also take a metal cutting pliers with me at all times, on the boat or shore fishing.

 

Have used them both.

[mg4u2nv]

whenever i throw trebles or a small hook(wacky rig) i always keep an 8" pair of needle nose pliers.  Never had a serious problem removing hooks with those.  I have recently started mashing the barbs on the trebles.  Hooks come out much easier, and haven't noticed a dramatic difference between catching/losing the fish. A few years ago when getting back into fishing i threw a wacky rig for the first time and gave the fish way too much time and ultimatly gut hooked him.  i tried to get the hook for a couple minutes, and had to cut it off.  I threw the fish back but i don't think he survived.  i felt awful about that.  After that is when i got the 8"pliers and been good ever since!

 

Matt

[Lil'skeeter]

+1 I had a 10" bass take a scum frog and couldn't even get a finger around it. He definitely bite off way more than he could chew!

[mjseverson24]

I agree with all of the guys who say that you should carry a long needle nose plires and wire cutters. some things that have really helped me in the past is having a tool called a spreader. it is usually used for pike/muskie, but it works well wit bass too. it will keep the fishes mouth open while you extract/cut the hooks out. also if i feel the fish's life is in danger after hook removal I will fire up the live well turn on the oxygenator and put some u2 in, maybe a bag of ice put her in the well and just kinda let her be. if after an hour or two in there she still doesnt want to live, at least you know you did everything possible to save it. I do this quite often for walleye up on lake mille lacs, but also for bass especially smallmouth as they will sometimes give everything they have to the fight. 

 

Mitch

[Trailer]

Needle nose pliers.

 

And if that doesn't work, I use a pair of wire cutters to hopefully make some room.

 

And if that doesn't work...and the fish is legal and in season...it becomes dinner!

x2. Agree with what everyone is saying and if that doesn't work you'll need a good supply of fries and hush puppies.

[Fishes in trees]

I agree with previous posters that a variety of hook extraction tools are important.  Keep them in the boat where they are easy to get to.  Occasionally, a fish will die and I don't feel like cleaning and eating it.  This is when I remind myself that turtles in the water and raccoons on the bank like to eat also.  I generally throw it on the bank for the coons to eat.  I wish I had a better answer but I don't really.

[Trailer]

I agree with previous posters that a variety of hook extraction tools are important.  Keep them in the boat where they are easy to get to.  Occasionally, a fish will die and I don't feel like cleaning and eating it.  This is when I remind myself that turtles in the water and raccoons on the bank like to eat also.  I generally throw it on the bank for the coons to eat.  I wish I had a better answer but I don't really.

'Coon gotta eat too man! It's the circle of life!

[Dwight Hottle]

Your other option is to cut the hooks with a pair of bolt cutters like knipex. Musky anglers do it all the time when they are trying to save a deeply hooked fish.

[McAlpine]

I never pick up a rod without needle nose pliers or hemostats within easy reach. Go get some and keep them with your tackle.