Feel Good Moment....

[Preytorien]

I had a good lesson shown to me by a great bass fishing friend of how to remove the lure/hooks from a gut hooked fish. Thankfully, I've almost never had such an issue arise, but in all honesty my prior approach was unskilled, and for that I hope I did not kill any fish.

 

However, this last week, I had a 3lb bass quite literally inhale a wolly bug I was using rigged weighless.

 

The lure was very deep in his mouth and was appearing to be too difficult to quickly and easily unhook and release. My mind went to the lesson my buddy showed my about removing the lure through the gill flap.

 

I managed to do so successfully and without hardly any blood. I had to rip my soft plastic to do so, but hey, I allowed that beautiful bass to once again roam the waters.

 

I'm a catch and release fisherman, so maybe the next day I'm getting skunked, that bass will tell his friends that I'm safe to play with and will give me a hit or two to make things fun. 

 

Learn and practice saving a gut hooked fish, it'll make you feel all warm inside and it'll keep your water full of fish who can live to fight another day

 

[Grizzn N Bassin]

always good ive only took home one fish in the past year due to a really bad gut hook... makes you feel good when you get them back in to swim with there freinds!

[AK-Jax86]

Always feels good when you can save a fish, or any animal for that matter

[BassinLou]

The gut hook removal technique is a great fish saving skill set to have.

[Topwaterspook]

I saw a hook remover at Dick's. Supposedly it rotates the hook as you squeeze the handles. This enables the hook to be removed from the gullet with minimal damage. Has anyone used one of this type ? For a meager $9 it would be a good investment.

[BassinLou]

I had that tool before I learned the gut removal technique. I lean towards the technique. That tool did not work quite well for me.

[GeorgiaBassBros]

Ive saved so many fish by learning that technique. Not only my fish but my dads and friends as well. If you bass fish and havent learned it youre doing something wrong

[ClackerBuzz]

i'll never forget the first time i used the gill method. it's amazing how many anglers don't know it.  i try to pass it on as well

[Long Mike]

It's a great technique.  It never fails to amaze me how resilient the gills are.

[Big Jon]

I've never had a gut hooked fish. I have seen a video on the technique, but I don't remember how it went. Can someone post info on the technique for me and those who don't know?

[Preytorien]

I can't really say I have a "method" per-say, but the way I was shown is that you remove as much of your lure as possible so you've so as small of an object to pass through the gill flap as possible. (this required me to tear up my soft plastic - worth it though)

 

Then since the hook is lodged in a way that makes it too difficult to dislodge, pass the line through the gill flap and pull down that way rather than up through the mouth of the fish.

 

Really the issue lies in the fact that one of two issues exist

 

1. The hook is too far down the gullet of the fish for forceps or hook remover to reach

2. The direction of the hook doesn't allow for a "standard" unhooking, where you'd just pull/push it out of the flesh of the fish. This is the case I've found my method to be most effective. The hook was too far down the mouth, and was lodged where the point of the hook was facing the mouth of the fish, yet was in a position where just pushing the hook out wasn't going to work since it'd push it even further down the gullet. So I had to pull the hook out from the rear, which happened to be via the closest gill flap.

 

Like I said, I can't really say my way is the only way, but it works for me, and saved a fish. My explaination might be more complicated than it should. Once you see it done it's actually not hard at all and you'll realize just how many more fish you can potentially save with your new set of skills

 

However, that said....this video seems to be pretty good at describing what I had to do.....
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RGTL9RBG2s

[ClackerBuzz]

no need for pliers in the gills or to even cut the line. just slide ur index finger thru the gill opposite the hook eye and pull toward yourself.  i only use a pliers to go in the mouth and grab the bottom J bend of the hook if the barb is in his gut good.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

[B@ssCrzy]

Learned this earlier this year and has saved quite a few fish.  Great technique to know. 

[Big Jon]

I can't really say I have a "method" per-say, but the way I was shown is that you remove as much of your lure as possible so you've so as small of an object to pass through the gill flap as possible. (this required me to tear up my soft plastic - worth it though)

 

Then since the hook is lodged in a way that makes it too difficult to dislodge, pass the line through the gill flap and pull down that way rather than up through the mouth of the fish.

 

Really the issue lies in the fact that one of two issues exist

 

1. The hook is too far down the gullet of the fish for forceps or hook remover to reach

2. The direction of the hook doesn't allow for a "standard" unhooking, where you'd just pull/push it out of the flesh of the fish. This is the case I've found my method to be most effective. The hook was too far down the mouth, and was lodged where the point of the hook was facing the mouth of the fish, yet was in a position where just pushing the hook out wasn't going to work since it'd push it even further down the gullet. So I had to pull the hook out from the rear, which happened to be via the closest gill flap.

 

Like I said, I can't really say my way is the only way, but it works for me, and saved a fish. My explaination might be more complicated than it should. Once you see it done it's actually not hard at all and you'll realize just how many more fish you can potentially save with your new set of skills

no need for pliers in the gills or to even cut the line. just slide ur index finger thru the gill opposite the hook eye and pull toward yourself.  i only use a pliers to go in the mouth and grab the bottom J bend of the hook if the barb is in his gut good.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

 

 

Thanks! These both look pretty easy. I'll have to keep this in mind in case I ever need it.