Hook help

[Timrek]

Hello all, I am new here and kind of getting back into fishing after a LONG time.

I am mostly fishing form shore or small docks around the city chain of lakes.

I fish almost entirely catch and release because of the toxin levels in the fish in the lakes that I fish at and it is more just a form of relaxation and fun for me.

The problem I am having is that the Gills seem to keep swallowing the hook. How can I keep them from taking the hook so deep? I have tried upsizing and down sizing the hook and different kinds of hooks. Am I just missing something obvious?

Am I doing them more harm if I just cut the line and throw them back? I know that there is stunting going on in the lakes that I fish but I hate to kill a fish just because I cant get the hook out.

[Matt Johnson]

Welcome to FishingMinnesota.com Timrek!

You could try switching over to a jighead instead of a plain hook if you haven't already. Or maybe using a plastic/artificial bait instead of live-bait. You also might want to try downsizing your bobber so you can see the initial strike if you're having a hard time seeing that. Using a larger bobber only forces the fish to engulf and chew on the bait longer before they pull it down (if they pull it down at all) and that can result in a deeper hook.

Just a few ideas...

How are you fishing your presentation right now?

[Lip hooked]

You could try a hook with a longer shank and then pinch down the barb. Fishing with my boys they sometimes have a hard time telling when the fish have taken the bait and then you get a deep hook set.

With the barb pinched down it is much easier to remove the hook and if you keep a tight line on the retrieve you will still be able land the fish. Also some of the commercial hook removal tools work pretty well and are not too expensive

[Timrek]

I am using a very small Thill TG Waggler float, and either a octopus hook or and Aberdeen in diffrent sizes usualy 6. I might just have to go to an even smaller float it just makes getting any distance out of the cast difficult when fishing form shore. I t seems like either end up jerking it out of their mouth trying to set the hook or they devour it. Maybe they are just that hungry. I can try a jig head and I already crimp the barb down for easy hook removal. The problem is that they are getting hooked in the throat.

I fish mostly with the Berkley gulp jarred artificial baits.

[Corey Bechtold]

Hello Timrek!

I have a couple guesses as to what is happening. First is the float. It is possible that the fish aren't swimming away or heading down with the bait and are getting too much time to get gut hooked. Like Matt said, switching to a small jighead instead of using split shot above a bare hook might help detect bites right away.

Another suggestion I have is get rid of the float. Don't get me wrong, there are times when fishing with one is a must. However, I personally have better luck without them.

It doesn't take long to get the "feel" of swimming the jig back to you and it makes for better hooksets.

Let us know how everything works out for you. We are more than willing to try and help in any way.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[HotShot]

I use a float with a bilt in wieght that is long not round hooked on both ends, this is only so you can reel slow and stay above the weeds. keep the line tight and lure moving slow and set the hook imiediantlyand almost all are in the lip. The wieght lets you cast a long ways Good luck

[DEADhead]

another trick is to flyfish for them.

[Timrek]

Every one thanks for the suggestions I will have to give them a try this weekend. Sounds like I need to hit the tackle shop first though.

Let me ask just one more question. Even though I don’t want to destroy a fish just because they are hooked to deep is it ok to just cut the line and throw them back? Or is it better off to get the hook out even if it may do more harm then good? I fish on Lake Harriet in Minneapolis and the Muskies are never really that far away I could just give them and easy snack. Heck one took a gill of my like about 3 weeks ago as I was reeling in.

note to Deadhead. I just started fishing again about 3 years ago, haven been fishing since I was 6. I am still getting the hang of a spinning reel. I think I will give it a few more years before I tackle the fly rod.

[Corey Bechtold]

Cutting the line is safer than trying to dig out a deeply buried hook. I have heard somewhere that it only takes a few days for a hook to deteriorate in a fish's mouth. Don't know if it's entirely true but it gives me a little peace of mind.

One trick you should really try on the fish is turning the hook in circles till it works itself loose. I learned this trick when I was 7 and used to fish with my Uncle during the summer months. We used to use angle worms and corn and had plenty of deeply hooked fish.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[DEADhead]

the beauty of fly fishing for panfish is that you never use your reel; it is only used to store your line

have fun getting back in to the sport. There's always something great to learn from the great folks here on FM!

[BillP]

If you want casting range with a light panfish rig use a slip bobber with a weight on it. Not everyone carries them but they are not to hard to find. It's just a slip bobber with a lead ring on the lower straw usually held on by an O ring. I add a little jig (because the fish don't usually swallow it) and a split shot above it sized to permit the amount of boyency I want for the float. With that rig you can cast a mile and accuratly. We eat a lot of sunfish

[Timrek]

Went out on Sunday and I used a #6 Aberdeen a B size sinker and a more tube shaped float with a weight on it on some 8# braided line. Of the 4 that I actually caught only one took it kind of deep and I was still able to get the hook out and release him no problem.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I will experiment more with the jigs next year I am having enough trouble just finding them form shore now that it is getting cold out. Not that it is going to keep me from trying.

[rod-man]

if you are using live bait you can use circle hooks. I started using them this year with the neacies and nefuies,

and they work great. the kids never pay close atenition to there floats. so even if they swallow it they just reel and the fish are hooked in the corner of the mouth.

just remember dont set the hook.

I have been using a GAMAKATSU #208407 size 6 octopus circle

Gander mtn.sells them

they work great with worms, waxies and lip hooked minnows

good luck