Maybe an odd topic here, but need suggestions......

[shemwelljr]

Okay, I know that there are many hard-core fisherman here, but I'm just a guy that loves to fish for the relaxation and fun. My dad and I like to fish a lot together. We practice catch and release, usually catch bluegill, crappie, and a few catfish on wax worms. However, we don't eat any of the fish (thus the catch and RELEASE), but I do get tired of killing fish inadvertently. You know, they swallow the hook and get it in their gut, and it isn't coming out without killing them in most cases. The last time we fished, we caught all of these tiny bluegill that kept swallowing hooks, even as we'd put larger hooks on. They were in a feeding frenzy.

I love to fish, but want to respect the craft and don't want to just be out there killing fish for fun. That kinds of takes the fun away. I like to catch them, love the thrill of the catch, but don't want to kill them.

So, does anyone have any suggestions? I've heard of circle hooks, but don't know if they'd help. My goal is not to kill any at all if I can help it, not just reduce the number of accidental kills. If I was eating the fish, or knew someone that wanted the fish we caught, it wouldn't be quite as big of a deal, I guess (not much experience in that facet of fishing).

Thanks for any replies. I grew up fishing, love it, and want to continue, but I'm not into killing them for sport, even on accident, when I know it will happen again and again, as may with traditional fishing methods as I know them.

[raincheck]

Cut the line and let the fish have the hook.................

[bcoats]

like he said cut the line the hook will rust out and it wont hurt thr fish

[SweetWaterBaits]

like he said cut the line the hook will rust out and it wont hurt thr fish

+1 Most likely it will live.

[kygorski]

Remove the barb, use long shank wire hooks, the barb can be bent down with a pair of pliers.There are a few places where barbed hooks are against the law. If that dont work cut the line as close to the hook as possible.

[mhall]

Remove the barb, use long shank wire hooks, the barb can be bent down with a pair of pliers.There are a few places where barbed hooks are against the law. If that dont work cut the line as close to the hook as possible.

Bingo...........................

[Panfish Man]

If this happens mainly when your catching panfish, you need to stop fishing where the little ones are. If your catching tiny fish, I guarantee there will be no quality fish among them. Try fishing deeper, or move on to another location. Crappie and Bluegill usually hang out in groups by size, so they don't have to compete for food. Back off the bank 15' or 20' and adjust your depths. Use a long shank cricket hook, they give you best chance of fish not swallowing your hook.

[Duayne]

Actually you can do much less damage going the exact opposite of a larger hook. I use very tiny treble hooks that have very fine wire. These can be turned in their mouths easily with fine nose hemostats and the hook wire can be opened and to get the hook out if needed then bent back once out. They cause little to no damage to the fish and I've never had one go in the gut due to the shape of the hook. I've had some at the gut, but the hooks still come out very easily and the fish are fine.

[know1]

I think you just need to set the hook quicker. How are you fishing for them anyway?

I fish bluegill a lot and the only time I have them swallow the hook is if I accidently let them sit out there and chew on it for quite awhile.

[floatman]

Okay, I know that there are many hard-core fisherman here, but I'm just a guy that loves to fish for the relaxation and fun. My dad and I like to fish a lot together. We practice catch and release, usually catch bluegill, crappie, and a few catfish on wax worms. However, we don't eat any of the fish (thus the catch and RELEASE), but I do get tired of killing fish inadvertently. You know, they swallow the hook and get it in their gut, and it isn't coming out without killing them in most cases. The last time we fished, we caught all of these tiny bluegill that kept swallowing hooks, even as we'd put larger hooks on. They were in a feeding frenzy.

I love to fish, but want to respect the craft and don't want to just be out there killing fish for fun. That kinds of takes the fun away. I like to catch them, love the thrill of the catch, but don't want to kill them.

So, does anyone have any suggestions? I've heard of circle hooks, but don't know if they'd help. My goal is not to kill any at all if I can help it, not just reduce the number of accidental kills. If I was eating the fish, or knew someone that wanted the fish we caught, it wouldn't be quite as big of a deal, I guess (not much experience in that facet of fishing).

Thanks for any replies. I grew up fishing, love it, and want to continue, but I'm not into killing them for sport, even on accident, when I know it will happen again and again, as may with traditional fishing methods as I know them.

along with what all the others have said, sounds to me like you guys are waiting way too long to set the hook, if you are gut hooking fish than you guys need to set the hook much sooner, it's a timing thing, get your timing down on setting the hook and along with all the other info should work, JMO

Gary

[riverrat12]

All of the above, and if you gut or gill hook a fish and feel they are going to die anyway, take your biggest pole,biggest hook and hook the bluegill behind the dorsal. Throw them around structure or just free spool them in the area your in. You'd be surprised at the size bass or cat you can catch....Big fish got to eat to...good luck.. Chuck

[floatman]

I think you just need to set the hook quicker. How are you fishing for them anyway?

I fish bluegill a lot and the only time I have them swallow the hook is if I accidently let them sit out there and chew on it for quite awhile.

know, you and I think along the same lines, and we post at the same time alot, you have a quicker typeing finger than me LOL LOL

P.S. I agree with you 100% lol lol JMO

Gary