Hook in the throat

[BassHawg7]

What is the best thing to do when the hook is in the bass's throat? Especially when your in a tournament and its a keeper.

[zooker]

cut the hook throw him in the live well. the stuff in please release me or any live well addtive release aids will help the fish clean the wound. after releasing the live fish he will work the hook out in a couple weeks. and be ready to bite again..

zooker

[lunker-lander]

Here ya go bud. It's been posted before, but I thought I'd dig-it-up for a quick review...

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine...val/index.html

-Lunk-

[torelaxandenjoy]

Good digging Lunk, very informative

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

Here ya go bud. It's been posted before, but I thought I'd dig-it-up for a quick review...

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine...val/index.html

-Lunk-

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

Here ya go bud. It's been posted before, but I thought I'd dig-it-up for a quick review...

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine...val/index.html

-Lunk-

i have seen guys do that before and it works, but i still rather cut them out. i just don't like taking a chance of screwing up their gills.

[3dkicker]

This type of removal works very well but you really need to have a partner to help. I clip the line off about 18" above the hook and have my partner pull the line down and I remove the hook. Pops out very easily once it is "reversed".
If you don't want to remove the hook then studies have shown to leave plenty of line attached to the hook. Mortality is increased when you cut the line at the hook. Not my idea or opinion but a scientific fact.

[pignjig]

Smitty, do you remember the study you're talking about? I've heard the same thing but was unaware that an actual study was done. Very interesting.

-Pig

[3dkicker]

I read it but forget where I found it. It was done on Stripers in a circular tank. A group had the line cut at the hook and the other group they left a length of line half as long as the fish remaining. The fish with the line left had significantly less mortality than the other group.

[carolina-rig-01]

i have never heard that before........huh!? learn something everyday i guess.

[bassinbob]

Before I started to bass fish I used to fish for walleye. I caught one deep hooked one day and cut the line at the hook. About a half hour later I caught the same eye. Made me believe they just go about their business if they aren't hurt real bad.

[bamabassman]

very good info there. thanks alot!!!

[Lilmoosecountry]

In a recreational situation. I would proably take the fish home to eat. I do release most of my fish. But if i have one thatz iFFy & he is a keepor size. 1 or 2 fish now & then for dinner won't hurt the fishery at all. Besides what a waste of a fish. If you gill hook a fish. Then release him to die later. He's better off going home. Then atleast you make somthing productive of that fishes life for your moment of recreation.

[zooker]

i agree moose i do keep a few each year. but not the bigger ones most of the ones i do keep are 1.25-2 pounds.lets face it to make a decent fishery you need to limit the compation in the species. how?? well you need to remove some of the more abundent members of the species.in bass this is the 1-2 pounders..



zooker

[Lilmoosecountry]

Besides thatz the perfect frying size for dinner. I proably eat a 2 dozen a year. Most of them come from the missouri river. I only know of 6 bass fishermen within a 100 mile stretch of the missouri river. People just think catfishing when they think OL'Muddy. So culling a few is fine. With no bass fishing pressure. This can cause a over population. That itself can be harmful. We bass fisherman talk on the river about culling a few for the better of the fishery. Thatz really a small amount compared to the amount i catch. Yes your right about taking about taking out the big Guy's. Besides a bass over that size just don't taste that good either. So turn em loose over 2 lbs.

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

When you're fishing a one or two acre pond and catching two dozen 12 inchers for each 3 or 4 pounder you start keeping a few of the little guys.

[WTL]

I'm with the others, more here comes into play that just trying to save the fish. Sometimes the fish is a goner anyways, sometimes its a good eating size, and sometimes I don't want to cut the hook cause I'm low on hooks.

But if I want to try and do surgery and keep the hook while saving the bass' life, the through the gills with needlenose trick can work.

[brushhog]

I've tried the gill thing only twice, after reading about it here, one time with great success. The second time the fish ended up looking like a victim on CSI... Now I cut line or keep depending on the situation.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by brushhog

I've tried the gill thing only twice, after reading about it here, one time with great success. The second time the fish ended up looking like a victim on CSI... Now I cut line or keep depending on the situation.

i am with you brushhog. i have seen it work but i have also seen it go wrong big time. i just get kinda nervous with tools around their gills.