deep hooked fish

after a discussion with a fellow angler concerning what to do when a fish is deeply hooked (...although we don't like to see it , it does hapeen !! )i was wondering what other anglers actions were when faced with this problem. my mate said that if the hook is left in it would eventually rust away and the fish would be able to eject it. never having had this occur, what is the official "line" ? (....sorry about the bad pun !!)

I cant speak for anyone else, but this is what I do.

For general fish such as Roach, Tench, Bream etc. I would atempt to remove it using a barrel disgorger. I cant think of an instance where this has not worked. (Barbless hooks though)

For Perch I tend to have a very quick go with a disgorger if I think the hook is not too deep. If I cant get the hook in a couple of attempts, I cut the line as close to the hook as possible. I have found Perch can bleed VERY easily if hooked deep, therefore I prefer to cut the line quickly.

For carp, and I can honestly day I have never had a deep hooked carp, but i have had to rescue a couple from inexperienced anglers, I much prefer to cut the line. Although the hooks are a little bigger, so is the throat passage, and too tell the truth, the throat teeth make short work of the hooks anyway. One fish I dealt with at about 12 pounds is nor 20+ and fine.

For Pike, if you pull gently, most times the hooks will appear and u can remove them. I have caught pike with traces down there throats, but I am sure a treble hook can stitch up the throat preventing food being swallowed. Bolt croppers are useful for cutting hooks if need be. I must admit though, I use doubles or singles on dead baits now, and strike immediatly. Yes I miss the odd fish, but I cant think of a deep hooked fish in the last 15 years.

For Salmon, I cut off there heads and throw them up the bank, then take a knife and stab and stab until its well and truely dead...ooops...or am I talking about what the local salmon anglers do to my pike??..grrrrrr

is this the same paul clarke of big brother fame?
I think robs on the case here and got it right no more to add

Hi Paul, I agree with Mark although I would recomend you get a special disgorger called a Slamo they are white (I think this is the only colour the company use)and unlike a barrel disgorger it has a flat slightly rounded base with a ridge in the centre and a slit to put the line through a quarter inch from the bottom. sounds strange but to use it slip the line into the slit and keep some tension on the line then slide the disgorger down the line and unlike a barrel type which sometimes slips off the line or hook. The hook will always sit in the groove on the base. I find a barrel disgorger fine for everday use but for deep hooked fish or especially eels this is the thing to use. :-}~

The only other thing I could add would be not to take too much time messing about. If the hook will not come free within about a minute then go for snipping the line as close as possible.

Kevan

Slamo disgorger + barbless hooks = end of problem,at least with smaller fish.I think that you will find Slamo's are marketed by Keenets/Milo,they aren't cheap at about ?2-50p but are the easiest disgorger i have ever used

I've got the Orvis eqivalent of a Slamo, very good tool.

Perch are little buggers for deep hooking, but the Slamo soon sorts it out.

What always gets me is how a Perch the size of your thumb, seems able to get up to a size six hook with nine maggots on it, (what I call medussa heads) right down to their tails, even when you strike as early as possible.

Again here I end up having to snip the line as close to the hook as possible, (as much as I hate doing so)

Seem to be the only fish that ever give me trouble this way.... oh apart from eels that is, but then I never been any good at de-hooking these, I use towels and even the landing net to hold them, but still often have trouble.

Any thoughts and advice on handling them better?

Another good way to unhook deep-hooked perch is with a fine pair of forceps. Hook comes out every time.

One way to get around the problem is to use circle hooks...they are designed to hook fish in the corner of the jaw & since I started using them (two years ago) I don't think I've had more than a handful of gut/throat hookups since & I've caught hundreds of fish during that time (mostly striped bass & bluefish, some fluke & blackfish as well). I won't go back to the standard hooks any more....
Jerry Vovcsko
www.capecodfishingnet.com

what the heck are circle hooks?i've never heard of them!!!!!!!!

Anumber of hook companies make them, the best (in my opinion) sre manufactured by Gamakatsu...the hook is more circular in shape than standard types & because of its design when you hook a fish it slides along, pivots and sets itself in the corner of the jaw. It's spooky how consistently circle hooks work like that. Makes catch & release a cinch. One thing, though, with circle hooks you DO NOT set the hook...when a fish hits, you keep reeling and the hook will invariably set itself. Take a look at the Gamakatsu web site or Eagle Claw or any of the hook companies...they're all making a variation of this style now. In the US more and more anglers are using them.
Jerry Vovcsko
www.capecodfishingnet.com

Any chance of the URL's for those sites Jerry? (sorry mate feeling lazy at the moment)

PLus does anyone know if there is anything like this over here? (circle hooks) or anyone that imports them, and/or has any Brit angler tried and reveiwed them? ie is there anything stopping them being used here?

They sound pretty interesting to me (especialy for spinning etc.,)

Mark,
Here's the Gamakatsu URL:
http://www.gamakatsu.com/usa_catalog.htm

I use circle hooks almost exclusively for live or chunk bait...I fish a lot with live eels for striped bass and fluke in Cape Cod waters...can't beat these hooks in my opinion. Check with your tackle shops & see if they've got them...if the shop has a decent assortment of hooks they should have some...if you can't find them let me know & I'll give you the URL of some online tackle shops here in the states.
Jerry Vovcsko
www.capecodfishingnet.com