I've had the misfortune of gut hooking three fish today. All were on a KVD Caffeine Shad and Gamakatsu 3/0 spring-lock weighted hook. Each time, the hook and bunched up bait were plugging up the fish's throat. Hook point poking through the gullet facing me.

• Fish #1 (14", caught in the morning) was doomed. I cut the line. And not knowing what to do, put it back in the water with a hope and a prayer.
• Fish #2 (14", caught in the afternoon) I thought would make it. I was able to apply what I learned here and removed the hook. Alas, it also went belly up after releasing.
• Fish #3 (a dink caught after #2) seemed to have made it after successful removal.

Questions:

Anyone else experience this — with the same or similar fluke bait and hook? Any ways to avoid? Bigger hook? Straight-shank hook?

I later switched to an unweighted, non-spring lock EWG 4/0 Gama hook — with bullet weight and bead — kept getting caught in grass. Is there an alternative rigging suggestion?

Or should I just prepare for this inevitability with a longer pair of pliers/forceps? And possibly mashing down my hook barbs?

Any info is appreciated.

*And for those that want to see the context and my moral conflicts, read here.

I'd get a big pair of hemostats and keep them on you. It happens. You can always flatten the barbs on the hooks. That will make it easier to pull out.

 

I've never gut hooked that many in the same setting, but logic would say whatever you're doing, keep it up!

no need to kill fish, lose lures or buy special tools. just ur index finger:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

I always carry these two with me. They are small but powerful. With these I can cut all of the hooks I use with ease. I feel everybody should be able to cut their own hooks in case of emergency.  ( I once hooked my brother on his cheek. ) If the hook point was out, you could have cut the point and barb and probably removing was easier:

 

End cutter

http://www.amazon.com/Channellock-357-Inch-Cutting-Plier/dp/B0000BYDYD/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1379401003&sr=8-3&keywords=7+inch+end+cutter

 

Bolt cutter

http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-3386-8-Inch-Heavy-Duty-Cutter/dp/B000NQ4OYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379401122&sr=8-1&keywords=8inch+bolt+cutter

 

I don't know how many fish you caught that day, but I have never had that many fish gut hooked, especially very same way. Something tells me you are setting hook very late? Maybe your set up is too stiff or line is too stretchy so you are not sensing the hit right away? I don't know.

 

Also I pinch barbs on all my single hooks. As long as you keep your light tight, you don't loose much. If you do this, your fishing will be more joyful.

I carry a cutter with me.

 

Had to go through the gills last Friday to save a bass and remove the shaky head hook.

 

I am not cutting the hook off when I gut fish them with the hope they will have a better chance of survival.

 

What is upsetting is when they don't hit the bait hard and just inhale it and you have no idea they have eaten the plastic. That is why Hank Parker says that if anything looks or feels out of the ordinary set the hook.  We have to learn how the bait feels without a fish on it so if it feels different you set the hook.

I have a headmaster in my scent box. And a hook remover in my three tackle boxes. My backup has backup. Two of the hook removers have side cutters too. I never killed or hurt any fish yet. The auction site has plenty of stainless hook removers from China there cheap. But look ok quality wise.

What kind of rod are you using that you can't detect the strike? Seems like they're having a long time to chomp on that bait which is a great thing for the SK Caffeine shad as they don't want to spit it. Not good that you're gut hooking that many in one outing.  I understand it happens and that is part of the sport.  I use this bait almost exclusively over Zoom Flukes and never had a problem with normal hook sets.  I fish mine on a regular EWG weightless hook.  Maybe the rod and line should be your question. Curious to what you're using.

no need to kill fish, lose lures or buy special tools. just ur index finger:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

I have used this technique and it works quite well. I tend to use pliers instead if fingers and it works just as well. Just need to be careful not to nick the gills. This works so well that when I see a gut hooked fish, I don't even try to remove it any other way.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

 

I've got a shopping list for today: 8" forceps, larger hooks (4/0 or 5/0, not sure whether to get weighted and spring-lock yet), a fish gripper of some sort, and another pack of Caffeine Shad. I also plan on mashing down the barbs until I can catch a few without gut hooking.

 

For those interested:

• I've only been bass fishing since July. And yesterday was the first time I've thrown the Caffeine Shad for any length of time and with any success.
• I'm using twitch, twitch, reel slack technique. Maybe I'm reeling too slowly because for two of the fish I vaguely remember feeling a slight thump at the end of my slack reeling and then the definitive thump when the line was (mostly) taut. Of course, I set the hook after the second thump.
• I'm using an Okuma 6'6" medium rod with Shimano Sedona 2500 spinning reel. I've got 20# PowerPro Super 8 Slick braid > Spro swivel > 18" leader of 12# Invizx fluorocarbon. As mentioned, I've got a 1/8oz weighted Gamakatsu 3/0 spring-lock hook at the end.
• I just recently upgraded from 10# PP S8S braid to the 20#, so might be losing a bit of sensitivity.
• After my morning gut hook, I came here and found the same illustrated instructions linked above. This info allowed me to at least remove the hooks from Fish #2 and 3.

 

I do plan on going back this afternoon. Will report back. Thanks again!

Well... I soften by my earlier statement a tiny bit... the Caffeine Shad and Gamakatsu 3/0 Spring-Lock Weighted hook is still a potentially deadly combination for me. Luckily no life was lost today.

 

Stopped by three stores today to pick up:

• Baker's 8" curved forceps
• Owner 5/0 spring-lock 1/8oz weighted hooks
• Boga Grip 15lb. (bit the bullet on this)
• Another pack of Caffeine Shad

Returned to the pond after work and threw the CS on 5/0 Owner hook. Nothing. While I don't blame the Owner hooks for lack of success, the shape of the weight seemed to snag on more grass than the Gama.

 

Anyways... I went through half of lure choices in 2+ hours before eventually switching back to the deadly 3/0 Gama hooks. Ten minutes later I felt the familiar thump-thump. Set the hook and I could tell it was a big one (for me)!

 

I used the Boga Grip to lip the fish and could immediately see that I gut hooked it again. Sonofa...! I stayed calm and grabbed my forceps and went through the gills to extract the hook. The Boga's ability to rotate the fish was a god-send. In what seemed like half the amount of time of yesterday, I was able to return the fish to the water. It took a little while, but it eventually did swim away without going belly up — at least in my presence.

 

FWIW... it weighed an even 3 pounds. From memory it looked bigger than my previous fish. So I will call it a personal best.

 

While I expect to try the Owner hooks again, I plan on ordering a pack of 5/0 Gamas. I doubt I will tempt fate and use the 3/0 with the CS again.

Since you are using braid, it is not the line.

 

You are complaining about amount of weed just by little difference of the hook. So  I am assuming you are fishing very heavy weeds. If I had to guess, maybe your medium action rod is too wimpy for the cover that you are really not feeling anything while you fish, until fish totally ate the bait and swimming with it.

 

Congrats on your PB.