Unfortunately last night I hooked a big snapping turtle while fishing for catfish, and I had to leave the hook in b/c I was concerned about losing fingers etc.  I read that hooks dissolve in turtles/fish after a few days and work themselves out.   Is this true?  Or should I buy hooks that I know will biodegrade the fastest?   I absolutely hate leaving a hook in anything and I'm going to have to figure out something else if I have to worry about hooking turtles. =/

They rust eventually, some are degraded by the fish or animals stomach acids.  Others find a way to knock off or dislodge the hook or bait on the bottom or work it free.  I wouldn't worry too much about that snapping turtle.  Better to leave a hook in a fish and let it live then do more damage trying to remove it. If you're truly worried, bring a set of side cutters with you as well as pliers and cut the hook shank to remove a hook or smash all the barbs down.

Smash the barbs down and removing the hook is soooooo much easier for you and the critter.

Is the Titanic still on ocean floor?

I  just watched a state department of resources video on deep hooked bass and it emphasized that today's hook material does not dissolve in fresh water. They are there forever. I agree with crushing down the barbs for easy hook removal.  Been doing it for several years now and I do not lose bass because the barb is gone.. 

I caught a bass that had an offset shank worm hook in the roof of its mouth that was rusting away. But then there are stainless steel hooks that would last a lot longer I guess.

The short answer is NO, and that turtle is going to wear that hook for a very very long time.

I  just watched a state department of resources video on deep hooked bass and it emphasized that today's hook material does not dissolve in fresh water. They are there forever. I agree with crushing down the barbs for easy hook removal.  Been doing it for several years now and I do not lose bass because the barb is gone.. 

 

 

Is there somewhere to get hooks that actually dissolve then?

I wouldn't worry about a Snapping Turtle they are pretty hardy animals that can take a lot. They can live up to 150 years old.

I wouldn't worry about a Snapping Turtle they are pretty hardy animals that can take a lot. They can live up to 150 years old.

 

Well I am much more worried about my fingers than a snapping turtle, but I still want to avoid this in the future.  I'd love to learn to catch big catfish, but at the same time I'd like to do it without this happening in the future.  

 

Will circle hooks still set themselves with crimped down barbs?  I have no idea what to use.

A hook will set the same whether or not it has a barb. It's the likelihood that will back out that crimping a barb changes. The extent that it makes a difference depends alot on the lure the hook(s) are attached to though. For example a rattle bait or a big topwater, I think the barbs are more critical to keeping the fish hooked given that a head shaking fish can use the lure to leverage the hooks out. With a plastic worm and the like I don't think the barb makes as much of a difference. Just my personal opinion.

As far as degrading hooks, that's totally dependent on what grade of steel the hook is made of. Cheap hooks are generally going to dissolve faster. That doesn't necessarily mean fast. Snapping turtles are tough. He/she will prob be just fine.

It's cool that you're giving it thought. Probably speaks to your character.

This guy had a hook pass all the way through him. It was rusty but it was still there. He was fat and healthy so i left it in. I realized 2 things after this, hooks last a long time and bass are tough.

This guy had a hook pass all the way through him. It was rusty but it was still there. He was fat and healthy so i left it in. I realized 2 things after this, hooks last a long time and bass are tough.

Well that's a real pain in the butt!

I've seen snappers wearing hooks all over like a Christmas tree in some of the urban lakes/ponds where catfishing with livers is common. They're built like tanks and are mostly unfazed by a hook in their face. 

 

A bronze hook is probably the fastest degrading hook but even those are going to last a long time, probably longer than the lives of most fish. If you want to try to unhook a turtle they do make very long handled pliers or dehooking tools like those they use to unhook sharks and other large, dangerous gamefish, you might want to look into those. I used to setline for snappers because people love to eat them here and if they didn't swallow the hook I could usually get them to bite a stick and then unhook them using pliers. 

"Do Hooks Dissolve Under Water?"

 

Basically no.  At least not today's hooks.  I went to a seminar a couple years ago put on by the Minnesota DNR and they said hooks left in a fish's mouth are a top 3 reason for fish mortality.  If you release the fish with a hook in its mouth it will most certainly die - they get sick or more likely can't ingest/swallow food any more.  Sometimes a crushed barb can "pass" through.  

 

The only real answer is to either learn how to go in through the gills to get a gut-hooked one out, or use side-cutters.  I used a side cutter to get a wacky hook out of a 16 inch smallmouth yesterday.  Not that big of a deal except you have to buy another expensive VMC wacky jig/hook.  

 

As far as turtles go, don't think I can help you...wouldn't want to get my fingers that close..!

This guy had a hook pass all the way through him. It was rusty but it was still there. He was fat and healthy so i left it in. I realized 2 things after this, hooks last a long time and bass are tough.

 

I seriously doubt that hook went through the stomach and intestines, but accidentally foul hooked ? yes sir !

I seriously doubt that hook went through the stomach and intestines, but accidentally foul hooked ? yes sir !

I've seen a smallie pass a small hook still attached with line to a snap swivel with the swivel still in its anus.