-
Catch and Release
I fish a catch and release lake only. My question for the more knowing is this: If the bluegill swallow the hook, is it better to just cut the fly off and let him digest it or try to get it out? The last time I tried to get a really deep one out, I busted the gills and I am sure that although I did not keep the fish, he truly was fish food for some other critter. My fishing friend in Utah says that the acids in a trouts stomach will dissolve the hook in about a week. I do not know about bluegills.
-
Cardinal,
Acids dissolving the hook is true for all fish species.
Certainly better to leave the fly then rip up the poor fish & have it float belly up. A Ketchet
hook remover is even better then hemostats,
plus using a barbless hook or at least mashing the hook barb down. With this you will greatly reduce or remove any trauma to the fish that you catch & release.
[This message has been edited by MR.JML (edited 31 August 2005).]
-
Cut the gills and the fish is history. A bluegill is no different.
Cut the line and he'll be fine; I do it all the time http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif.
-
Most bluegill lakes wont miss a few -- and is't good food for the turtles. Why are you C&R on bluegills???
Yes sorry about that LF he did say C&R--and I fish large flies so that they dont swallow the hook.
------------------
Bill
[This message has been edited by William Fitzgerald (edited 31 August 2005).]
-
Blue gills are mighty tasty. For any fish hooked deep that you want to release cut the tippet. As mentioned, going barbless helps the fish. When you need to remove the hook the quicker you get the fish back into the water the less stress on the fish. If the fish is bleeding or the gills busted the fish will not survive.
------------------
Eric "nighthawk"
When asked how he felt during his first American space walk Astronaut Edward White responded "I feel red, white and blue all over".
-
Bill, he stated the lake is C&R only.
------------------
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
-
On C&R Waters, even releasing a wounded fish is not a waste. Even if the fish dies, the fish will help the water maintain it nutrient levels, at all levels of the food chain from plant to game fish.
Many years ago, I read on FAOL, that 15% of all C&R Fish die. I don't remember the source of that statistic, but I do remember the percentage of fish dying from C&R.
~Parnelli
~Parnelli
-
Sorry. Missed the C&R part myself.
------------------
Eric "nighthawk"
Air Cavalry all the way! When a voice cries out in distress, we will be there, no matter what the cost.
-
I never saw a fly a bluegill COULDN'T swallow http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif.
-
Perfect example of why it's important to pinch the barbs on those hooks. It makes all the difference.
I understand it's a C&R lake, but the bluegill population can get out of hand quickly. Any other types of fish in this lake?
-
I usually like getting the hook out no matter what because even if I do kill the fish something else would eat it. It won't be wasted. I have caught smallies before and released a stunned fish to see a bald eagle come down and grab it 5 minutes later. I don't feel nearly as bad killing a bass because of fishing as I would killing an eagle due to a hook in it.
------------------
Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick
-
Thank you for your replies. I have been cutting the flies off when swallowed deep but wanted to be sure it was appropriate. In answer to the questions above; the lake has bass in it also. There are a lot of bass fishermen who fish the lake. Most of them use very large crank, buzz, jug, worm and other types of artifical lures. The lake only allows artificials. ( Lures, not fishermen ). In answer to JW's popper remark, the lake also has a great deal of algae and water plants around the edge so surface flies are the ticket. I use foam spiders mostly and have caught lots of bluegill and some bass on them. I haven't had as much luck with poppers though I am starting to tie deer hair and hope that they will entice some bass. Thanks again for the replies.
-
I usually cut the hook off and let nature take its course. However, since I started using a barbless hook I haven't had a gill swallow one that I couldn't get out with my hemo's. I use a #10 hook with a long shank, not quite a streamer length. Eagle Claw Cricket hooks are good. Most often the gills are hooked in the upper lip. I tie a woolly worm using blue/gray wool body, black thread, and a red or furnace hackle palmered. I've had the most luck with this pattern, even when temps were in the 90's.
Another thing I've noticed is when I catch a fish using a hook with an up or down eye, I can better know which direction the hook is in and this helps maneuver the hook out easier. The worst time I've had with hooks in gills was using #6's, my father-in-law provided, which only go in and never come back out since the hook gap is as big as a gills throat. Just when I thought I was getting it, the hook would set over again. I cut lots of hooks that day. I highly recommend smaller hooks for gills.
------------------
There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim
-
I just came back from fishing a small pond and had a 6in. gill suck a size 10 2x long fly to the point that the eye was about level with its lips. And this was with a strip strike. The can really swallow a hook.