What do you do with fish that swallow the hook? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What do you do with fish that swallow the hook?

Posted: 5/22/2011 2:57:09 PM EDT

I like to go with a basic worm and a few splitshot for catfish once in a while.
Its pretty common that I hook into a sunny or bluegill since they are everywhere and go after worms like a moth to a flame.

What do you do when they swallow the hook?
I caught one earlier and the fish was bleeding from the gills...not likely to make it.
Seemed active so I put him back in the water.....he swam away...but I'm guessing he'll be floating some time soon.

Got me thinking...I dont like killing fish that I'm not bringing home for the pan....generally I'm either a catch and release guy or I am bringing home dinner.

That said...Im not going to bring home sunnys and eat them....still feels like a waste to kill them and leave them to die in the lake.

What do you guys do with the fish that get killed but arent going to make it to the plate?

Posted: 5/22/2011 7:08:24 PM EDT

[#1]

Sunfish taste great! However if you're not targeting them and wind up with two or three as by-catch then I see where it wouldn't make sense to keep them. You could always toss them in the garden or feed them to your dog. I usually end up slipping them back into the water and just assume that they become some larger predators meal. If they have swallowed the hook I just cut the line back as far as I can get into their mouth to do so. I've never fished with circle hooks but I believe I read somewhere that a circle hook is much more likely than a standard hook to lodge into a preferable (jaw) hooking area.

Posted: 5/22/2011 7:19:00 PM EDT

[#2]

Just clip the line and leave the hook in the fish. If it is a standard hook it should just rust away in a week or so and the fish will be fine. At least that is what my uncle told me when we fished.

Posted: 5/22/2011 7:26:53 PM EDT

[#3]

fish parts make good fertalizer for your fruit trees.

Posted: 5/22/2011 8:41:47 PM EDT

[#4]

Or use it for bait for the catfish. Sunfish and shade are common for flathead in my area.

Posted: 5/22/2011 9:55:29 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Or use it for bait for the catfish. Sunfish and shade are common for flathead in my area.

Didnt think of that...pretty damn good idea

Posted: 5/31/2011 2:57:32 PM EDT

[#6]

Word, hook them up(if legal in your area) and send in there for the flatheads.

Catfish love live and cut panfish around here.

Posted: 5/31/2011 3:10:16 PM EDT

[#7]

plus 2 for catfish bait. if he is still flopping around weighted down at the bottom, a big flathead will be all over it

Posted: 6/1/2011 2:22:40 PM EDT

[#8]

sucks, but it's just collateral damage... doesn't happen often

I won't lose a wink of sleep over it. Turtles and coons gotta eat too.....

Posted: 6/1/2011 5:21:11 PM EDT

[#9]

Why would you catch bluegill and not eat it? Fillet that puppy out, and throw it on a red hot cast iron pan with some cajun seasoning real quick. It's better than catfish, just not as much at one shot.

Posted: 6/1/2011 8:01:26 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Why would you catch bluegill and not eat it? Fillet that puppy out, and throw it on a red hot cast iron pan with some cajun seasoning real quick. It's better than catfish, just not as much at one shot.

Because in the over-fished lake nearest to my house some of these damn things are litterally 3 inches long

I agree though....decent sized bluegills would absolutely make my pan. Have eaten them before.....4 or 5 nice sized ones are perfect for a meal......carefully cut some fillets out, dredge in flour, and fry in a little oil & butter. Great stuff!

Posted: 6/1/2011 8:32:45 PM EDT

[#11]

This, though it might not fit in a small panfish mouth...

Posted: 6/3/2011 3:27:00 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Just clip the line and leave the hook in the fish. If it is a standard hook it should just rust away in a week or so and the fish will be fine. At least that is what my uncle told me when we fished.

+1

If I can't get it out with a hook remover, like pictured above, then clipping the line and leaving the hook in it, is the way I was taught as well.

The story is that the hook will rust out in a few days.

But if it's bleeding or gill hooked, it's a goner.

Posted: 6/3/2011 3:48:48 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Why would you catch bluegill and not eat it? Fillet that puppy out, and throw it on a red hot cast iron pan with some cajun seasoning real quick. It's better than catfish, just not as much at one shot.

Because in the over-fished lake nearest to my house some of these damn things are litterally 3 inches long

I agree though....decent sized bluegills would absolutely make my pan. Have eaten them before.....4 or 5 nice sized ones are perfect for a meal......carefully cut some fillets out, dredge in flour, and fry in a little oil & butter. Great stuff!

I wouldn't fillet a little guy, just scrape off the scales with a fingernail. Saves more flesh than filleting.

Posted: 6/3/2011 4:07:41 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Why would you catch bluegill and not eat it? Fillet that puppy out, and throw it on a red hot cast iron pan with some cajun seasoning real quick. It's better than catfish, just not as much at one shot.

Because in the over-fished lake nearest to my house some of these damn things are litterally 3 inches long

I agree though....decent sized bluegills would absolutely make my pan. Have eaten them before.....4 or 5 nice sized ones are perfect for a meal......carefully cut some fillets out, dredge in flour, and fry in a little oil & butter. Great stuff!

I wouldn't fillet a little guy, just scrape off the scales with a fingernail. Saves more flesh than filleting.

I've scaled and fried the little guys whole. It works.... If they're small enough and fried enough you can eat them bones and all.

Posted: 6/3/2011 5:15:05 PM EDT

[#15]

If you're smart, you'll just let it fall back into the water.

If its under size, the game warden is not going to give a damn about how the fish died as he takes your stuff and writes you a big ole ticket.

Otherwise, if you aren't using stainless hooks, it stands a chance of making it. The hook will corrode eventually. Saving a bite full of meat isn't worth the risk.

Tj

Posted: 6/3/2011 5:18:25 PM EDT

[#16]

Here's a question for you.................

When do you wish you had counted your fish?

When you're standing out in the water fishing for catfish in TX, the game warden is dumping your cooler obviously counting, and you can't remember if that was 99 or 100 you caught?

Posted: 6/17/2011 8:00:54 PM EDT

[#17]

For Bass I have always followed these steps and it is amazing how easy it is to remove a gullet hooked fish. I come back and don't see any floaters so I'm guessing it works as the fish swim right off.

http://www.pica.army.mil/outdoor/pdf/Removing%20a%20Hook%20from%20a%20Fishs%20Gullet.pdf

Posted: 6/17/2011 8:25:13 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Just clip the line and leave the hook in the fish. If it is a standard hook it should just rust away in a week or so and the fish will be fine. At least that is what my uncle told me when we fished.

It's true. Sometimes you kill the fish taking a hook out when you can just cut the line, throw it back, and it will live.
I caught one large mouth bass in a pond that I had hooked the day before.
I lost it because the line broke at the knot.
When I caught it the second time, the first lure was still hanging in it's mouth.

If they are gullet hooked, and I don't want to keep them, I'll just cut the line and throw it back.
Unless it's a lure.
ETA Here's one we caught the other day that was thrown back with a treble in it's mouth:

Posted: 6/20/2011 1:54:27 PM EDT

[#19]

Turtles and catfish have to eat too

I hate gut hooking fish, I tell my wife to set the hook early and don't let it go to long but sometimes she don't listen

Now she is muskie fishing with me, I told her she don't have to worry about it with a muskie

Posted: 6/20/2011 1:56:25 PM EDT

[#20]

I forgot, throw them back in the lake around here and the Amish scoop them up, the Amish are like fishing factories around here anymore.

They keep EVERY fish they catch and grind them up into fish patties

Posted: 6/30/2011 5:41:44 AM EDT

[#21]

I typically catch and release, but if a fish is injured, I feel it is ethically and, pro-karmic to eat or utilize the fish in a manner that gives the taking of the life some meaningful purpose - not just my pleasure.

Posted: 6/30/2011 8:17:01 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Word, hook them up(if legal in your area) and send in there for the flatheads.

Catfish love live and cut panfish around here.

yep. cutbait works great but is illegal a lot of places.

Posted: 7/9/2011 4:58:21 PM EDT

[#23]

Hooked a blue gill the other day that swallowed the hook. I decided to keep it for dinner. When I gutted it I found an ice fishing jig in its stomach. You never know.

Posted: 7/9/2011 5:04:45 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Hooked a blue gill the other day that swallowed the hook. I decided to keep it for dinner. When I gutted it I found an ice fishing jig in its stomach. You never know.

That was luck! You should be glad you caught the fish before a week passed and it rusted out!

Posted: 7/9/2011 5:11:22 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Why would you catch bluegill and not eat it? Fillet that puppy out, and throw it on a red hot cast iron pan with some cajun seasoning real quick. It's better than catfish, just not as much at one shot.

Because in the over-fished lake nearest to my house some of these damn things are litterally 3 inches long

I agree though....decent sized bluegills would absolutely make my pan. Have eaten them before.....4 or 5 nice sized ones are perfect for a meal......carefully cut some fillets out, dredge in flour, and fry in a little oil & butter. Great stuff!

I wouldn't fillet a little guy, just scrape off the scales with a fingernail. Saves more flesh than filleting.

I've scaled and fried the little guys whole. It works.... If they're small enough and fried enough you can eat them bones and all.

Gutted, head off, scales scraped, breaded and fried. All you got to do is get enough of them.

Posted: 7/16/2011 3:56:46 AM EDT

[#26]

I crimp the barbs or use barbless hooks.

Buy hemostats/medical tweezers. great if you catch a bait sized fish who's eyes were a bit larger than it's stomach.