Releasing Nates w/ Kwikfish

[Short Hop]

I know for a fact its tough to release native springers that are caught on kwikfish. Netting the fish first is almost the only way to get it done. None of us would net the fish if we didn't have to, but I dont think we have much of a choice. I saw the new hook setups for kwikfish with the single hook on the peice of dacron and I was wondering if there was a cheep and easy way to connect the hooks to the kwikfish with dacron so that you could just cut the dacron leaving the hooks in the fish. I've been told that the hooks will desolve on their own in a few days and this would keep me from having to net the fish. Buying a few more hooks would be worth saving a few springers. IS this idea posible or is it not possible? :whazzup:

[Freakwater]

I've always thought that "the hook will dissolve" is a bunch of hooey. At least not in a fish that has entered fresh water. Sometimes releasing a fish with the hook is the best choice, but I wouldn't count on it dissolving. I like the idea of trying siwash hooks, but when I bought some the open eye freaked me out. I thought I picked up the wrong type. Just crimp them I guess. I want to try that this year. I would invest in some good side cutting needle nose pliers.

Freak

[Wreckless]

I have a good soft net and a LONG pair of needle nose pliers...and I'm going to get a Boga Grip (see post). I believe it's a myth that hooks rust out / disolve in a short time. I've caught some fish with some OLD hooks in 'em.....BUT the fish were healthy. .

I don't catch enough spring chinook to make much of an impact, but I want to do my part.

My $ .02

[Woody]

I've always thought that "the hook will dissolve" is a bunch of hooey.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Yeah, me too. Think about it. What if you were too just park a Gami, or Owner, or any other quality hook in a container of fresh river water? How long would it take to "dissolve". My guess is it would take weeks, maybe months. Salt water would accelerate the process, but it would still take more than a few days.

In the meantime, the fish is swimming around with a hook, and maybe a lure of some sort in it's mouth, possibly interfering with it's ability to eat, or worse, increasing the possibility of infection.

[ 02-26-2004, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: Woody ]

[Space]

I have never had to net a native fish hooked up with a quick fish. Some are hooked better than others but with a little patience it has always worked out for me. I have found that netting a fish hooked by a Kwick fish will just tangle up in the net and cause more problems than if just left in the water. The fish stays in the water and I don't have to fight the net at the same time.

SPACE

[fishinpoor]

guys the hooks will dissolve if they are not stainless,it's not the fresh water,it's the enzymes in the fish

[Fishing Maniac]

I think you should always try to get the hook out when it's not going to jeapardize the life of the fish. That way they aren't left with a potential wound that may get infected. I don't think the hooks rust out very fast in fresh water. How many times have you caught an old lure that has obviously been the river for weeks or months and the hook looks perfectly fine. Saltwater is a different story. I've had regular hooks start rusting in a couple of hours especially if I've sharpened them.

[sparkleboy]

Water doesn't dissolve metal hooks, a special chemical the fish produces does. It IS possible for hooks to dissolve in a fishes mouth within a few days.
One other piece of information - salmon do not eat once they've entered fresh water...

[jokester]

I like the idea of trying siwash hooks, but when I bought some the open eye freaked me out. I thought I picked up the wrong type. Just crimp them I guess.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">You're exactly right. Just crimp the eye good and closed and you shouldn't have a problem at all. I use siwash on all my kwikfish, wigglers, and wobblers. I think Siwash is the way to go. Besides it being easier to driving home 1 hook instead of 3 during the hookset, it's also easier removing 1 hook verses 3 ( just my opinion obviously :grin: )! Especially when you're talking about getting it done ASAP and getting the fish revived and back on it's way! However you decide to unhook them, watch out for the kwikfish coming back and the hooks trying to implant themselves in your hand!!! :shocked: That could screw up a good day of fishing!!

-jokester

[ 02-26-2004, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: jokester ]

[h20dog]

The siwashes worked well for me last year. The times I tried them (both belly and tail) they stuck. Fortunately I didn't have to worry about the release cuz they were all clipped Come to think of it, the five springers I caught last year were all clipped. Makes me think the odds of me getting some nates has increased. Oh well, from all I have read here I am confident I can unhook them and send them on thier way without incident.

[Fishing Maniac]

It makes sense that a fish can produce chemicals that can dissolve a hook but does anyone have actual proof regarding hooks rusting out in a couple of days....particularly a 4/0 or 5/0? I would think if a hook was left in the fish for more than a couple of days it would have a high probability of becoming infected and killing the fish.

[David Johnson]

When I went to school for Fisheries my project was to test this out as well as see the mortality.

I used rainbow trout and I had one group with the hooks placed in the lip, one group with the hooks place in the throught and one controle group with no hooks. ( I put the little guys under before I placed the hooks in them)

I lost the same amount of fish with the lip hooks as I did with no hooks at all and I only lost about two more with the hooks in the throught.

I put them under again about three weeks later and never found a hook in any of them.

Another interesting thing was they would eat pellets about ten minutes after being "implanted".

[David Johnson]

Using a 50 or 60# leader will really help with releasing these fish, you can wrap it around your hand and manhandle the fish until you can unhook it. That's what I do and I've never had a fish turn it down.

[Fish Hawg]

I like to use heavy mono leader 40-50# big game, and bring them beside the boat and un hook. Although some fish dont like that at all and IMO can cause more harm to them self (Hitting the boat) so I like to net those ones and keep them in the water, they calm down alot quicker that way. Then remove the hooks and send them on their way. Just My $0.02.....Ross

[ 02-26-2004, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: Fish Hawg ]

[Pete]

I have a tool that grabs and turns the hook so it comes out easily. A squeeze of the grips and the hook is out.



The Northwest Steelheaders were giving out a tool at the Sportsman's Show that is just an 18 inch dowel with a screw-eye on the end. Apparently they are very popular in Canadian sport fisheries.

[swampy]

I left a hook in a sturgeons mouth the other day tthat had taken too deep to grab ....suppose they have the same chemicals in them to dissolve it ?? I was bummed about it and so I'd like to think it's outta' there .

[Fish Hawg]

I have caught a steelhead with a hook in his stomach. It had a pink pearl corkie still on it also the paint was still on the hook :shocked: . Yes He ate my eggs; So it did not stop him from eating.....Ross

[slabhunter]

Pete, Those fish hook Extractors work great! I had one of the short ones but the long one is the one I like to use most often. :grin:

[chinookin]

in salt water, it's the combo of enzymes and electrolosis. I have caught fish years ago, when the trollers were still fishing off the columbia, that would have an almost disolved hook, and a nice shiney brite spoon. The hook only dissolves where in contacts the fish. It is the wierdest thing to see.

[River Ranger]

What dave said!!I also use pliars with a lanyard on my wrist so I don't drop them,been there done that.
R.R.

[FishFood]

" Water doesn't dissolve metal hooks, a special chemical the fish produces does. It IS possible for hooks to dissolve in a fishes mouth within a few days.
One other piece of information - salmon do not eat once they've entered fresh water... "

Great post--thanks for the info. I had always thought it was water that dissolved the hook, and I remember hearing that the salmon don't eat having stored up fat and muscle for the journey (kind of like geese?) but I'd forgotten.

Steve

[IFISH4U]

It helps if you take off the back hook, put a bead chain on the belly eye screw then 5/0 Gami siwash, melt a cheater, wide end up onto the shank for bouyancy to keep hook close to kwickie not way below it while wiggling. Dont miss many fish and when they are on, you dont lose them very often. One hook to pull is simpler than many.

[rob allen]

try barbless singles!! if you know what your doing they hold as well or better than barbed trebels

[Reel Premier]

Just like DJ said, use 40# to 50# leader, wrap it around your wrist a few inches up from the lure, and use pliers to pull the hooks. I've even grabbed the lure it's self {with no belly hook}, and popped the fish off that way. Although I don't recomend using this method, it has worked for me in a pinch when I had too light of leader, and didn't want to loose my lure. Using a net will just cause more of a hedache, and IMO will take longer to release the fish due to tangles with the hooks.

[eyeFISH]

Originally posted by IFISH4U:
It helps if you take off the back hook, put a bead chain on the belly eye screw then 5/0 Gami siwash, melt a cheater, wide end up onto the shank for bouyancy to keep hook close to kwickie not way below it while wiggling. Dont miss many fish and when they are on, you dont lose them very often. One hook to pull is simpler than many.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">IFISH4U:

Would you mind posting a pic of that set-up. Sounds like a winner.

[gthfish]

When I waaas a kid. I caught a 10-12 inch rainbow that looked strange. a few inches of mono out its mouth, and five or six inches of mono out its vent with split shot and snelled hook still intact--had gone clear through the digestive system. Never been convinced since about the dissolve idea!, but apparently no harm done.