dodgeguy71

Went fishing today, caught a pretty good size bass, 17 inches. When I got ahold of him he had swallowed the hook pretty deep backj into his throat. I was able to get my needle nose pliers on it but after some gentle attempts decided to cut the line and drop him back into the water. For one reason I was worried that I may have him out of the water for too long and that getting the hook out may cause more damage than good.

The Tennessee fishing book says to cut the line and leave the hook. My question is what happens to the hook? Does it affect how the eat? I've always heard since I was young that it is better to cut the hook and let them go. I can understand the damage that can be done by trying to remove it but what happens to the hook???

Shawn

HOHN

Usually it will rust or corrode away. If he swallowed it that deep, then stomach acids and such will probably make short work of that hook.

jh

Fronty Owner

file your barbs off will help.
but as far as the hooks go, they rust and break down pretty quickly.

fbx22

I for the longest time couldnt believe that a fish would actually be able to live with a hook in its mouth for any long length of time. Then one day I was fishing in a bass pond and caught a fish that I had hooked about 8 months earlier that had broken the line. The fish was doing great and the hook was deteriorated and brittle enough that I was able to snap the hook off with hardly any effort. Im guessing it was only a couple weeks from coming out on its own

Rough-n-Ready

I have not fished for Bass much, but I have caught several trout on my fly rod that have had the line cut due to a deep set hook. I will tell you this, it did not seem to slow them down much and they looked pretty darn healthy considering they had been living and eating with a hook and some line down the gullet. It does far more harm to the fish to dig out a deep hook, (most will die) they will get along fine if you just cut off the line.

dodgeguy71

That's good to hear. Like I said he was 17" and someday will make a good catch for somebody.....that is if he happens to forget the hook he'll have in his mouth for sometime!!! Heck, he fought like crazy!! Best fight yet, got within 10 feet of the bank and took off straight back out into the lake, my reel was roaring from the drag!!

TonyB

If it's accessible, we take a large (heavy duty) side cutters & try to cut the eye off the hook & pass the hook through.

Like others have said, if it's too deep, cut the line & lef the fish's digestive sytems work on it. I've caught fish that had line w/ a perfect knot and no hook passing out their anus.

Tony

Hankpac

I once caught a trout that had swallowed a hook. The leader was hanging out it's mouth,and that is what cagth my hook.
The other end had passed the entire alimentary tract, and was caught on it's anus.

rbrettctd

Maybe...but youre likely to lose the fish.

We always just keep anything that swallows the hook. Its likely their too torn up inside to live.