"poor little fishies"

[fatpratt1996]

How many of you feel guilty as hell when you have to do "what it takes" to get your expensive lures out of a fish's mouth? I love to fish for sandies and those little ones have eyes bigger than their stomaches. Is there any way that you guys know that makes it easier to remove treble hooks or am I just too impatient? And the tip to cut off a hook, is this true that it will rust out or is this a myth? I always thought metal needed air to rust out. Some of you guys know the more scientific side of things, so please endulge me with your knowledge. Thanks and have a scrumdidliumtious day guys.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Im an animal I guess. I really dont care if its a prolific fish, ( hey, the crawdads have to eat too. If its legal to keep that size I do if I know its going to die. I use non stainless steel or non plated Barbless hooks when Im fishing for Steelhead so I can remove the hook or just cut it off, Yes Its true they will rust out, there is oxygen in the water.

 

[fatpratt1996]

Re: "poor little fishies"

but what are the chances that, lets say that you have a fish that totally swallows the hook and it is in their thraot, will they be able to eat in enough time to stay alive?

 

[NathanY]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Dude, are you some kind of tree hugger? If the fish is to small to keep, then cut the hook off, if it is a keeper, rip it out!

 

[fatpratt1996]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Trees not the question.<br />Question is:<br />Is the price of new treble hooks the price of a 6 inch sandbass's life? I guess if I don't have the money to replace each and every hook I shouldn't be fishing anyways.

 

[roscoe]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Don't use trebles if you don't need to. ?

 

[Mr.Ladyfish]

Re: "poor little fishies"

If it's not a keeper we try to get the hook out with as little damage as possible. If the fish has swallowed it we cut the line as close to the hook as possible or just use the fish for cut bait. <br />It only really bothers me when its a little speckled trout. Those have to be the prettiest fish in the bay and I know what great game fish they grow into.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Yea, if it's to deep, just cut the line and let it take it's chances.<br /><br />I am a fish and release person anyway, so it don't matter how big they are, if it's to deep, I cut the line.

 

[jtexas]

Re: "poor little fishies"

It's the circle of life. The poor little guy made a mistake & tried to eat a hunk of lead or plastic, now he's food for the turtles or cats or whatever. Nothing gets wasted. He was lucky to have made it this far anyway. <br /><br />Okay, it is kind of sad if they never made to their first spawn. Let's pause right now for a moment of silence in their honor... ....<br /><br />FWIW, I do try to be gentle with 'em. If they swallow a single bait hook, I think they got a good chance of digesting it (they don't rust, but the fishes stomach acids eventually disolve it), but a treble? I doubt it. Especially an undersized sandy. Anyway in my experience they don't usually swallow trebles - if they take 'em deep they ususally get caught in the gills. Nothing really you can do then.<br /><br />BTW mr. ladyfish, I don't know if the rules are different offshore, but it's illegal to use gamefish for cut bait in Texas.

 

[Mr.Ladyfish]

Re: "poor little fishies"

BTW mr. ladyfish, I don't know if the rules are different offshore, but it's illegal to use gamefish for cut bait in Texas.

I didn't know that. We don't do it often, just when its obvious the fish is going to die. From now on they'll just end up as crab food. Thanks.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: "poor little fishies"

use circle hooks.

 

[rolmops]

Re: "poor little fishies"

You should only use single hooks with the barb removed.Now there is a way to get these deep hooks out without damaging the fish.It was neatly described in the In-Fisherman magazine.You take a tiny pair of longnose pliers and grab the hook through the gills.Turn it upside down and then pull it out, it will just come loose.<br />Never leave a hook in a wounded fish that you know will die anyway, because while wounded and still alive,it is easy prey for other larger fish.<br />These fish will swallow the hook along with the wounded fish and will in their turn get hurt and fall prey to yet a larger one.You do not want to introduce that chain reaction in the water.It is better to kill the first one and remove the hook.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: "poor little fishies"

I always use long needlenose pliers and remove the hook with little effect on the fish. There have been instances where the poor ******* got turned inside out though, but I don't sweat it. Something will come along and eat it, I am just contributing to the food chain....

 

[fatpratt1996]

Re: "poor little fishies"

I caught 59 of the little suckers yesterday though

 

[spratt]

Re: "poor little fishies"

fat, you make me proud to share the name pratt pop the barbs on through the fish, and throw the whole thing back in...then troll for something bigger using the buggar for bait!!!!!!!!!

 

[woodrat]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Out west here, when fishing for salmon, you are required to leave non-keepers in the water while unhooking them, so as not to put undue damage on the resource. If I can, I don't even net them so as not to knock loose a bunch of scales and protective slime, but unhooking a 30# chinook without running them completely out of steam is just not possible without a net. its not a tree-hugger thing, its just the right thing to do, especially with something as magnificent as a salmon. When fishing other species like perch and what not, I try to get the hook out no matter what, because I don't want an eagle or an osprey to pick that little floating bugger up and swallow the hook I left in him.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: "poor little fishies"

• Woodrat we have a real problem with cormorants around here, hmmmm? Nah I wouldn't really do it but I shure would like a lot less of these flying rats.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: "poor little fishies"

Woops I kinda blew that. I meant to add the quote about eagles and ospreys