Otter Ponds

[mhuntere]

Great day out there today, late start set up by 11:30 and had my first flag at 11:31, now I know you all say no pic no fish but I did catch 3 brookies! 1- 8inches 2- 12inches all on worms about a foot under the ice. Now I just need to learn how to get fish on most of my flags. I had atleast 12 flags today with only 3 fish

[sebago2jigtima]

try rubber bands

[mhuntere]

haha took me a second to get that. now that mention it that musta been what the rubberband i found on the ice was for 

on a serious note I do have a question: I am a catch and release guy I released all 3 of my brookies today, I will on occasion keep on if I'm in the mood, but my question is what to do if a fish i plan on releasing swallowed the hook. All of them did today but I was able to 2 out fairly easy but the third I caught i had to cut the hook and was wondering if I should have just kept that one?

[Bugman1964]

Swallowed hook, cut line release fish. Much easier on the fish if you don't mess with a deep hook.

[waderman]

I agree about the swallowed hooks. If you plan on releasing the fish, then the fish will be far worse off if you have to "operate" on it to get the hook out of its throat. You're better off just cutting the line. In my opinion, a fish is much more likely to survive with a hook in its mouth versus no hook but a ripped throat.

I caught a fiesty smallmouth bass on a stickbait last summer in the Androscoggin river which already had a hook and a plastic bait stuck in its throat. I unhooked the smallie, removed the old plastic bait but left the old hook in place. I bet that fish is still out there chomping on bait!