Gut Hooked Fish

[Zach P]

First, let me say I don't know how many times this same exact topic has been started on threads. If it has been brought up multiple times before I apologize.

 

The other day I was thinking back to my previous years of fishing experiences and was thinking about the number of gut hooked fish I have seen. We've all heard that the "known" fact is to release a gut hooked fish and that the hook will eventually rust away. With that in mind I've seen multiple reports and opinions that state otherwise and that gut hooked fish will eventually die due to the fact that they cannot swallow their prey. I've seen fish before that look so anemic, but I believe this is because their stomach holds a plastic lure that cannot be digested.

 

It's because of varying opinions like these that confuse anglers, myself included. So my question is this: does anyone have any biological evidence or studies that suggest one way or another to: release a gut hooked fish with the hook (because it will rust and fall apart), or that you should cut the hook as close to the point as possible before releasing the fish, or that the fish will eventually die if the hook cannot be completely removed?

 

All opinions and article links are welcome for this topic and I would love to hear everyone's opinion on this subject matter.

[nascar2428]

I think it comes down to your personal belief on the situation. From the information I have been able to gather. The majority of todays hooks either do not rust or will take such a long time to rust out that it would not be beneficial to the fish. However the fishing handbook put out by the DNR here in Michigan says just the opposite, leave the hook in. I try my best to remove the hook without injuring the fish. However since I do not keep any fish I catch, if there is nobody near by to give the fish to, it's going back in the water. 

[joetomlee]

I'm with nascar, I will carefully try and remove the hook and release the fish back into the water. I've read mixed reviews on this, but feel as though I've heard more standpoints backing leaving the hook in the fish as it is less likely to do harm. With that said, I don't know why I insist on removing the hooks - it just feels like the right thing to do. I'm interested in hearing others input. 

[geo g]

I have caught fish with hooks in them for quite some time. Quality hooks will not rust out like cheap old hooks. If you can remove the hook without further injury this is the way to go. With gut hooked fish, I can remove the hook 99% of the time without further injury. Bigger fish are easier to deal with then runts.

Cut the line about six inches from the hook eye. Go through the gill plate and the first set of gills with your finger and grab the cut line following the bend of the hook. Pull the line gentally through the gill plate, to turn the hook. Once the hook is turned with the bend facing up, with long nose pylers lift the hook straight up. The hook easily comes out 99% of the time without further damage and you have removed what will sometimes cause a slow death.

If you dont do it, give it a try next time. Your fish will thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nice_Bass]

this method will solve your problems/worries.

I think this is actually the best thing I have got from this website.

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

 

another article posted by someone else here...cant recall who but the only thing I have ever read with any evidence so I saved.

http://www.nesportsman.com/articles/article11.shtml

Edited January 8, 2014 by Nice_Bass

[roadwarrior]

this method will solve your problems/worries.

I think this is actually the best thing I have got from this website.

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

 

X2

[Loop_Dad]

First, let me say I don't know how many times this same exact topic has been started on threads. If it has been brought up multiple times before I apologize.

 

The other day I was thinking back to my previous years of fishing experiences and was thinking about the number of gut hooked fish I have seen. We've all heard that the "known" fact is to release a gut hooked fish and that the hook will eventually rust away. With that in mind I've seen multiple reports and opinions that state otherwise and that gut hooked fish will eventually die due to the fact that they cannot swallow their prey. I've seen fish before that look so anemic, but I believe this is because their stomach holds a plastic lure that cannot be digested.

 

It's because of varying opinions like these that confuse anglers, myself included. So my question is this: does anyone have any biological evidence or studies that suggest one way or another to: release a gut hooked fish with the hook (because it will rust and fall apart), or that you should cut the hook as close to the point as possible before releasing the fish, or that the fish will eventually die if the hook cannot be completely removed?

 

All opinions and article links are welcome for this topic and I would love to hear everyone's opinion on this subject matter.

 

My opinion is it will kill fish if you don't remove it.

 

With the technique mentioned above( to remove the hook from gill )together with pinched barbs, removing the gut-hooked hook is very easy and snap.

[Zach P]

this method will solve your problems/worries.

I think this is actually the best thing I have got from this website.

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

 

another article posted by someone else here...cant recall who but the only thing I have ever read with any evidence so I saved.

http://www.nesportsman.com/articles/article11.shtml

 

 

X2

 

Wow this IS one of the best things I've seen so far, I've removed hooks from gut hooked fish before but this seems far easier. Thanks!

 

Also, I am with the opinion of most that not removing hooks will cause issues later on and most hooks do not go away if they are high quality.

[indianabasshunter]

I'm not saying that leaving a hook in the fish is the best solution but in my experience it is an option. I caught a healthy 3 lber last yr that had a catfish hook hanging halfway out of its vent hole. I removed the hook and released the healthy fish to fight another day. On the next cast I caught a 7lber. Karma at it's best right there.

[J Francho]

The question gets asked so much, the link to the solution is in our Forum Rules and FAQs.  In fact, the same question is in the "new posts" list twice today.

 

Definitely get that hook out.  The link provided shows pretty much a fool proof way to do it.  The main thing, do it quickly.  You don't want to keep the fish out of the water too long - that's more deadly than the hook.  If you need to put the fish in a bucket or livewell for a few minutes while you try to gather the tools, that's okay, too.  I've even waited until just before weigh in to remove the hook.

[Naplock]

Only time I've had trouble with this is when the fish is too small. Otherwise, has worked every time for me. Even showed someone else a few weeks ago.

[Loop_Dad]

The question gets asked so much, the link to the solution is in our Forum Rules and FAQs.  In fact, the same question is in the "new posts" list twice today.

 

Definitely get that hook out.  The link provided shows pretty much a fool proof way to do it.  The main thing, do it quickly.  You don't want to keep the fish out of the water too long - that's more deadly than the hook.  If you need to put the fish in a bucket or livewell for a few minutes while you try to gather the tools, that's okay, too.  I've even waited until just before weigh in to remove the hook.

 

I think this technique is not well known in general. I think I'll put the link to my signature.

[Goose52]

Yep - this is also the method I use and I've ALSO used it at least three times to remove hooks that someone ELSE left in a fish.

 

Like was said above - this is the single most important technique that I've learned  on this board.

[AK-Jax86]

To be honest I have only gut hooked 3 fish in my life, 1 I couldn't get it out and it died was a dink though. The other two I was with my professional fishing buddy, that's what I call him lol, and he got the hook out like it was nothing using his technique.

Now that I made that statement I may have to bookmark this thread because that's usually how things work lol. Now every fish I catch will be gut hooked

[WRB]

Sometimes we take catch and release to far! If the bass is bleeding from hook removal it's chances of survival is very low, especially when they get treble hooks in the throat or gills. You put Please Release Me on the wound and use Catch & Release in the live well and see if the bass is doing well or poorly. If the bass isn't going to make it, keep it if it's legal size, they are a good renewable food source.

When fishing soft plastics like Senkos that bass tend to swallow, use a circle hook to eliminate the problem.

If you learn to keep in touch with what your lure is doing all the time you will reduce the swallowing hook problem to a minimum.

Hooks don't dissolve in a basses stomach, the get covered over with tissue in time, if the injury isn't fatal.

Remove hooks whenever possible using care not to damage organs or gills.

Tom

[Hattrick7]

If you're mainly C&R the first thing you should do is crush the barbs down with a pair of needle nose pliers. Even if you do gut hook the fish chances are good that you won't rip out most it's guts or other stuff trying to get the hook out either down the fish's mouth or through the gill method.

If you use live bait you should definitely try using circle hooks. I use them dropshotting and they work like a champ and they always hook either the side or roof of the mouth. And with no barb the hook does minimal damage.

[Mikekw3]

Every angler should learn how to remove the hook from a bass' gut by going through under the gill plates..it takes some practice to get the technique down correctly, but I can get the hook out and release the fish 85-90% of the time.

And as far as the hooks rusting, that may be the case in salt water but in fresh I don't think so..I have caught several very sick bass with a hook and leader coming out of thier throat..removing the hook and in my opinion saving the fishes life

[Oscar O.]

If the bass isn't going to make it, keep it if it's legal size, they are a good renewable food source.

 

This just made me wonder, if it's not legal size but is clearly not going to make it, would it be against regulations to keep it or does that create a situation that is an exception to the rules?

[Loop_Dad]

This just made me wonder, if it's not legal size but is clearly not going to make it, would it be against regulations to keep it or does that create a situation that is an exception to the rules?

 

It is still illegal. Otherwise, people can hurt fish on purpose so that they can keep.

[Dwight Hottle]

Take a page out of the musky fisherman's handbook. If you can not quickly remove a hook cut it. Buy a pair of compound hook cutters like knipex. Cut those hooks for easy removal. If the hook point doesn't come out it will be much less of a problem if cut short. This is a proven solution to the problem IF you are equipped to solve the problem. Instead of spending minutes trying to remove a hook you can cut it in seconds. & return the fish to the water.

As a side note the same compound hook cutters can save your bacon if you ever get hooked by a thrashing hooked fish.

[Oscar O.]

It is still illegal. Otherwise, people can hurt fish on purpose so that they can keep.

 

Ah okay, thanks. I hope this doesn't happen to me, it would be a sickening feeling to have to release a fish that has no chance. But at the same time it's probably necessary to prevent people from getting around the minimum length regulation.

[RoLo]

If it has been brought up multiple times before I apologize.

 

 

Surely you jest     

Every imaginable topic has been addressed countless times, but that's the fabric of a forum.

 

 

Even if the hook is not made of stainless steel, it's not going to rust away during the lifespan of the fish.

If the fish isn't bleeding profusely, then hook-removal gives that fish his only chance for survival.

If the fish IS bleeding profusely, it will most likely become an angling casualty (so be it).

 

The greater emphasis should be placed on reducing the possibility of gut-hooked fish.

With regard to artificial lures, more than 'one' gut-hooked fish per year

indicates the need for an overhaul in hook-setting operandi 

 

Roger

[J Francho]

Ah okay, thanks. I hope this doesn't happen to me, it would be a sickening feeling to have to release a fish that has no chance. But at the same time it's probably necessary to prevent people from getting around the minimum length regulation.

 

Turtles and gulls gotta eat too.

[Evan Lip Ripper]

On 1/8/2014 at 7:17 AM, Loop_Dad said:

 

My opinion is it will kill fish if you don't remove it.

 

With the technique mentioned above( to remove the hook from gill )together with pinched barbs, removing the gut-hooked hook is very easy and snap.

If the hook is sticking out from the other side, it is difficult to do through the gill, and how to remove the hook is to pull it out from where it is sticking out of.

[Jonas Staggs]

I have the long thin needle nose plier style hook remover, and also carry standard pliers for larger fish. Sometimes I think it might be better to just leave the hook in, if I cannot get the hook out "CLEANLY". Theres been times where I have gotten the hook out, but I think it ended up doing more damage than good.  

 

Can a fish survive with a hook in it like that? Will it eventually fall out or work it's way out? Not sure if it's true but I heard with saltwater the hook will rust out.