Caught some nice fish today

I caught 7 or so in the 2-3lb range bank fishing. 1 I caught in the eyeball. Went through the mouth, through the eye, then back in the mouth. I didn't have anything to cut the hook with, so I just cut the line and tossed him back in. I think trying to get a 2/0 hook out would have ripped his eyeball out. I also caught another that swallowed half the hook down its throat. I also cut the line and tossed it back. They both swam off but did I do the right thing, and do you think they will live? Here is the 3.5lber I caught.

If you gut hook a fish push the eye of the hook down through the lowest gill and push it up and it will pop right out and the fish won't Evan bleed! I have never seen anyone but my dad and I do it but it works every time haven't killed a fish yet by gut hooking him.


Gary

I pull the hooks out of the eyeballs- no idea if its "right" or "wrong" but I figure if there's a hook through his eye, then its a goner anyway.

Throat hooked fish depends for me: if I can see the barbed in coming out enough to get pliers on it, I'll cut line then work the hook out pulling the shank and eye out from the barb end. If I can't see the barb end, then just cut the line as close as possible and turn 'em loose. I've been told there's enough acid and stuff going on that the hook will just break down and go away.

That's just how I've always done it.

Always remove.

Pop hook through then cut off the barb and remove.

Did the throat hooked fish survive??? Try eating with a hook in your throat!!! It will live until it starves to death.

Don't believe it when someone posts that the hooks will rust out.

Yeah the eye and gut ones were bleeding so much, I figured at least 1 wouldn't make it. The eye one I thought was toast if I pulled it back through though. I've heard gills, throat,eyes and gut all have a very high chance of death if you try and rip the hooks out. I figure even with a 2/0 in its mouth, they could definitely both still eat.

They both swam off no problems. I don't buy the rusted hook thing either but have heard making them bleed more increases their chances of dying more than just leaving the hook in and letting the wound callous over...

Also I had nothing to cut a hook with.

Looks like the grass is starting to die off in that body of water.

Any other thoughts? I seem to read different opinions when it comes to hooking a fish in a very sensitive area. I just want to make sure ibdo the right thing if I am doing catch and release. I don't mind killing a fish, but only if I have really hooked it bad or am going to eat it. Otherwise I want to throw it back for another day when it is bigger.

I understand your thought process, I don't fault you for doing what you did.

However, you should always remove the hook. The eye hooked ones, yes they will lose that eye, but I've caught tons of one eyed bass. The 3rd biggest one I've caught was one eyed. The throat and gill hooked ones it's very hit and miss. I've seen fish bleeding like a stuck pig that lived all day in a live well and were just fine. And I've seen ones that looked fine and died within minutes. As a general rule, if a fish is bleeding, get him back in the water ASAP. The water will help stop the bleeding plus the fish will need the extra oxygen in his blood. Get the hook out as carefully as you can, unfortunately the only way to get good is to practice. But the fish you catch down the road will benefit.

Plus #1. Good advice.

Always have a good set of needle nose pliers handy do it fast and get them back in the water.

The fish that was hooked in the eye, I would have pulled it out. Like in above reply, I've caught many bass there where blind in one eye. As for the bass that was hooked in the throat, since it was a 2lb'er I would of had it for dinner. If it was a big fish, would have pushed the hook through and cut as mentioned above.