Largemouth Bass...can’t unhook!

**Troycool** · 02-25-2010, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by eddiebait

A few years ago a study was done on one of our area lakes concerning deeply hooked fish that were released with the hook imbeded. Musky was the specie, 36 to 48 inches. A very large size hook--9/0. I'm not sure how many, maybe 35 or 40 were caught on live bait, deeply hooked, the line was cut,a radio transmitter was implanted, and the fish were tracked. The fish were caught in November, by the middle of the following summer all the fish had died. The ones that were recovered seemed to have sufffered a cruel death without being able to feed. I used to believe that cutting the line was best but this study has certainly changed my mind. This study is limited to one specie and one kind of hook, perhaps panfish on a light wire might have a getter chance of survival, I don't think I would survive with a hook down my gullet. Perhaps hook manufacturers have to come up with a rapidly disolving hook. Circle hooks are a good alternative that I have not tried. I've been told that they are not as effective on fish with teeth, they need to slide into the corner of the mouth. I prefer a very fast hookset.

how cruel...so its like torture for the fish

**excuzzzeme** · 02-25-2010, 10:37 AM

WOW a 3 year old thread resurfaces!

**willfish4food** · 02-03-2011, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by eddiebait

A few years ago a study was done on one of our area lakes concerning deeply hooked fish that were released with the hook imbeded. Musky was the specie, 36 to 48 inches. A very large size hook--9/0. I'm not sure how many, maybe 35 or 40 were caught on live bait, deeply hooked, the line was cut,a radio transmitter was implanted, and the fish were tracked. The fish were caught in November, by the middle of the following summer all the fish had died. The ones that were recovered seemed to have sufffered a cruel death without being able to feed. I used to believe that cutting the line was best but this study has certainly changed my mind. This study is limited to one specie and one kind of hook, perhaps panfish on a light wire might have a getter chance of survival, I don't think I would survive with a hook down my gullet. Perhaps hook manufacturers have to come up with a rapidly disolving hook. Circle hooks are a good alternative that I have not tried. I've been told that they are not as effective on fish with teeth, they need to slide into the corner of the mouth. I prefer a very fast hookset.

they have done alot on reseach on deeply hooked fish. they say that a fast hookset when the fish hits bait or lures is best. With Largemouth bass they said that on fish hooked deep the fish that they removed the hook and the ones left in had the same mortalility rate. And if you do hook a big one (5Lbs plus) remove the hook if you can if its really in there cut the line 18 inches from the fish. this reduces deaths somehow from not eating. heres a link
on the study.
http://www.bassdozer.com/articles/ma...k_in_out.shtml

**kiddevo** · 02-23-2011, 9:28 AM

Master Zero,

STATUS? What happened to the smalllie?

**willfish4food** · 02-23-2011, 12:18 PM

I did a test with the fast hookset method on a texas rigged worm as soon as I felt that "tick" boom set the hook. I cought and released over ten Largemouths with zero gill raked or gut hooked fish. Great success!

anybody use circle hooks when using livebait for largemouths? I guess it would not matter just as long as you set the hook fast and not delay hookset, very important now so our kids and further generations can enjoy what we have.