Taking care of deeply hooked fish

[Stuie]

I believe that a twizzle stick is a necessity in these enlightened days of catch and return. It makes retrieving hooks from deeply hooked fish so easy and the fish invariably swim off too - that's if you catch one of course.

 

I use a hardwood chopstick, the thin end for tiny hooks and the thick end for bigger hooks. They're simple to use and anyone who doesn't use one is missing a trick in my opinion.

[charlieannear]

Well, it's a trick I'm missing then!

Please tell us more!

[dicky]

my experience of "twizzle sticks" seems a little different.

they used to be popular on charter boats a long time ago and i would be surprised if many of the fish survived.

the way i was shown was to stick a pointed stick down the fishes throat, hold the trace along side the stick then spin the fish round and round until it "came off".

basically your just ripping the hook out doing untold damage, all because the fish swim off doesn't mean they survive.

 

never see one used these days, thankfully.

[Newboy]

I could be wrong, but wouldn't it be easier just cut the trace and leave the hook in?

I presume the hook (not stainless) will be rotted out in a week or so.

[Stuie]

Dicky explains some of the procedure above. The stick is carefully put into the fishes mouth and down past the hook. Spinning the fish wraps the hook around the stick and the fish drops off. It certainly works for me, especially on the smaller species.

[dicky]

i didn't say it doesn't work 

just don't think it is a good way of removing hooks from fish that you plan to return.

great for removing deep hooks from table fish once dispatched but for me a definate no-no for any fish being released.

[lofty]

It's why I know have a swivel between my hook and beads for plaice fishing as I put back the sub 1.5 lb jobs, but they swallow the hooks deep , so I now cut them below the swivel , stopping the yak getting covered in beads.

[Stuie]

With regard to hooks rotting out - I landed a bass at Hurst last autumn, it was very long but extremely thin and emaciated. It weighed in at 3lb when normally it would have been at least double that. On examining it more closely it had an old looking bronze hook inside and across its gullet, with line attached. Even though it had taken my tiny bait on a size 4, hooked in the mouth, I believe that the other hook may well have been the cause of the fish being so emaciated, possibly preventing the fish  from swallowing a substantial meal. I'm sure other anglers have also landed fish with old hooks still in them.

[Matt]

Ithink for a deep hooked fish you
Need to put pressure on the bend of the
Hook so it goes out the way it went in-

 

[wilful]

There was a lot of work done on this subject with my dad and the fish recorder for Scotland who was an ickthiologist back in the 80's. The sticks, disgorgers and various other methods, including cutting the hook out (!) were tried on cod pollack and dabs in the Clyde estuary. By tagging these fish and recapture data, the most successful method was one I have adopted since, but see very few anglers use. Not only is it better for the fish, but quicker and easier for the angler.

 

Simply go in through the final gill slit closest to the aftermost part of the gill. ie the closest to the belly. There are no gill rakers to damage or get damaged by. Using either a dexterous finger or long nosed pliers, grab the hook (nb you are level with the gullet, so you don't need to dig unless it literally IS inside the stomach) and reverse its hooking path.  Pop it from the flesh and push it bend first up to the mouth. Then simply remove from mouth area.

 

Done in seconds, doesn't rip the flesh as the stick does and leaves only the 2 puncture wounds of the normal hook hold.  With practise It is faster than finding a twizzle stick on the other side of the deck and then using it, and you have the necessary wherewithall on you (fingers) to do it anywhere.

 

On very small fish long nosed pliers work fine, whereas a reasonable cod or Pollack is easier with fingers. There is a surprising amount of space in that last gill slit in a fish of even 3lbs.   Bass obviously need special care due to the risk of finger slices in that area, so noseys are better......it also helps to get the fish off the hook quickly and get you back in the water for a second stab at the wreck before you've gone over it !!

 

Gordon

[great white]

we carry all the usual gadgets

 

T bars, long t bars for things with teeth, and Gemini ones for smaller species.

 

while they are fine for a lot of catch and release,

I also have one, that is like a big version on a fresh water anglers disgorger. it is made of flat stainless instead of bent bar and has a notch in the end so that a hook can be pushed down into the fishes throat, before being extracted.

 

Anything more awkward than that and we cut the line as close as possible to the hook.

 

Stuie

I am afraid Twizzler sticks are fine for retained fish, but not if they are going back.

even with thin small hooks the fish would be damaged.

[live bait]

One of the best bits of kit I ever bought is the Baker Hookout - stainless steel version. Great for most small - medium sized fish and various hook locations. in circumstances where you can't use a finger to reverse out the hook, or the hook is stuck in a gristly bit, it's ideal.

 

It has angled, spring loaded jaws with a right angled hand grip for very secure hold on the hook.

 

http://www.agmdiscountfishing.co.uk/baker-hookout-stainless-steel-p-303.html

 

(Also available elsewhere I expect.)

 

Anyone else use one?

 

Clive

[alun j.]

Savage Gear do a similar one

[Paul J]

De-barbed hooks for plaice fishing? do we need barbs for fish that are likely to be deep hooked such as most flatfish? It would make unhooking them quicker and easier and you've got a good chance of catch more fish by getting back in on the spot asap. Twizzle sticks are impressive when in the right hands, shame they do damage,apparently

 

PJ