Un-hooking Ethics

[GonnaCatchABig1]

i'd say it depends on the size of the plug... but even if it's small, it doesnt look good for the fish. obviously a large plug filling up the mouth will keep it from eating and it will die anyway.

so i say get the plug back.

it's not the ""proper"" thing to do. but it's the logical thing to do. if ya leave it in there, there is a 99% the fish dies of starvation and or exhaustion and you lose a plug. if take it out, theres like a 90% chance the fish dies from exhaustion/stress/blood loss/becoming diner and you get the plug back.

of course.. you could always clip the barbs of the hooks. and this problem rarely happens.. unless he's got it completely gutted.

i love my barbs while chunking. but for this reason, they come right off of my plugs.

[Circlehook]

The barbs didn't matter at this point, it had it completely in its mouth, couldn't even wedge the pliers in. My brothers girlfriend is a nurse, and she got me some surgical scissors, so at least the cuts I made where sharp and clean, so it may heal, but it also took me 10 minutes to get it out.

Everyone should get a pair of surgeons scissors, they have gotten me out of a few jams now.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

Originally Posted by Circlehook

The barbs didn't matter at this point, it had it completely in its mouth, couldn't even wedge the pliers in.

you would be amazed. i hooked fish like that before. with out barbs, it's possible to literally jiggle the hook out, but just wobbling it around. you hardly have to push the opposite direction.

(back when i caught fish on plugs...) i've had a few like that. and i would have more trouble removing the plug then i would the hooks. by that i mean. the hooks would pop right out but while trying to get the plug out i would accidentally rehook the fish. it would take a few trys if they had it way in there. but never over 2 or 3 mins.

it sounds like yours was indeed a pain in the ass, but trust us on the barbless hooks. they would have made a world of difference. i try to keep a pair of those long tweezer like plier things on hand for that situation. had you had some of those and barbless hooks, that would have been a piece of cake.