Fish got tangled on broken line - what should/could I have done?

[Dash Riprock]

Was bank fishing with a Yamamoto cut-tail on a shakey head in a new-to-me spot on a small lake where I had been once before. Got careless with a cast and ended up with a nasty bird's nest. It took me a while to pick it out but when I was finally done and started reeling up, I had a fish on. 

 

Apparently, while I was picking out the birds' nest the fish went into some structure and got my line tangled with a previously broken off line in the structure. I could lift the rod tip and raise the hooked bass out of the water, and see my worm dangling from its mouth and the other line stretching back down into the water.

 

I found out later from another angler that that area was notorious for eating lures. Apparently there's an old fence on the bottom that was left when the reservoir was filled, and it still has the barbed wire on it.

 

Anyway, I tried to free the tangle but no luck and eventually my line broke. I felt bad leaving that fish stuck on a hook tangled in a line under the water, but I didn't know what else to do. Is there anything I could have done in that situation? Maybe he manage to free himself? 

[OldManLure]

If it was hooked through the lip, I believe the chances are good it will free itself.  If it was a deeper hook, though,……?

[gunsinger]

Not sure you could have done anything if you couldn't reach the fish.  I had something similar happen where I set the hook on one and my leader snapped.  I re-tied and kept fishing.  Moments later, I noticed a fish coming to the surface and shaking her head.  After the second or third time, I could see my worm on the side of her mouth.  I don't know if she ever threw the worm or the hook with 3' - 4' of line or not and she wouldn't come up near the boat so I could try to net her and remove it.  

[Zcoker]

1 hour ago, Dash Riprock said:

Was bank fishing with a Yamamoto cut-tail on a shakey head in a new-to-me spot on a small lake where I had been once before. Got careless with a cast and ended up with a nasty bird's nest. It took me a while to pick it out but when I was finally done and started reeling up, I had a fish on. 

 

Apparently, while I was picking out the birds' nest the fish went into some structure and got my line tangled with a previously broken off line in the structure. I could lift the rod tip and raise the hooked bass out of the water, and see my worm dangling from its mouth and the other line stretching back down into the water.

 

 

 

Unknown water is always a learning curve, both for natural structure and junk. I'd say first hand that it's quite admiral of you to even be posting this, to care so much about the fate of that fish to the point of questioning yourself if there was something you could've done. And I'm quite sure that there was "something" that could've been done, either wading out there or even swimming out there to free that fish. I really can't say. Sounds to me like the situation was inevitable. You'd be surprised how some fish can get out of a seemingly impossible situation. 

[PressuredFishing]

1 hour ago, Dash Riprock said:

Was bank fishing with a Yamamoto cut-tail on a shakey head in a new-to-me spot on a small lake where I had been once before. Got careless with a cast and ended up with a nasty bird's nest. It took me a while to pick it out but when I was finally done and started reeling up, I had a fish on. 

 

Apparently, while I was picking out the birds' nest the fish went into some structure and got my line tangled with a previously broken off line in the structure. I could lift the rod tip and raise the hooked bass out of the water, and see my worm dangling from its mouth and the other line stretching back down into the water.

 

I found out later from another angler that that area was notorious for eating lures. Apparently there's an old fence on the bottom that was left when the reservoir was filled, and it still has the barbed wire on it.

 

Anyway, I tried to free the tangle but no luck and eventually my line broke. I felt bad leaving that fish stuck on a hook tangled in a line under the water, but I didn't know what else to do. Is there anything I could have done in that situation? Maybe he manage to free himself? 

If the fish isnt gut hooked, the slack line will more than likley shake the bait. I find myself getting caught up on other peoples fishing line more than natural structure sometimes.

[TnRiver46]

Swim out there and free it or apologize to the fish gods. Or ask a boater to help 

[Dash Riprock]

16 minutes ago, OldManLure said:

If it was hooked through the lip, I believe the chances are good it will free itself.  If it was a deeper hook, though,……?

That's good to hear, thanks.

 

Pretty sure it couldn't have been gut hooked, otherwise I wouldn't have seen the worm hanging from its lip. It was a shaky head with a screw lock baitkeeper, so it couldn't have ridden up the line. 

 

 

[GaryH]

Wade out if not too deep. Ask a boater to help “great idea” swimming out BAD idea. You already stated that there’s a barbed wire fence submerged in the area. I’d rather have a fish die then to hear one of our members got tangled in barbed wire and drowned.

[Dash Riprock]

1 hour ago, GaryH said:

Wade out if not too deep. Ask a boater to help “great idea” swimming out BAD idea. You already stated that there’s a barbed wire fence submerged in the area. I’d rather have a fish die then to hear one of our members got tangled in barbed wire and drowned.

This is a kayak/canoe only lake, and there weren't any there that day. I don't know how deep it is, but I wondered later if maybe I should have attempted that. 

 

I didn't know at the time about the submerged fence, I was chatting with a guy on my way back to the truck and he mentioned it to me. 

[Fishingmickey]

On some of our highly pressured lakes here.  I have had problems fishing standing timber. Set the hook on a good fish and next thing I know it is hung up in wad of braid 14-15'deep. Very frustrating. Couldn't get the fish out and ended up breaking it off.  

FM

I do agree with the opinion that wading out after it would likely end up with you possibly getting hooked on other lost lures or worse.  Hooked up on a barbed wire fence under water. I shudder at the thought.

FM

[Skunkmaster-k]

That barb wire is a killer. A young man in my area was fishing and got his braid tangled in some fencing underwater. His friend was holding his feet while he hung over the edge to unsnag. His shirt got hung and he wound up drowning. 

[Koz]

What could you have done?

 

That depends upon how much you like swimming ?

[newriverfisherman1953]

You did all you could do. Lay your head on your pillow tonight and don’t worry about it. It’s a fish. I ain’t swimming, period. 

[scaleface]

I caught one this year that had a hook and line in its mouth that was tangled up in the brush . I had to cut the other line in order to retrieve the fish . Heres the kicker , it was a hook that I use , probably my hook . The brush is thick and I had to break my line . A week or two later I hook it again .  

[GaryH]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

I caught one this year that had a hook and line in its mouth that was tangled up in the brush . I had to cut the other line in order to retrieve the fish . Heres the kicker , it was a hook that I use , probably my hook . The brush is thick and I had to break my line . A week or two later I hook it again .  

I think you may have a pet. Seems it likes your company.. ?

[schplurg]

Friend of mine in 2019