FS Digest

Hi

So I plan on taking my daughter out later tonight to try and catch some trout, in the past whenever I have caught trout and used something like powerbait they would swallow it full (we would then take it home and cook it up, but I don't prefer trout to much).


Are there anyways I can prevent this, using a bigger hook or different bait? I'd rather not have the fish die.


Any help would be appreciated.

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by ProfDixxon

FS Digest

Barbless hooks are a good idea.

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by urbanpounder

FS Digest

It is kind of hard to avoid. Try using a single hook instead of a trebl mabey.

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by TheDuckMasterTV

FS Digest

Yeah I'll try a single barbless hook, but not sure if that will help much.

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by ProfDixxon

FS Digest

You want an inline circle hook.

http://www.chesapeakelighttackle.com/2013/03/20/circle-hook-confusion/

Unfortunately there are many different types of hooks all sold under the “circle hook” name, but that link should show you how to recognize the ones that give you the best chance of a clean corner of the mouth hookset.

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by 5uper5kunk

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Very good advice, 5uper5kunk, and a very good website on circle hooks. Thank you and Tight Lines!

greenfrog Loc: Central NJ

Set the hook sooner the more you wait the deeper the hook will get.
You can always cut the line close to the hook. It will fall out or rust out if not a stainless steel hook.

Beadling9 Loc: Pittsburgh

Greenfrog
Best advise is cut line if swallowed
Power bait worse bait if putting fish back.

Joefish1268

c&r Is difficult if not possible with bait. Almost always the trout is hooked in the ‘gullet’ by the hook when it swallows the ‘food’. barbless hooks are a start to the issue, but you’ll still have to stick the hook removing device down the fishes throat risking fatal injury. Trout do not shake off an injury like a pike or bass, almost anything deeper than a lip catch will be hard for it to recover from.
Bait, of course has its place in fishing, just not much of a place in c&r. I would urge you to try using lures or flies for c&r. Barbs can be removed with a pair of small needle nose players. Go at the barb in line with the hook rather than from the side. Going at from the side will many times result in breaking the point off instead of just the barb. Try removing the barb on one, two, or all three barbs of a treble hook. You may be amazed at how little this effects your catch rate and the fish is easily removed to be put back alive.
I too really enjoy trout fishing and don’t really care for eating them. It’s cool you are teaching your child to enjoy the outdoors and I hope my advice will help you master the c&r method for the sake of the next generation of fishermen.