[Big Vert]

I have been using 5/0 and 7/0 octupus circle hooks to catch fish with, usually on a tight line. I'm not setting it, just pulling it firm and reeling the fish in. Most set in the jaw, but some have gotten them pretty deep and stuck down in its gullet.

1. What do you guys do?

2. What is the mortality rate when you just cut the line?

 

[griz]

If I hook one too deep I will keep it rather than take a chance on it dying later.

 

[ASASIN]

Down size your hooks and also you need to tie snell knots on those hooks to make them hook in the corner of the mouth more effectively. Let us know if this works for you. I'd personally down size to 3/0. God bless.

 

[nuthinlikeacat]

I always cut the hook when A fish swallows it. There is no need to try and play doctor with the fish. You will probably do more harm than good.

This comes directly from the DNR website.
"If a fish swallows the hook and you want to return it to the water, simply cut the line as close to the hook as possible and release the fish."

Hope this helps!

 

[Dreadnaught]

Fish have a natural inzime in their bodies that will disolve the hook most of the time. provided that the hook is not SS it should take care of itself.
On the otherhand if the fish is bleeding profusely, I would take it home and clean it.
In all honesty, I think it would be a case to case decision,
I have not yet seen a fish swallow a circle hook yet, not saying it can't happen

 

[crazy]

I have only seen 1 or 2 fish swallow a circle it happens with any kind of hook. If there bleeding I keep the fish. Other wise I cut the line and let them go. It does not take all that long for the hook to rust out. Some people say use snell knots but I have found that it don't matter what the knot is there still going to hook them selfs in the corner.

 

[Desperado]

It depends on how bad it is. If it is bleeding I will take it ome and clean it. But most of the time I cut the line as far back as I can in the throat and release them.

 

[Big Vert]

Ok, explain 2 things to me.

1. Wouldn't they swallow a smaller hook easier than a big one?

2. How does the know make a difference? I use a palomar knot.


Thanks for the help, you guys are great.

 

[Dreadnaught]

The smaller the hook, the easier it is for them to swallow it, IMO.
I don't use hooks smaller than 7/0 for that reason and the fact that the bait I use would be too big for anyting smaller. This is just my preference!!!

 

[tank3544]

hmm i've yet to have a fish get gut hooked with a circle

are you fishing in a lake or river?

its possible that you "think" the line is tight but its really not when in a lake situation

also how long is your leader? i guess a better question is are you 3 way rigging, sliding weight rig, or what?

if your leader line is too long it gives them too much opportunity to get the bait in their stomach before they turn and swim away

 

[zmany2k]

this is why i carry long handled wire cutters with me. i release everything i catch. i can't stand to hurt the fish i catch. i always try to cut the hook itself if i can't take it out easily. it still bugs me to have done that to the fish, but i think it's the best i can do.

 

[yadkinangler]

Has anyone used the In Fisherman method for removing a deep hook on a catfish? It was listed on the show a couple of weeks ago, but I missed the episode. It looks on their web site as if it might be a little easier to do on a bass than a catfish, but it might be worth a try. Or are the gills just too tight on a cat?

http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if2806_HookRemoval/index.html

 

[tspergin]

most of the gut hooked fish on circle hooks come from the hooks with the points offset,I have never had one gut hook with the straight inline circle hooks

 

[Big Vert]

Hey Tank,

I usually fish lakes, but I'm headed down to the river tonight. I use a Carolina rig with about a 2 foot leader. Also, the hook is offset, not straight.

JC

 

[centralcalcat]

I have had several larger channels swallwo circles. it is mostly due to slower more non-aggresive bites, instead of running with the bait.

When my hookss do gte swallowed and i want to release the fish, i always just cut my line. I know this works from personal expierience, i have caught severalfish that have had hooks, still in the back of their throat that were fat and healthy, in fact one of my partners caught one that he had to cut the line on that had another hook still in his mouth.

-Brian

 

[tank3544]

that's a LONG leader!

i think you have your answer tho .. that fish has 2ft of free reign with the bait where there is no current keeping the line tight .. i'm not surprised there was gut hooking

consider this .. in high current my leader is 6 inches (shorter to prevent line twist) .. in low to no current i usually go no longer than around 16 inches

 

[ASASIN]

You'd sure think that using a smaller hook would lead to more fish getting hooked deeper, but that isn't the case with circle hooks. I gut hook more fish using larger circles than smaller ones. Doesn't make sense to me either, but I won't argue with experience. Snell knots work alot better than palomar knots with circle hooks, they allow the hook to do exactly what it's designed to do, hook the fish in the corner of the mouth. God bless.

 

[Crucial]

A smaller hook is easier for the fish to swallow, true, but it's also easier to come back out of the throat area when you start reeling in the line.. the fish naturally thinking the "food" is alive and trying to escape will bite down hard on it trying to prevent it from getting away causing its self to be hooked in the mouth not the neck/belly area. So the smaller hook size will allow the hook room to slip back up the mouth and not get lodged in the neck when the fish try to swallow. Some times it works great, some times it doesn’t, but I too tend to go with the smallest hook that’s practical when ever I can.

If you snell a hook correctly it will hang freely with the point of the hook pointing some what outward... and with the slighted upward pull on the line the point will catch on anything it comes into contact with making the hook set even faster, and more frequent. So that’s why a snelled hook will have a higher hook up ratio than knotted hook. It takes a little more time to snell the hook but the hook up percentage and the fact that there is little to no stress on the line makes it worth while.

I avoid stainless hooks like the plague for this very reason… If your hook is a quality carbon steel it will be just as strong and just as sharp as the stainless hooks and if you have to leave a hook in the gut of a fish, the hook will corrode and eventually fall out on its own (much like a sliver will fester and be pushed out of your finger over time). Stainless hooks take much more time because technically they are "hypoallergenic" meaning the fish wont have a strong adverse reaction to the hook and it will remain in the fish indefinably, and there is no chance of the water rusting the hook... so its instant body jewelry for the fish.

 

[THE FISH WHISPER'ER]

i have caught small mouth in a stream here at home that had a rather large hook about halve way out of his butt he looked to be doing well , i would just cut it of if he ain't bleedin to badly

 

[WylieCat]

I am new to this whole "trophy catfish" thing, so I began using cirlcle hooks back in June. All my life when I fished for regular ol' cats I was using small hooks, small bait, and I had a lot of throat hooked fish. Back then the hooks were #2 Eagle Claw hooks that you found in most tackle stores with the leader already on them.

When I began the "big bait, big hook, big fish" approach for catfish, I also began using circle hooks. I have caught close to 300 cats with circle hooks, and so far I have had two that were hooked deeper than their outer jaw. When this has happene I simply cut the line close to the hook.

I did read some research that showed that cutting the leader close to the hoko may not be the best thing. I said that leaving leader exposed actually helps to keep the hook flat when the fish swallows food.

On the same note, I did catch a nice 6 1/2 lb. cat last week that had a hook with leader/swivel attached extending from its anus. The leader and swivel had made it out and the hook was still inside. I gently tried to pull it out, but there was some resistance so I cut the leader off close to anus and let him go. I would assume the barb and point were rusted off becasue I doubt the hook made it through with the barb/point still intact.