How should I handle this?

[mack]

dont worry..my friend caught one in a private pond (1 acre) last month...we went back last week and caught the same fish with the hook in its throat..it was fine...

[bassnman30]

I carry a set of cutting pliers and I try to cut the barbs off and back the hook out. In the event that this is not an option, I just cut the hook off as close to the throat as possible and pull it out point first. No failures, no dead fish.

[Fishie1]

I have pulled fish with a hook from someone else sticking out its booty...

[RatLTrap]

the hook will come out... its best to cut the line, and leave hook in... it will work its way out. dont listen to your friend...

[bassintom]

simplest way is pull the hook through the gill way.if that fails,simply cut the hook in half.how can it not fall out.i would never leave line attached.
the fish would not die a painful death.they don't have the brain facilities to feel pain.they would just waste away from malnutrition.still not good.

[Rebbasser]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

Rebbasser
Thanks for the article with the photos. This is exactly how it is done but as I said I leave 12-18" of line. In some fish it is very difficult to get your fingers inside the gill slits. I'd make sure that my hands were wet first before attempting to do it as shown. I'd also put the fish in some Rejuvenade/Bass medic water before releasing the fish. That's just me.
Now about hooks rusting inside a fishes mouth and leaving the line outside. Some of you don't feel this is the best thing to do but how you feel and actual facts may be two different things. Check out the article found at http://www.mnbf.org/conservation/hooksinout.html
This may shed a little insight on the topic here. It's not my opinion but has a little science behind it.

I'll recap what was found.
1) Hooks don't rust quickly in the fishes mouth, even in salt water. "After four months, 78 percent of the hooks were still imbedded."
2) Keeping the line outside the body is better than cutting it short. "Fish mortality was greater when all line was trimmed."
3) Actual studies were done to determine #1 and #2

3d, thanks for the tip about the line. I love to fish senko-type baits and the way the fish take them I often don't feel or see the hit-I raise the rod tip and there he is. As a result, I occasionally deep hook a fish, especially dinks where using the through the gill method is not possible. Using the line will make that possible.

[bassnman30]

I carry a set of wire cutters and clip the hook as close to the bend as possible. Then I try and pull the hook out by the barbed end.

[lizardsrule]

First off, that's gonna happen, we are gonna kill fish, so either accept it, or quit fishing. I have posted this at least 4 times, and as of yet, have not heard of anyone except me using it. It's simple, quick and inexpensive. I doubt I'll post it again, people don't either believe me or just don't care. Either way, I'm not gonna keep wasting my time on it. This thing works fabulous, so spend the pennies it costs, and use it.

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catal...rTarget=browse

Lizards