Tough Situation...

[Stick in Mud]

I had a really unfortunate event happen tonight, and I'm just looking for a little advice in case it happens again.

I was out on the Miss. fishing poppers for smallies, and one slurped the entire thing into its mouth so that the front treble hook was in the gills and the second already in the gullet. (I think this is the first time this has happened to me.) I hooked her in the middle of the river too, so I couldn't get her in as fast as I like to (she was about 18''), so when I got her in she was already bleeding.

There was no way I could get the hook out without killing the fish. The amount of blood and gill damage seemed to imply that she was going to die anyways. If I gut hook a fish with a smaller or less cumbersome bait, I just cut the line, but I didn't think a fish could survive with a 4'' popper in its mouth. Either way, I did end up cutting the line (after about 20 seconds of inspection) and letting her go (you can't keep fish under 20'' up here), and she was already going belly up as she drifted downstream. Ugh.

I have seen fish with lines coming out their gullets and hooks coming out their buttholes. Amazingly, last week I caught a fish with the point of a 1/0 or 2/0 Gammy coming out the orifice and the eye of the same hook had also penetrated through the skin, though the rest of the hook was still in the fish. Amazing.

But I don't think this is one of those fish. Should I have kept her, even though it's against the law? One fish either way doesn't make a difference, but d*** I hate wasting fish like that.

[basssmasher*]

good qoestion Mike.. i guess if it were me and it happened I'd still have to let her go becuz of the regulations .. One idea perhaps to maybe save ya the same trouble in the future.. try replacing the treble hooks on the poper with singles.. just my 2 cents worth

[EBass]

It happens and sux I know. I now carry a good pair of wire cutters to snip off hooks and o-rings on my crank baits. That woundn't help the treble in the gullet though. But you could've got your popper back minus the treble or two.

[Craigums]

The same deal happened to me this weekend too....fishing was slow but i still caught like 4 bass. one of them was decent but i got him up and he was bleeding badly and hooked to the left of the toung in those gill things. I didnt have a hook cutter either so I just cut the line and wished him luck....made me feel so (Contact Us Please) that I just called it a day even the bites started picking up a bit....I guess from now on ill need a good pair or wire cutters, but when they bleed that badly I wonder if its already to late for them

[Craigums]

I wondered about keeping him to filet but ive never eaten largemouth bass before....they taste good? recipes?

[matthothand]

I usually fry em up with some muskie fingers...they taste pretty similar. Wire cutters are a must. Sad deal with that smallie but it happens. I would've loved to have salvaged that popper. Must've been good if they were dying to eat it. The law is the law you were right in releasing it but that popper ruined that fish's life. It would't be right either to rip it out and toss a carcass back into the water. Kinda like a deer shot and never found...kinda. It is what it is. Get some cutters and keep fishing, but don't use such a good bait that they actually want to eat it all next time.

[Slyster]

I would have kept him.. with the lure in place.. in case I get ticketed to explain. A C/O would understand no? It's not like you can try to do that.

You hate the fish to go to waste and a popper to pollute and possibly kill more fish.

Or at the minimum, like stated above, cut the popper out and as mush metal as possible and with her well. At least nature absorbs all life that dies.

Tough story.. I've had that happen to and really makes me feel bad for the day.

[river rat316]

Quote:

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I would have kept him.. with the lure in place.. in case I get ticketed to explain. A C/O would understand no? It's not like you can try to do that.

You hate the fish to go to waste and a popper to pollute and possibly kill more fish.

Or at the minimum, like stated above, cut the popper out and as mush metal as possible and with her well. At least nature absorbs all life that dies.

Tough story.. I've had that happen to and really makes me feel bad for the day.

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It sucks but you HAVE to release it, a CO does not "understand" the law is the law. Take your popper and, and pinch your barbs next time, also a regular needle nose with the wire cutters at the end can cut popper hooks (they are usually really thin wire) When fishing the C&R area its a good Idea to pinch your barbs, less handling of the fish and alot of the time you can shake em off at the boat and when its really hot out that helps in not handling them! Coincidentally I had my first crankbait death this last week, I've never had one swallow a crank like this fish did, it was already basically down the hatch by the time I got my hookset (about 1-2 seconds) I know it sucks and you feel like a complete donkey when it happens but its part of fishing!

[rushing]

Its also the law not to wantonly waste a fish.

[river rat316]

A C&R law (I would think) supercedes the wanton waste, otherwise you could just gut hook anyfish you wanted to keep in any slot..... just commensense I guess

[rushing]

Agreed but I think it just a shame to have to release a fish you know isn't going to make it. Have seen similar situations on C&R trout streams. I always replace the treble hooks with single barbless. Its just such a waste to see a dying fish float away.