Funny...I had the same story this year.

Was out with my bro-in-law and hooked what appeared to be my new PB smallmouth. I usually do have my net on my boat, but this day my little bro took it for himself since he left on his own trip.

Got the fish next to the boat and grabbed my line. Line snapped - that was the end of that and I'm still thinking about the one that got away.

I always try to have my net onboard, no matter what I'm going for.  I like the flat bottom nets...they fit the fish really well.

Personally, I do not use a net. I have never really needed one and my boat is small and short on room. If you play them out, most can be landed. I have lost a few at the boat, but so do the pros. I think that can be a part of the challenge and fun of the sport.

As for a deep hooked fish, I bought a pair of heavy duty sidecutters and I can cut through even a super line heavy duty hook in a second, remove it without hurting the fish and return the fish quickly to fight another day. Just my way and it works like a charm.

Thanks Gle n Those pix were alot better than the way I lerned - THe hard way - Felt bad for a week.

I'm a lot more comfortable using a net and I think it's better for the fish.  I  have a standard net but will soon upgrade to a rubber model, much more tangle free.

I have not used a net in 3-4 years and have landed some big fish, including a 51" musky, all by hand. I must be lucky because I haven't lost anything at the boat except a couple that have jumped and thrown the hook but a net probably wouldn't have helped. That being said, I do carry a net in the boat and agree with Roadwarrior. Rubber mesh. Will probably use net more often as my thumb ends up looking like hamburger after a good day or 2. I also have a nice scar from a decent musky that got me with his teeth and gill plate but I didn't let go. The mentality that only sissies use nets is outdated.

BPS rubber net, hooks don't get stuck in it. Take it everytime I go out

I don't use a net only for the sporting chance that the fish may get off. I lost my personal best at the boat once, and 2 minutes later did not care. I fish for fun, not profit.

Debarb your hooks. No need for barbs. Unless of course, if you're fishing a high stakes tournament. But even I was, I'd still fish debarbed hooks. Rarely have I lost a fish that way and extraction is very easy. Nets are a pain in the you know where!  ;D

EGO Net EGO NET!!!!!!!

Very useful info! Thanks glenn

hey glenn i had the same probably today thing what you were showing in the picture and got the hook out of the fish and put it in the water quickly the fish had a 50/50 chance of living it was still breathing when it was in the water but just went on it side and 1 min later it was dead i hate to see him go thou i really didnt mean to kill him i was texas rigging a 5" wave worm bamboo stick with a 6/0 ewg gamakastu superline hook i saw him take it hook him and he swallowed the bait . well i guess if you remove the hook it a 50/50 chance the fish will live . i mean it when i say i feel really bad . :-[ :'( :'( and this was the first one that died .

thanks for the info, good to know how to save a good fish from a bad day, especially if it has to go to the bathroom "ooo thats gotta hurt" lol

How does this thread keep coming up? still good info, but old

Quote

How does this thread keep coming up? still good info, but old

What a stupid question.

I would like to bring this up again because there is something that I've heard that hasn't been talked about. I have heard from different people that if a fish swallows a hook, you should cut the line and throw it back and the hook will disolve. I would think that a fish would die of old age before the hook would disolve. What is better, doing it this way or trying what Glen suggested.

If at all possible, get the hook out.

If at all possible, get the hook out.

Agreed.

Now if you think you are doing excessive harm to the fish, by all means cut the line and stick him back in the water. You want to stress the fish as little as possible.

Like mentioned before in the thread, using debarbed hooks will solve this problem.

Deja vu!

Another option I used to employ before going barb-less is to cut the hook itself.  I carry wire cutters with me and have had to cut my share of the hooks with them - 98% of them I was then able to get the rest of the hook completely out by pulling the hook forward from the barb end.  Most of the time the barb end is sticking out/accessible and so you can grab it with needlenose and pull the remaining part of the hook through.

For those where the barb end isn't exposed, we just cut the hook down to leave the smallest amount of the hook possible inside the fish.

This is, of course, if the Glenn method doesn't work for you.

I never have trouble ( YET ) with the hook deep on a fish, but I know that one day I will... thanks for the step by step instructions, great info guys!

Rubber net. I think I got mine from BPS. Easy on the fish and pretty much tangle free when using lures with trebles.

I own a frabil net but have yet to bring it with me. I lost a hog the other day fishing from a dock. I was unable to lip the fish and as I raised the fish and tried to get it up and over the rail, it fell off my line. The 1st thing out of my mouth was..should have brought the !*(*$@# NET. Been fishing 4x since and havent brought the net.

For me it's a different way of thinking. I don't really even consider a fish "caught" unless it's in the boat. I still let them go afterwards, but it's not too exciting to me to lose fish by breaking off line or shaking loose outside the boat.

If I have a dink on the line I don't mind one bit if he wiggles off before I boat him.

I did not read every post,,so I'm wondering who contributed the great art work? Also have to add, I learned something here.

Forgot to say thanks,so thanks!