[usnavybro]

So here's my problem. Today I was out with a friend who's fairly new to fishing. He hadn't cought anything all day. I had a bite, set the hook, felt it was a big fish and handed the rod off to him. During the handoff the line snapped. I retied with a different lure and about 5 minutes later I had another one. It didn't feel big so I didn't hand it off. When it got to the boat it was bigger than expected. When I went to unhook it I saw the very end of my offset shank hook and the tip top of my baby brush hog barely sticking out of the gut. It was the fish I lost a couple minutes before! I felt horrible, and still do, that I gut hooked the biggest bass I've cought in a couple years. I thought about keeping the fish, but I decided to let it go anyway. Will this fish survive with a Gammie hook and a baby bush hog in its belly? What would you have done?

[Stratos17]

I know how you feel. I think a belly hooked fish is just about the wost thing. None of us want it to happen but it does. Heres what I try to do in that situation.

First I cut the line to relieve any pressure

Second I remove as much as the soft plastic as possible, usually come right off.

I keep a long necked diagonal wire cutter on board and try to remove (cut) as much as the hook out as I can.

Hopefully the fish will survive. I think the majority of the gut hooked fish do.

[slim2043]

I have caught fish with hooks in them before so I know they can survive but not entirely sure on the percentage and I know ripping the hook out of the gut is a surefire way to kill the fish. What I would do in this situation is do my best to get what I can out without hurting the fish or keeping him out of the water for too long. It's always good to have long pliers hemostat flashlight etc. with you in case this does happen. Also you can pinch down the barbs on your hooks which should make them easier to get out without harming the fish too much. I know you can't always be prepared as you want to be and it sucks to put a fish back when his survival is questionable. I think Bass are a little more resilient than trout when gut-hooked though as I read that upwards of 75% of gut-hooked trout do not survive more than 24 hours after released.
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Never give up!

[atkins]

leave the hook in, it will rust out, faster in salt water, if it dies it dies. I hate when it happens too.

[PECo]

If you can't back a hook out, cut the line and pull the hook through like a suture or a needle and thread. It helps if you always carry a forceps/hemostat with you.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[admin]

this helped me prepare if this ever happens to me. thanks guys...
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~ Marc

Just one more cast...

[usnavybro]

Now I know that the fish survived. I didn't know this was possible, but I caught the same bass again today. It seems unlikely but this bass had the same black spots on its head and the same big ugly sore on its belly toward its gills. I didn't see the previous hook or lure this time, so it must've gone all the way down to its stomach. This time it was bleeding a lot so if the last time didn't get it, this time probably will

[jomonkey527]

Well here's hoping you catch it once again.

[cwenbass]

Always get the line through the gill the hook is easier to get out then.

[flippy]

This is what I have on my boat,, depends on how deep it is,, but I use a hook remover,, and not a cheap one,, cost around 20 dollars compared to a 8 dollar one, what it does is drive the hook out the way it went in, they work pretty well, also a good pair of wire cutters, sometimes you can cut the hook and drive it completely through,also carry a citrus can of soda like 7 up, when a fish is bleeding pour the citrus soda in its mouth,,, believe it or not it stops the bleeding,, the thing that really sucks is when a fish swallows a crankbait,, now you have to become a surgeon,,just cut the hooks the best you can and hope for the best,, another thing I carry is a de fizzer,, when you catch fish deep and pull them through the water column quickly, they cannot regulate their air bladder, and they will float around and eventually die,, so you have to fizz them, or release them very quickly and hope they can swim to a comfortable range of depth quickly,, they sell a needle for fizzing,, its fairly simple,, but somebody should show you before you go poking a fish looking for its air bladder,, thats how they suspend in deeper water,, and when you rip them up they dont release the air

[Ctbassnut]

You can get any gut hook out if you know how. What you need to do is have a good set of needle nose and come in though the gill. Grab the hook and just rotate it and it comes right out everytime. Look to see which way the hook is in and come in on the side that the point of the hook is facing. If the hook is face up or down in the fishes mouth you can do it from either side. I should make a video of it and post it..But i can't even figure out how to post pics on here ..so a video is out of the question.
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