swallowing hooks

[dsmith]

I hate it when the fish swallow the hook. It seems to happen a lot. Is there any way to prevent this? Once they have swallowed it, they are as good as dead. I hate that.

[daveedka]

Everyone says circle hooks will prevent it, but I'm not convinced, and don't think much of circles from the little bit of experience I have. Once a hook is swallowed there are a couple of options, most of the time you can remove the hook out through the gills backwards and cut the line without injuring the fish, I read an article about this several years ago and can say it works 90% of the time. If the hook is too deep to take out through the gills, I've always been told the best option is to cut the line and leave the hook in the fish. I do this even with fish we plan to keep as I don't want them Dead before they go on ice in the truck. I do not know what the survival rate is or isn't on the fish released, but have heard from enough experts that I believe it must not be fatal to leave a hook in a fish. By the way avoiding Stainless steel hooks is important if you do leave the hook in the fish.
Dave

[dsmith]

Didn't know that about the gills. That is cool. Will try that.
We only use circle hooks, and they still swallow them. So that blows that theory.

[olhillbilly]

Thats odd. I dont think I have had a swallered hook since I been using circle hooks. And dont seem to lose near as many to snags, either. I been using the same hooks all year on most of my poles. Just hit em with a stone ever so often an its good ta go.

But ya, stainless doesnt dissolve near as well as the rest of the hooks. They say a catfish stomach enzymes will dissolved dang near anything. Cept for stainless steel.

[bobberguy]

I would think that smaller hooks are easier to swallow especially the round hooks and Kahle! Bobber fishing with regular hooks seems to have less swallowed hooks because of quicker hook set. Bottom fishing or jug line fishing results in more swallowed hooks! Sometimes a quick hard pull causes the hoke to come rightout especially with smaller hooks! Barbless hooks are also a answer but will result in more lost fish.

[papa]

When I use circles, I only use the inline ones, I tried the offset ones and bingo, gut hooked. I fish on the bottom a lot and just let them load up the pole and never have any gut hooked ones anymore. I only use inline kahles also with good luck. cat floates load them up quick also and no problems.