Anyone have any tips for getting a swallowed hook out of a trout?
Apr 12, 2021 13:10:12 #
bapabear
Loc: Blaine, Washington
HarryNH wrote:
You know, I was gonna make some smart-@$& reply to this post (no offence intended) but after reading the other posts, I can clearly see that all the good replies have been used. I guess I need to up my game up in here.
Never put handcuffs on humor. The tough challenge is to be funny but still productive. The "don't eat the hook" post just above yours is a good example. The fish will die so don't waste it. He said the same thing with a bit of humor
Apr 12, 2021 13:35:40 #
kfsrmn
Loc: Lake Havasu AZ
I have serious doubts about catch and release with trout. I paddled my kayak into a creek arm up to a pool in which there were a bunch of diseased and dying trout. They had been caught and released. People have to get a lot more educated on handling and releasing fish. The slime on fish protects them. Remove it and they will get sick. I have barbless and circle hooks in my tackle boxes if I need them. Just remember not to set the hook with circle hooks. The hook will set itself when the line tightens. I am in the process of going from trebles to single hooks on some of my lures. My trout and kokanee trolling lures all had single hooks.
Apr 12, 2021 13:41:05 #
hemihappy
Loc: pawleys island s.c.
find a way to use circle hooks even for trout you may prevent that from happening again. We release a lot of fish and just about all of us use circle hooks. You can get them almost any size if you like smaller hooks and it is much easier to release a fish hooked in the corner of the mouth. You may miss a hook set occasionally but they save fish.
Apr 12, 2021 14:08:25 #
Gut hooking is why when fishing for in some trout management areas where all fish must be released , I always fish with barbless hooks or pinched down barbs. I usually use artificial baits ( in line spinners and spoons) . Even when i am fishing where I can keep, I will still use barbless hooks but might use power bait, trout magnets and small plastics for trout. If it gets badly gut hooked I keep it. Sure makes getting the hook out quicker and gets the fish back in the water faster for non gut hooked fish. The important part is get the fish back in the water as soon as you can for maximum survival chances. Cut the line off as short as possible first
Apr 12, 2021 14:11:27 #
I have cut the line on my fair share of hooks in trout. The Missouri DNR info I’ve read indicates , as well as the trout parks I fish at to cut the line as long as there is no bleeding. They say that the trout will survive and the hook will rust out in a few weeks. So I go by their recommendations.
Apr 12, 2021 14:16:48 #
Apr 12, 2021 14:47:24 #
kfsrmn wrote:
I have serious doubts about catch and release with... (show quote)
I'm not disagreeing with anything you said there, but how do you know that the diseased and dying trout had been caught and released? That seems to be quite a leap for me.
Apr 12, 2021 14:55:27 #
Apr 12, 2021 15:07:02 #
Valencia Pirate
Loc: NJ
FS Digest wrote:
I caught a nice trout the other day and would have liked to release him but he swallowed the hook and I couldn't get it out
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by Noodle_gramp
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by Noodle_gramp
Cut the line and return him to the water.
Apr 12, 2021 15:07:56 #
johnlmac
Loc: Salem OR
They make hook removal tools that are inexpensive. They are usually red in color and are like a stick with two heads on it about just under a foot long with a ball like thing at either end one large and one small. They have slots on the ball ends that you can put your line through and then you can slide it into the mouth of the fish and push down to release the hook and then pull it out of the fishes mouth.
Apr 12, 2021 15:43:45 #
Apr 12, 2021 15:50:49 #
Apr 12, 2021 15:52:16 #
tcavalier
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
You might want to use some pliers to flatten the barbs before fishing - I do this all the time because it make hook removal much easier. I’ve also cut the line and likewise have also caught healthy fish with hooks found in their gut.
Apr 12, 2021 15:55:07 #
The real trick is setting the hook before they swallow it you get that down you don't have that problem I've always used the little red tool that Bob has shown you and have been very successful with one of those catch-and-release trout very tough
Apr 12, 2021 15:55:52 #
I have caught trout with hook lines hanging from mouth. I released them. 🌴😎🌴
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