Swallowed hooks

[ryno]

I was fishing in the lake behind our apartment this past weekend with a 5" Senko on a 4/0 hook. The fish were really eating the lure and a 2 pounder grabbed it as soon as it hit the water. Before I could set the hook the bass had swallowed it.

My question is: What should you do in a situation like that. I was pretty sure that I couldn't have gotten the hook out without seriously damaging the basses throat. I ended up clipping the line off and releasing the fish with the hook still embedded in it's throat.

I think that I've heard that the hook with eventually corrode (either by they water or by the bass) and fall out. I only catch and release so I feel bad when I throw them back in worse condition than I yanked them out.

Thanks in advance.

Ryan Frankenbery (Yes, like the cereal)

Jupiter, Florida

[SeminoleFan]

Ryno, you did the right thing. In that situation thats really all you can do.

And I have also heard the same thing about the hook eventually rusting out.

Rick

[nova]

I too have done that many times.(it's worse with smallies)

I also used to beleive that the hooks would rust out until I started catching fish with hooks in them and the fishing line was full of algae. Probably the old style hooks might have rusted out in the past but now with nickle coating I don't think so. A DNR official told me to leave about 12-16" of line on the hook and possibly the fish will rub it out.

I don't mean to sound hard about this but; I think it is just a fact that it will happen from time to time.

I used to feel really bad about and still do from time to time but this is the only sport I do now and I'm not going to give it up.

Just don't tell an activist about the hook problem;lol.

[siebler_custom_baits]

You can always which to barbless hooks if you only catch and release. Make sure you dont leave the bait in the throat, just the hook.

[Gr8flyz]

As has been said, it's going to sometimes happen. Using barbless circle hooks helps too.

You did the best you could. I don't have a problem with keeping a fish like that, provided it's legal, but if there's anyway I think it will survive I'll release them too.

There's no easy answer.

[ryno]

Thanks for the opinions and information. The lake is catch and release only. I've done a little research on the internet since my post and it's true that new hooks won't corrode and fall out. The only solution I could find was to buy a good pair of wire cutters and snip the hook off as close to the fish as possible. The fish has a good chance of survival as long as the hook doesn't block the food.

p.s. This is a great website, although it has dropped my productivity at work. Not that I'm complaining.

[woodsac]

Ryno, check out this article. This has been the most productive form of hook removal I have found. Very easy and effective! I use a pair of 8" Shimano hemastats, but any long, thin version would work.

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if2806_HookRemoval/

[nova]

That's the same artical I've seen in other mags. I've tried it with smallies and killed fish trying to do it. May work better with largemouth because of the size difference.

If you worried about killing or injuring smallies, take heed.

[ryno]

Thanks for the article, Woodsac. I am definitely going to have to try that.

As for smallies, I had to give them up when I moved to Florida in July. I guess I'll have to replace them with peacocks.

Once again thanks for all of your input.

Tight lines.

Ryan

[basskat]

According to a friend of mine who is a marine bioligist, (don't think I spelled that right) a hook will come out of a bass in a week or less. He says it's the acid in the fish's body that does it. If I hook a fish deep I just cut the line. At least the fish has a chance this way.

[boatnik13]

I catch many fish with the hook and part of the string in its throat. That can be a good thing! that means the fish is living and being caught again and again.Taking the hook out will stress a fish , many of the times it will be hours later that it will go belly up and you'll never know. I'm all for people cutting the line(short near the hook)and releasing the fish correctly.Can't make you buy certain hooks but someday your state fishing program might I guess. For now i like a choice!

[The Dutchman]

Ryno,

I,too, gutted several fish using senkos fished weightless. I believe the problem can be two fold. It is very hard to detect pick-ups with a weightless senko unless the fish takes off with it. The angler has to be extra alert when fishing these things. Another thing I have done which really helped was to Texas rig it but thread the senko on the hook so the hook is more in the middle of the senko or just above center. Hope this helps.

Joe.

[benton B]

There is a tool called the d-barb tool, I've used on several fish and it works well. It's a long pair of nose cutters with a magnit and you can cut the point and barb off the hook at one time and then remove the shank.

Sorry I do not recall the web address. A lot of smallmouth fishermen use this tool, check www.riversmallies.com for an article.

[benton B]

There is a tool called the d-barb tool, I've used on several fish and it works well. It's a long pair of nose cutters with a magnit and you can cut the point and barb off the hook at one time and then remove the shank.

Sorry I do not recall the web address. A lot of smallmouth fishermen use this tool, check www.riversmallies.com for an article.