If you have a badly gut hooked fish and it has to be released (to small, catch and release only etc) are you better off trying to remove the hook or just cutting the line and letting it go. Or does it really make any difference?

Cut the hook and let it go. Most of the time you'll do more damage trying to remove a deep hook. If you cut the hook and not just the line it'll rust out in a short time.

There is a way to pop them out by running it the eye of the hook back through the gil plate and it will usually pop right out. It is harder to do on smaller fish, because of the size of their mouth. I try to evaluate the depth it is in there and the size of the fish. Sometimes, I make the decision to cut the hook and leave it. I have seen both save fish and both kill fish.

I have always wondered this about a rusting hook. How long does it take for the hooks to actually rust out. I mean a fish can only go so long with a hook in its throat or belly. Especially in its throat. I would assume that a hook down a throat would impede its ability to feed. I bet it takes a good while for those things to rust, especially the bigger heavier duty hooks. Does anyone know?

If you are going to throw them back just cut the hook, If you are going to put them in a livewell you better get it out, if you leave the hook in there and they take a boat ride you are more likely going to kill them, just like shooting an animal with a bow and the arrow not go all the way through the broadhead is just going to sit in the animal and cut them away when the are running same way with a fish that has a hook down there throat taking a boat ride cutting them up to..Best way to remove them is go in behind the last gill with pliars grab the hook and roll it out works everytime with little damage..just my 02

I can't stress enough how easy it is to remove a gut hook if you follow Mike's instructions below. Gut hook is an unfortunate reality if you Carolina Rig very often.

Mike Soriano's reply on 04-18-10

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

it helps to leave about a foot of line attached then thread the line between the last gill plate pull the hook around and then reach end with pliers and it should come right out.

i'm gonna joke a little but make sure you know I've been catch and release for over 35 years now

I think ya should take it, the gut or gill hooked fish, to the nearest emergency room and if you don't get stopped by the DNR by the time ya get to the hospital then ya go ahead and take it home and eat it

I hate throwing bleeding fish back! If a expert surgeon worked on a fish that's hooked in the gills it would still die. how many bleeding fish did you throw in a live well that stayed alive?

Just because their kickin after the operation doesn't mean their alive the next day, check out tournament mortality

this is a regulatory problem, regs may mean well but there is no common sense to them in regards to this issue

the only fish I keep from my personal fishin or my club fishin is dead or gut hooked fish and I always get 2 or 3 real nice fish fries a year

Whatever you do you need to do it fast.

Thanks for all the great info guys. Hope I never have to use any of these techniques but I know sooner or later I will. If you were going to cut the hook, what would you use to cut it with?

+1 i did this in that Elliots Electric tourney on Fork during the snow storm and the fish i saved with it cashed me a check

If you are not proficient at this technique, cut the line and throw the fish back. Time is of the essence when they are deep hooked...

You must get the fish back into the water quickly whatever you do.

I have caught countless numbers of fish with a hook still in their throat. Having a hook stuck there may inhibit their ability to feed but at least they will live.

Interesting. Maybe I should not take the additional few seconds time to cut the hook shank? What do you think?

This has saved me a few times and fish seem to be fine all the way to the weighin and release...
1. Cut line
2. Use heavy shears and cut the eye off the hook shank.
3. Push the hook all the way through instead of backing it out.

If you don't feel comfortable though, just leave the hook. I caught a fish a few years ago around 4lbs. that still had a hook burried in his mouth.