Deep hooked fish?

[stinkycat]

Fish that are deep hooked, and you cut the line so you do not injure the fish while trying to get the hook out, will they actually survive?

I have heard that they will dissolve the hook with in a couple of days is that true?
I have never read a factual report that tells either way. I hope it is true. Or is it just something to make us feel good.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[GBS]

Here's a summary from a Minnesota study:

"When walleye are handled carefully and quickly released, most will survive regardless of fishing method, especially in cool, shallow water. Walleye die more readily when gut-hooked than when hooked in the jaw or mouth, but chances of survival are good even when the fish is gut-hooked. Most walleye die when major internal organs are damaged, which happens when the fish are hooked in either the gut or the throat."

Here's the entire study:
http://www.mnwalleyealliance.com/MiscFiles/HMS2003.pdf

[Backwater Eddy]

To lessen deep hooking, nearly eliminate it really, try circle hooks on deep water Lindy Rigging methods.

It is the exception to the rule to see any deep hooked fish with circle hooks, corner of the mouth every time.

They turn, hook slides to the corner of the mouth, fish almost always hooks itself, reel not jerk on sets. Hook-up percentage is high, they hold well, and mortality is lessened dramatically.

Circle hooks also work well on slip floats as the pressure needed to pull the float under in most cases inspires the hook-up.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson
"ED on the RED"
><,sUMo,>

"I would rather go fishing and think of GOD, Then go to church, and think of FISHING"

*Grandpa Art Carlson*

[REW]

Stinky,
Hooks will not dissolve in a couple of days, a couple of weeks or a couple of months.
They might dissolve in a couple of years.

If you do gut hook a fish and have to release it -- it is really best to keep it, because its survival chances are low - leave at least 6 inches of line outside the fish.

The reason that you want to leave line on the outside of the fish is to keep a short line from getting into the fishes mouth and throat and shutting down its throat.

I have picked up a few floating fish in times past and have found shortly cut lines lodged in the throats of the fish and they end up starving to death, since they can's swallow food.

------
If you must lindy rig or bobber fish - use a circle hook.
When you catch a fish on a circle hook you don't set the hook, but rather wait until the line starts to move away, then, reel steadily and you will have the fish. When the fish starts to move away from you, and you began to reel, the hook will slid out of the fish and the hook will catch in the corner of its mouth.

However, if you do a hard hook set right after feeling a bite - you will simply jerk the hook out of the fishes mouth.

The fish needs to be sideways when you began to reel so that the hook will catch in the jaw of the fish.

Take care
REW

[bob oh]

Try octapus hooks. Usually a shallow (edge of mouth) hook=up and you can set the hook. Tough to teach hook setters to not set the hook :-)

rod bender bob

[GBS]

An internet search reveals no studies done on length of time for hooks to dissolve. Several fishermen claiming to have caught fish with hooks in various stages of dissolving. I'll go with the Minnesota DNR that notes they will dissolve in a moderate time - but it all depends on type of hook, material, size, fish, size of fish, location of hook, temp, etc., etc. Stomach acids are pretty powerful, and fish being cold blooded can go without food for a really long time.

But, because of the uncertainty of the above, and that I don't want to reduce the viability of a fish any more than neccessary....I have switched to circle hooks on all spinners, Lindy, and bobber fishing for the last two seasons. No gut hooks since the switch, even with the stupid 6" perch!

[Jack G]

I was fishing for bass in Florida using live shiners about 6 inches long, the hooks were 5/0. I caught a bass that tried to take my shiner and he was about 4 pounds and had already been gut hooked and released with a large hook still sticking out of his throat. Unfortunately I had gut hooked him also but since he was a slot fish I had to release him.

He was obviously still eating even though he was had been gut hooked and the hook left in. I wonder how he did with two hooks?

Jack

[Chad]

I know I read somewhere that it may be better to back the hook out carefully by going in thru the gills and twisting it back out. As mentioned before a hook left in the gullet can prevent the fish from actually swallowing if the tag is cut too short.


ChadM

[jet man]

I personally do not buy into the hook dissolving concept as I have caught smallmouth bass with jigs intact an patially exposed out of the bass's rectum with the hook still intact. This has gone thru their digestive system intact.
The attached link is to an infisherman article.

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if2806_HookRemoval/index.ht
ml
I have used this technique on Walleyes countless times and find it extremely effective. Given the size of a Walleyes mouth to a largemouth and also the presence of razor sharp teeth I use a curved hemostat to go in for the hook thru the gills. The hemostat is smooth and does not harm the gill. I hold the line in my mouth with slight tension to keep the hook shaft "lined up" and or exposed and by rotating with the curve of the hook it comes out very clean. By having the line in your teeth you can now lift it out without danger of the hook catching on a gill plate or anything else. I have had a fishing partner hold the line but is actually easier to do your self.
Anyone I have taught this technique to has been amazed at how quick and clean it is with very little if any bleeding. There is now no foriegn object left in the Walleye's throat area to cause problems.

[jet man]

correct link
sorry
http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if2806_HookRemoval/index.html

[JC-W]

We have used this technique on walleyes for decades and it works well when you gut hook walleyes ice fishing. Thanks for the link.

Hooks do not dissolve quick enough before a fish expires, even if the MN DNR still has that as a link. Here is a link that contains a study from the WI DNR that shows that a hooked musky only has a 29% degradation of the hook after 210 days. The mortality rate of musky that they left a hook in the stomach was something like 83%.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/w666454447555151/

[GBS]

That is a cool link! For those that didn't notice - besides the article abstract, note the PDF link to the full article on the same page. Photographs of hooks at various stages of dissolving. Yes, it takes about a year for a 10/0 hook to dissolve inside a muskie. Big hook, long time. There may be an arguement for smaller hooks dissolving faster, thereby proving less fatal...but for me, the circle hooks seem to do a really good job of making this discussion academic, so I'm sticking with 'em.

[Kevin B]

NOt to change the subject, but similarly, what about a fish that is bleeding from the gills. I was taught that he is gonna die even if released? your view on it please.

[Chad]

I have not seen any reports on this and I am not a biologist but if the gill is damaged then I would think there is little chance, not zero chance. If it is bleeding but not damaged then there is a better chance. When we fish Pine Falls it seems the fish bleed from the gills often even when they are hooked in the lips.

I have caught fish before that have had half a gill damaged, likely from another fish.


ChadM

[CarpetBagger]

Thats why they make skillets....

___________________________

CB
Visit My Great Lakes Business Listing on WalleyeCentral!
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[KLN2 ul]

A bleeding fish from the gills can survive if they do not lose too much blood. If you're going to release a bleeding fish, get it back in the water as soon as possible. A fish's blood can only clot in the water.

The metal alloys used in hooks do not dissolve readily.

[troutaholic]

GBS,

I am one of those that have caught a walleye with several hooks in various stages of decomposition.
One hook was basically a straight piece of metal
Second hook had the point/barb and eyelet gone
Third hook, minor decomp
My hook...

This was before I had a boat and liked to fish near a snag that held fish. This 19" walleye must have picked up the hooks off the snag somehow. At the time, I thought of how cool it would be to make a display of the four(4) hooks.....gawd, I wish I would have listened to myself!!!


Just Rip Lips and Keep a Tight Line

[Chuckles]

To paraphrase what others stated above - use circle hooks - they reduce the likelyhood of damages greatly with their ability to usually be in the corner of the fishes mouth rather than in the gut. For the occasional fish that is hooked deeply use a forceps through the gill cover to ease the hook removal. Fish bleeding from the gills are often fine - they do bleed easily but that is because they are highly vascularized - many blood vessels there to absorb oxygen. They can and do often heal fine provided blood loss isn't too excessive. It is good that we are all becoming more conscientious about the condition of the fish we are releasing. Remember to wet your hands and keep the time the fish are out of the water to the bare minimum. Thanks for your concern with these valuable resources.
Chuckles

[ziert]

You are only kidding yourself if you think they are going to survive, or have the same life style as before being gut hooked.