Ned and other finesse baits causing deep hooking?

[Iclass]

I have seen bass with hooks coming out the vent...not sure if the hook would've passed naturally but they pulled out very easy. The bigger concern to me is the plastic worms etc that people toss overboard. The fish and other animals eat these and the plastic expands. This causes a full feeling for the fish/animals and they'll starve for lack of feeding. If you've never seen a plastic worm left in the water it doesn't take too long for it to swell. That accounts for many more fish deaths than gut hooking in my opinion.

[mjk86]

Agree with I class totally.....I fish at Busch wildlife all the time. Its a way overfished collection of small littered ponds. Anyhoo....I once watched a small bass eat/swallow a random senko bait just sitting there for who knows how long. Swam up in 6 inches of waterand ate it. I bet that happens all the time with old plastics which never decompose just sitting on the bottom. I bet its as bad or worse that gut hooks.

[holleybob]

When I gut hook a fish there are only 2 real options....the line through the gills rotating of the hook and removal or cutting the hook with the side cutters like others have mentioned. The through the gills method works 99% of the time if done correctly and doesn't hurt the fish at all. All you need is a thin yet rigid piece of wire (metal coat hanger strikes again!) with a hook or bend on the end to pull your line through the gills. Once you have the line fed through just pull it down toward the tail of the fish (while being held upright)...the hook will rotate 180...insert pliers.....put straight out...hook comes right out. VERY simple and takes about 20 seconds. Fish are none the worse for the wear, you have your bait back and you may not even have to retie. If you don't have steady hands and are concerned with going through the gills you could always just cut about 2 feet up the line from the mouth and feed that end through the gills without damaging the gills at all.

Here are some videos and illustrations if you have never done it before.

http://everything-smallmouth.com/gut-hooked-fish-removal/

I tried this Saturday and it worked great. The darn thing just popped right out! It took me longer than I wanted but it was my first time.

Thanks for posting. The video was very helpful.

[abkeenan]

I tried this Saturday and it worked great. The darn thing just popped right out! It took me longer than I wanted but it was my first time.

Thanks for posting. The video was very helpful.

Yep. Just like anything else practice and getting comfortable with doing it makes perfect....or at least competent. Works GREAT and it's better for both the fish and you. I think I might have left out that I always start out by removing the plastic I am using off the hook or jig because it makes it easier. Might cost you a bait but every fish from is worth it to me. Glad that I helped at least one person out and that is why I post that same link from time to time.

[Grappling Coach]

There are a million gimmicks out there, and it is said that most lures and equipment are made to catch fishermen not fish, but I do find this one a little interesting, especially compared to other hook removers I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbzXnIkK3Qg

[ness]

You guys are a bunch of suckers.

When I take clients out, I set them up with a Pocket Fisherman rigged with a Banjo Minnow and we always catch fish. I mean, haven't you seen the commercials? I won't ever fish anything else... (that is, until I burn through my inventory of Pocket Fishermen and Banjo Minnows).

Thank you. You can have your thread back now.

[abkeenan]

There are a million gimmicks out there, and it is said that most lures and equipment are made to catch fishermen not fish, but I do find this one a little interesting, especially compared to other hook removers I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbzXnIkK3Qg

That looks like it could be a winner. Not sure if it would work on a gut hooked fish but it might.