Deep hooked fish & Surgery

[Danny]

OK everyone, I never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the pack.... LOL

I've been thinking about the above subject line, it has been discussed here very often, and the latest thread about being hooked yourself, and how to remove the hook. I think I had an epipheny, not sure.

When ever I had a deep hooked fish, one where the hook is in the gullet, I have had to either cut the hook off, and leav it, or I had to cut the hook in half, and remove it in two pieces, or the the only other thing I ever did was to kill the fish trying to remove it... basically pulling the gullet out.

Now on TV we always hear them say they have to perform surgery, but they never show it. Now after our last discussion on self hookups I wonder if what they do is this;

Take a very sharp knife, maybe even something like a beltknife (you know with the razor blade) and maybe cut the gullet slightly to remove the hook.

Would this be less harmful to the fish than leaving the hook in that basically sews the gullet shut? I know we all tell ourselves the hooks rust out, but I wonder. Think about all the line we pull out of the water that has been in there for years and it still has hooks on it. Of course it doesn't have the fish's stomach acid... or so we tell ourselves.

I still think the best thing is if I can cut the point off, then back the hook back out, but if I can't do that, would using a sharp knife to excise the hook surgically be the next best thing?

Opinions?

Danny

[dac]

If you plan to cut the line and leave the hook in, leave at least 18 inches of line attached to the hook.

[mhall]

>If you plan to cut the
>line and leave the hook
>in, leave at least 18
>inches of line attached to
>the hook.


Do not do this, this is very incorrect!

[Lawdog]

If they're gonna die, let em fry.

[the_donger]

Bump on the question of why leave 18 inches of line? Or are you just yanking our chains?

[SSKY]

Why???

[SSKY]

Ok I will be calm, If you plan to release the fish, before you catch it pinch the barb down and then the hook will just slide out even if it is in the "gullet" otherwise plan to kill it, lakeside surgery will do the same after a couple of days.

[Danny]

SSKY,

The really good news about this is that I catch so danged few fish, I surely can't harm any fishery I go to. LOL

I imagine I will continue carrying my wire cutters, in fact just bought a new pair the other day, and will continue cutting the hook in half. By doing that, it is very easy to remove both pieces with very little additional damage to the fish.

I always figure I can buy new hooks, but try as I might, I can not create new fish on my own. LOL

Danny

[SSKY]

Thats fine and I hope it works for the fish, but barbless works better if you really want to release the fish with little damage. The handling of the fish to do the "surgery,cutting" will result in fish damage on the outside of the fish. Just my two cents for what is worth.

[W_anderson]

Hey danny whats you last name. i think i know you. this is wendell anderson

[Danny]

Yep you know me. I know both you and your dad.

for obvious reasons, I don't post my last name on the web.

You guys fishing the Lake Malone club again this year?

Danny

[W_anderson]

Yea Lol. We got 2nd the other day at malone chris browning had a good fish weigh 9lbs had 20lbs in 4 fish , me and dad had 14lbs in 3 fish,We need go one time, i was going call you a couple times last year when you call but i couldnt find the number.Dad said hey.