there was a post on this topic a long time ago and i need it.
cant find it. any help

I have been told to just cut the line. the fish will actually throw up his guts and wiggle the hoo out. not sure if it does but that is what ive been told

what i do is,look to see which way its hooked,reach a finger up under their gill plate on the point side of the hook,pull the eye through the gillplate,reach my other hand in their mouth and pull the bend of the hook outwards and towards the other gillplate.usually a small popping noise will tell you that you have freed the hook.you can save ALOT of fish using this method.hope this helps

~Mike

Here ya go....
http://www.electric-bass.org/throughTheGill.htm

IMO, the best way to remove gut hooked fish is as Mike described. This can be done with a good set of needle nose pliers and with smaller fish is easier than using your fingers. I gave a demonstration of this technique just this past weekend.

If uncertain about removing the hook via this technique, next time one has a gut hooked fish that does not survive, use it for practice and figure out how to remove the hook.

Once you get the removal process down, you will be able to remove the hook and get the fish back in the water in no time.

Thanks for re-posting this. I've killed two so far this year not being able to remove the hook.

This is a great post. I cant say I look forward to trying it but I know it won't be long. I had 3 swallow the other day and had to cut the line and leave one in on about a 6.5 lb. I hate having to do that, expecially to a quality fish. I hope I can master this and minimize the damage.

The link that bassfreak posted is a great illustration of how to remove the hook of a gut hooked of gill hooked fish. It is unbelievable how affective it is.

Just what Mike Soriano said. Best you can do. Perfect.
I caught one yesterday, with about two feet of line
hanging out his mouth....eased the line up, and
I can see the end of a plastic bait. I'm thinkin' not good..
Got a grip on the plastic, and once he relaxed a second it came right out his gullet. One of those big 'Ish' tubes.
Finally, I could see the offset hook and to my amazement, I got the dam thing out. (Doing just what Mike describes) Thought I had failed, as I put him back in the water, a big purge of blood came out of his gills.....then he just splashed us in the face and took off. I honestly never thought he could be saved, but my wife is witness....and that don't hurt your standing either.

Great Link Thanks.

I cut the hook shank with a pair of Dikes. I think the hook will work it's way out.

cut the line the hook will rust hooks r cheap

The problem with removing the hook through the gills, Is if the gills are damaged it is certain death.

Listen to Mike. He sounds like he has done it a few times.