Need Opinions on Ethical Fishing Question.

[Micro]

Protecting them means knowing them.

Is this a biblical reference?

Nah, it's a know it all refrence

Brilliant.  And the post-count climbs to.......

[Tom Bass]

;D You guys are a riot!

Leave it or remove just depends on the situation for me. I used to use standard worm hooks and would gut hook a bass on a rare occassion but I have tried a multitude of hooks and the best one for me is Tru-Turn hooks. I have yet to gut hook a bass with those. I almost always lip hook 'em with these hooks.

I keep three tools in my boat that help. A sturdy set of forceps, a long set of needle nosed pliers and a set of wire cutters. These help get the hook out. If you really have concerns about removing the hook smash the barb down. Sure, you'll lose a fish on occassion but that helps with hook removal in a guy hooked fish.

Tom

[Guest avid]

Protecting them means knowing them.

Is this a biblical reference?  

For you, perhaps if we were talking about smallmouth.  

 :-*

[SimonSays]

I've always felt that if we feel bass are worthy of catching, they are worthy of protecting.  Protecting them means knowing them.  I highly recommend anyone with an interest in the ecology of black bass check this book:

http://www.afsbooks.org/x54031xm.html

It's less expensive than a really good rod or reel.  But it will tell you more than you thought there was to know about bass.  

Wow, I really wish I could afford that, it looks like a very interesting read

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

That book isn't huge but it's packed with great info.  This is the book that convinced me that keeping a Bass in a tank is un-ethical (to me)  It was given to me by a marine Biologist from U.R.I.   It's a little "sciency" but a great read if you can slow down and look up a few words,lol.

[Jake Grey]

I tried to squash that bug on my screen. :

What bug?  

[George Welcome]

In 40+ years of fishing for bass, I have never had one swallow bait and hook completely.

[Sam]

I have seen bass pass hooks.

I have pulled a plastic worm out of a bass.

I would throw the fish back and hope for the best.

[jwo1124]

Two things; First, that Black Bass book does look like a good read. It is a bit pricey, about the same price I spend per book for college. But, seeing how it is meant for students, scientists, and wildlife agency and conservationists, it is probably a very accurate and dependable source worth every dollar.

But, it's either buy that book, or a new IM7 worm and jig rod....::stop bait monkey that hurts::....I guess I'll just stick to reading articles on Bass Resource for now...

Secondly, the choice you make is one of personal morality as Muddy said. It is great that anglers like many on this forum have such repsect and empathy for the bass, even though we spend every waking moment learning how to trick it into biting a false food item and sticking a hook into its face  ;D

All kidding aside though, I would say as long as the fish isn't bleeding, cut the line as close to the hook as possible, and let the fish swim off. Try to hold it in the water for a few seconds to let it recover from the stress of the whole incident and get some O2 back in it's system. I have always read that fish are tough animals, and are able to pass and even break down and digest a hook because the acidity of their stomachs are very high. Think, they have to digest whole organisms, bones, fins, shells: they are tough critters. Some members here have posted that they have been witness to this.

So I would say, If you do gut hook a fish, and it looks like it's in ok shape, NOT BLEEDING, cut the line and throw it back. Chances are the fish will survive and keep feeding. I was shiner fishing one day, gut hooked a dink bass, cut the line threw it back, and ten minutes later I caught the same fish with the hook still lodged in it's throat. Fish are tough, don;t under estimate them, they have been here alot longer than us, and probably will be here a lot longer after we're gone.

Hope this helps.

-Joe

[Matt Fly]

I have a pair of commercial dykes.    They make fast work on any hooks I have came across.

I'm one who tries to totally remove the hook with minimum damage to the fish.

I have caugh one bass over 7 pounds from Fork that had 4 existing hooks in her mouth,  two with some line hanging out of her mouth about 18 inches on the longest.    

  Those hooks showed some rusting, but looked like they needed alot more time.   Hooks are made with alot better alloys than in the old days.   One thing about her, she broke them all off, cause they were in easy places to remove.    Go figure.   All removed and she swam away.    

    This was in 96, slot was only 21 inches so she stayed in livewell for awhile.   I let her recooperate before completing all removals.

[lineman]

no harm in keeping a fish once in a while to remind you how much of a pain in the but it is to have rottin fish smell in your garage!

[Guest avid]

I have a pair of commercial dykes.

Not my idea of a good time but hey, if you got the $$$....................go for it.

[Guest avid]

I have a pair of commercial dykes.

Not my idea of a good time but hey, if you got the $$$....................go for it.  :

[luckyinkentucky]

I think we got a little 'off key' here.  I was implying a scenario as if the fish completely swallowed the hook all the way to the stomach.  You can't see the hook in the mouth or under the gills.  It is in the internal organs of the fish.

The reason I initially asked this question is because I have gutted 10+ pound catfish that have had treble hooks hung up in their intestines.  I'm just beginning to wonder how ethical it is to let a wounded fish go that you know is going to die a slow and painful death.  

I think it would be more humane to eat the fish, and save it the trouble in the long run.  That's my conclusion.  

[Long Mike]

Avid, I'm not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole.  I good pair of commercial dykes would just chomp it into small pieces.   ;D

[Micro]

I have a pair of commercial dykes.

Not my idea of a good time but hey, if you got the $$$....................go for it. :

LMAO.   ;D

It's a spectator sport.