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How do I remove a hook a bass has swallowed?


hipster_dufus

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  • Super User

 

Thanks Glenn, a picture is worth a thousand words!

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  • 5 months later...
  • Super User

I just did this today. But, the fish was bleeding in the spot where the hook popped out. Will it be fine?

That depends on a lot of things, how long was he out of the water? How bad was he bleeding? How big/small was the bass?

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That depends on a lot of things, how long was he out of the water? How bad was he bleeding? How big/small was the bass?

He was out for about a minute. I didn't really see much blood, just like a few drops of blood when I popped the hook out. I didn't tear anything out of his esophagus either. His throat looked completely fine. I'd say about 10 inches. My friend was late on his hookset lol.

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  • Super User

He was out for about a minute. I didn't really see much blood, just like a few drops of blood when I popped the hook out. I didn't tear anything out of his esophagus either. His throat looked completely fine. I'd say about 10 inches. My friend was late on his hookset lol.

Then he should be fine, as long as blood wasn't dripping down him and you didn't rip the hook out of his throat. It seems that the bigger bass are a lot more fragile than the smaller ones.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Perfect. I finally learned this after hooking many and just cutting the line. I just think a more info could be helpful. I always heard that touching the gills can really hurt a fish. So I'm always really careful when trying to get the hook through the gills. And also, what to do if you still cannot get the hook out. I've caught a few fish that have been gut hooked with the hook still in the gut or and some that have the hook that has worked itself out and halfway out of the gills. Also if in a tournament, if a fish is hooked in the gill and the hook cannot be removed, will that effect the weigh in? I know hooks this size aren't going to change the weight of a fish but could that possibly disqualify the fish from the weigh-in?

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I am not a rubber net fan.  Too heavy and slow for me.  I prefer the soft cotton netting, still nice on the fish but much lighter and faster in the water.  This realy makes a difference to me if I am the one netting my own fish.  

 

I use rubber net and I fish myself mostly. I don't like the weight of rubber net. I looked into other materials but couldn't find one I like. The cotton nets I saw were all for trout fishing and too small. Also the mesh looked too fine that I might have some hard time getting treble hooks free from the net when it get tangled up. Which one (brand/model) do you use?

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  • Super User

If the point is clear through the throat, I will pinch down the barb, then cut the hook with wire cutters. Then pull it out both pieces, easy as pie. I'd rather lose a .75 cent hook than kill a bass.

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cdr, gut hooked dink is one of the worse case scenario as there's not much room in the mouth or gill to work. My figure might not be able to get in there to grab the hook, so I have to turn the hook with needle nose, then pull with needle nose.

 

BTW, I find it is much faster to turn the hook if I cut the line first. (I think the illustrated instruction of how to remove the gut hook says to leave the line attached)

 

Lastly I pinching burbs on worm hook makes it easy to remove hook.

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  • 9 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

If they swallow the lure and I think there is no way of removing it, I generally cut the line and let her go.

 

I caught a fish a while back that had a spook Jr on its way out the fish's rear end, so it looks like they are able to pass them through.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Had an opportunity to try this out last week.  Worked exceptionally well.  Great read ... must read for those who take their catch and release seriously IMO.

 

Thank you!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
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If you're lucky and it's a smaller hook like a #2 drop shot and the fish has taken it on the outside of the gullet I will get a pair of forceps. Grab the hook with the fish in the water and push towards the gills in short jerking motions and %90 I can pop it loose without any problems. 

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  • 1 month later...

Depends on how fare it's swallowed.. And hook size. It you can see the barb the cut it off or pinch it down then should be eased. If you can't see the hook then it's a different story. Not a lot you can do without killing the fish.. If it's a small mouth eat it.. Don't wast the fish.. Large mouth then try not to wast it..

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  • BassResource.com Administrator

Sandhill - actually, there's a simple way to remove the hook without harming the fish, even if the barb is not visible.  See the step-by-step instructions here: 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2#entry153524

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Sandhill - actually, there's a simple way to remove the hook without harming the fish, even if the barb is not visible. See the step-by-step instructions here:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2#entry153524

I got to use this method in July down in Missouri, it worked great. Read this article when I first joined and bought a pair of forceps I had been carrying with me just for this. Other guys in the boat thought I was crazy at first but really thought it was a cool trick afterwards to. Thanks for the knowledge!

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  • 1 month later...

Sandhill - actually, there's a simple way to remove the hook without harming the fish, even if the barb is not visible.  See the step-by-step instructions here: 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2#entry153524

 

This method is the business! I have never not had it work. It should be mandatory for every angler to know it and use it.

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First and formost do not dig at the hook causing any more damage.  What we do is carry good sidecutters in the boat and as soon as we determine the hook is swallowed we cut the hook as far down as posiable. Some times you can grab the point and back it out after cutting if not leave the bend in the fish and he will pass it easily.  This technique allows the fish to continue to feed with out all the extra plastic blocking the way. Hope this helps

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Even with pictures, I'm a little slow.  Maybe I need a video instead....this is the part I have trouble with:

 

".....push and pull down on the hookeye so the hook turns and . . ..rolls out below the gill toward the side of the fish"

 

I have been successful, but felt like it was accidental...for some reason, it never is clear in my memory when I have the fish in hand.

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