Gut hooked one...

[EGbassing]

Well, I gut hooked a little one for the first time today on a weightless trick worm. Once I got it to the bank I realized that it was pretty deep. I got out my pliers and started pushing on the hook. That thing would not come out. I did that for a while pushing as hard as I could, but nope. (strange because the hook was barbless...) I finally decided to try going through the gills as a last resort and it finally popped out. I would say it was out of the water for about 1 - 1.5 minutes, but around half way through, I dunked it under the water for a few seconds. I dropped him back in right away and he just sat under the surface barely moving for about 10 seconds, then slowly swam away. I didn't see any blood, but what would you say his chances of survival are? I still feel pretty bad about it. ?

[Arcs&sparks]

Approximately 53.467%

 

 

 

[EGbassing]

1 minute ago, Arcs&sparks said:

Approximately 53.467%

 

 

 

Really? I would say it's more like 53.474, but I could be wrong...

[JG233]

If you're struggling, try to take a minute, give the fish a dunk in the water for 15 sec, bring it back up, and try again. 

[Arcs&sparks]

Also,  if the hook point is sticking out,  I just cut the hook in half with my dikes and remove both sides.  I feel that’s a lot better than forcing your hands though there gills and turning it’s guts inside out to remove your $0.50 hook ?  Not saying you didn’t do the right thing but just a tip for the future.

[EGbassing]

4 minutes ago, Arcs&sparks said:

Also,  if the hook point is sticking out,  I just cut the hook in half with my dikes and remove both sides.  I feel that’s a lot better than forcing your hands though there gills and turning it’s guts inside out to remove your $0.50 hook ?  Not saying you didn’t do the right thing but just a tip for the future.

Yeah, I'm looking into some hook cutters. I thought about just cutting the line, but I decided to just get it out. Not because I'm too cheap to replace a $0.50 hook, but because I estimated about a 95% chance that it wouldn't survive if I left it in... 

[Bluebasser86]

Learn this technique and you'll be able to remove a majority of deep hooks quickly with minimal damage to the fish.

 

With that, fishing is a contact sport, you will 100%, without a doubt in your fishing career kill fish. If you like to eat them, or know someone who does, you might be better off keeping a struggling fish. If it doesn't make it, plenty of other animals will benefit. There's just going to be some that there is nothing you can do about it though.

[bagofdonuts]

If its bad just cut the line and leave the hook in.

[EGbassing]

20 minutes ago, bagofdonuts said:

If its bad just cut the line and leave the hook in.

Well, the hook definitely would have kept him from eating, and I doubt it would've fallen out on it's own. If it were deep enough that I couldn't get it out, I would most likely just take it home for dinner. 

[J Francho]

14 minutes ago, bagofdonuts said:

If its bad just cut the line and leave the hook in.

No, no, no.  How does leaving a hook stuck in a fish's throat help it's chance of survival?  Studies have shown, it takes several months for that hook to come out on it's own, if at all.  You might as well just keep the fish for dinner, rather than let it starve.

[EGbassing]

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

No, no, no.  How does leaving a hook stuck in a fish's throat help it's chance of survival?  Studies have shown, it takes several months for that hook to come out on it's own, if at all.  You might as well just keep the fish for dinner, rather than let it starve.

Agreed. If the hook had been in it's stomach where I knew I couldn't get it out, I probably would have just kept it. 

[Hyrule Bass]

the through the gills method has worked 100% of the time for me. I just no longer see a reason to leave a hook in a basses throat, ever.

[EGbassing]

1 hour ago, Hyrule Bass said:

the through the gills method has worked 100% of the time for me. I just no longer see a reason to leave a hook in a basses throat, ever.

Which part of the gills do you go through? I went through the very top (above all the gills) yesterday, but I'm not sure if that was right. It didn't seem to be bleeding or anything...

[Bluebasser86]

18 hours ago, EGbassing said:

Which part of the gills do you go through? I went through the very top (above all the gills) yesterday, but I'm not sure if that was right. It didn't seem to be bleeding or anything...

There's a link you can click that will take you to pictures and an explanation on how to do it in my first post on this thread. 

 

22 hours ago, J Francho said:

No, no, no.  How does leaving a hook stuck in a fish's throat help it's chance of survival?  Studies have shown, it takes several months for that hook to come out on it's own, if at all.  You might as well just keep the fish for dinner, rather than let it starve.

It lets them live long enough that I can leave the lake before they slowly starve to death so I don't have to deal with the sight of them expiring on the surface

 

I don't know, I guess I figure if I was the fish, I'd rather either have it out, or go the relatively quick route of bleeding to death versus starving because my throat is pinned shut or too obstructed to eat properly. 

[EGbassing]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

There's a link you can click that will take you to pictures and an explanation on how to do it in my first post on this thread. 

 

It lets them live long enough that I can leave the lake before they slowly starve to death so I don't have to deal with the sight of them expiring on the surface

 

I don't know, I guess I figure if I was the fish, I'd rather either have it out, or go the relatively quick route of bleeding to death versus starving because my throat is pinned shut or too obstructed to eat properly. 

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind next time.  

[geo g]

Lots of videos on how to get a hook deep in the throat out safely.  Follow the videos it works, I have done it hundreds of times over the last 40 years.

[Nattyboh74]

Bluebasser86 showed me that link last year, I saved two fish like that... Its great once you learn it, though I did loose one. I didnt use my fingers on the hook eye though they gill, I used my pliers, but still worked none the less.

[EGbassing]

Just now, Nattyboh74 said:

Bluebasser86 showed me that link last year, I saved two fish like that... Its great once you learn it, though I did loose one. I didnt use my fingers on the hook eye though they gill, I used my pliers, but still worked none the less.

Yeah. If I hadn't used that method on that one, it would most likely be dead now.  

[Nattyboh74]

1 minute ago, EGbassing said:

Yeah. If I hadn't used that method on that one, it would most likely be dead now.  

What method? Im lost lol. All in all, do what you can to try and remove the hook. That method posted above works great.

[EGbassing]

1 minute ago, Nattyboh74 said:

What method? Im lost lol. All in all, do what you can to try and remove the hook. That method posted above works great.

I was referring to the through-the-gills method.

[Nattyboh74]

Ah ok

[bagofdonuts]

On 5/25/2018 at 8:41 AM, J Francho said:

No, no, no.  How does leaving a hook stuck in a fish's throat help it's chance of survival?  Studies have shown, it takes several months for that hook to come out on it's own, if at all.  You might as well just keep the fish for dinner, rather than let it starve.

Not sure what studies your referring to. I’ve read several that show removing the hook on a deaply hooked fish nearly doubles the mortality rate. One I recall was on trout stated that leaving the hook decreased mortality rate from 79% to 47%. The fish has a better chance of  expelling the hook itself. I’m not against keeping the fish, but if the question is how to prevent mortality, all the studies I’ve seen say leave the hook. If the fish is not legal size keeping it may get you a ticket. 

[slonezp]

On 5/25/2018 at 1:16 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Learn this technique and you'll be able to remove a majority of deep hooks quickly with minimal damage to the fish.

 

With that, fishing is a contact sport, you will 100%, without a doubt in your fishing career kill fish. If you like to eat them, or know someone who does, you might be better off keeping a struggling fish. If it doesn't make it, plenty of other animals will benefit. There's just going to be some that there is nothing you can do about it though.

I landed a snot rocket yesterday that was dead in less than a minute out of water. He engulfed a jerkbait and 2 of the 3 hooks had passed thru the gills. I think it half bled out before I landed it and bled the rest all over my carpet. It was dead before I could even cut the hooks with the sidecutters.  

[J Francho]

On 5/27/2018 at 3:28 PM, bagofdonuts said:

Not sure what studies your referring to. I’ve read several that show removing the hook on a deaply hooked fish nearly doubles the mortality rate. One I recall was on trout stated that leaving the hook decreased mortality rate from 79% to 47%. The fish has a better chance of  expelling the hook itself. I’m not against keeping the fish, but if the question is how to prevent mortality, all the studies I’ve seen say leave the hook. If the fish is not legal size keeping it may get you a ticket. 

Old news, look again.  We're talking about bass, not trout. There's a recent one.  You can do your own experiment though.  Get a glass of lake water, toss a hook in it.  See how long it takes before dissolving.  Leaving a hook in to obstruct feeding make no sense.  Get it out.  Now, a hook through the tongue....I leave it, until weigh in, and assume I'm eating that fish.  My experience is a tongue hooked fish has a very low survival rate.

[EGbassing]

On 5/27/2018 at 2:55 PM, slonezp said:

I landed a snot rocket yesterday that was dead in less than a minute out of water. He engulfed a jerkbait and 2 of the 3 hooks had passed thru the gills. I think it half bled out before I landed it and bled the rest all over my carpet. It was dead before I could even cut the hooks with the sidecutters.  

Ouch. ?