Fishes who swallow hooks: Is there anyway to save them?

[JustOsmo]

Or are they pretty much SOL? I hate to leave a fish worse then when i caught it, is there any methods to get those hooks out without killing them? Or are they better off being left alone and just cut the hook asap.

[Icecracka46]

jmop
I have read that if you can't remove the hook the fish will be fine if you cut the line as close to the hook as possible.
Their digestive system will deteriorate the hook very fast and the fish will live to be caught again.
 If they are bleeding that might be another story.Smallies are done if they are bleeding from what i have seen.
Hope this helps

[CMMahy]

I've always just cut the line as close as possible and released the fish, I've heard their stomach acids break down most hooks (especially the un-plated ones) in a week or so and they live a long and healthy life.

[Bellybuster]

recently read this article, it is pretty specific which fish but suggest quadrupling the chances of survival if the hook is left alone.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/systems-research/wild-fisheries/outputs/2007/695

[michianafisherman]

Interesting. I wonder if it applies to fresh water fish?

I have heard about the leave the hook in for years. Sounds like a better episode for Myth Busters.

[JustOsmo]

Well I didnt know they digest the hooks. thats great to know and makes me feel better about releasing with hooks inside.

[JustOsmo]

Interesting. I wonder if it applies to fresh water fish?

I have heard about the leave the hook in for years. Sounds like a better episode for Myth Busters.

Ya i wonder if ti applies to freshwater.

[BIGCREW]

I have heard the same thing,I carry a pair of side cutters with me and try to cut the hook as close as i can.I don't know if it dissolves if the hook is in the opening of there throat I don't see how the stomach acids can get there bcuz it really isn't in the the stomach?I guess every situation is differant.but I have had this happen to me allot I cut the line and try to cut away as much of the hook I can

[icehousepsycho]

If you cut it off as far down as you can, they'll be just fine as long as the hook didn't rip their gill apart.  I've had bass swallow my hooks in tournaments and I cut it off, when I got to weigh-in there were all 3 partial hooks laying in my livewell.  Don't know how they did it, but they did.

[JustOsmo]

If you cut it off as far down as you can, they'll be just fine as long as the hook didn't rip their gill apart.  I've had bass swallow my hooks in tournaments and I cut it off, when I got to weigh-in there were all 3 partial hooks laying in my livewell.  Don't know how they did it, but they did.

Magic!

[michianafisherman]

 

[ghosttown]

I have had the same thing happen fishing bass tournaments.  I have learned over the years that if they swallowed the hook or I am going to do a lot of damage the fish its just better to cut the line and say bye bye to the lure for the rest of the day.  9 times out of ten it’s laying at the bottom of the live well before weigh in. 

[53andout]

Some of the hooks have a plating material that the fish can not dissolve. I found a nice pike a couple years back in the spring that was being eaten by the crows and was mostly decomposed. There was a big red trebble hook laying in the remains that looked like it was new. No doubt some one caught this on a tip up and it broke the line or was released with the ingested hook.

[JustOsmo]

Ok, thanks guys. Seems its public opinion that its better to cut the hook off if its not gonna come out easily. Good to know. I just ordered 50 #2 and 50 #4 hooks online so I can replace lost hooks lol. I also made sure they werent plated with anything so they can survive (hopfully!).

 

[zamboni]

One thing to remember gang, everyone is mentioning "hooks", 99% of us fish with jigs, Swedish Pimples, Chubby Darters, etc. Is that the same? Alot of the stuff we use is rubber, plastic, etc.