Accidental kill

In my search for a steelhead, I feel terrible that I inadvertently killed a Coho today. I tried to release it but I had a heck of a time getting the lure out with my tool. I was careful not to touch the gills and I kept it in the water (except for the head) but it took a long time for me to get the lure out. I tried to ease the fish back into the water and it swam off a bit. However, I saw it a couple minutes later floating on its side down the river. Man I feel awful about it. I'm still learning and hope I can avoid this going forward. How common is it that a released fish won't make it? What other tips do you guys have?

Sometimes they die... Its part of the game. Just do your best, and be your kindest-

Where was it hooked? The ODFW did a study that showed a really good survival rate if they were hooked in the jaw, if it was hooked in soft tissue, not so good.

Keep some pliers real handy, keep the head underwater if you can, use gear that is big enough to get them in quick, if a buddy is with, have them help hold the fish?

If it happens a lot, barbless???

Best,

It happens to all of us. Fighting the fish is tramatic but when you add a difficult hook extraction it makes it much worse. I killed a large old hen bursting with eggs in that same scenario last year. I nursed it and nursed it but it was dead. It's a bummer.

I think if you focus on landing the fish away from rocks if possible, and staying in semi deep water, you'll be doing your part. Sometimes they just get hooked poorly and it's unavoidable, but the cool thing is...usually they don't and they swim away.

It happens, I've had nates on and you can see the blood pumping out of their gills before there in. Just part of it.

It happens sadly very often, you tried to do your best don't feel bad!! However cutting the line and lose a lure sometimes feels better than killing a fish!!

@eugene1, it was hooked with a trebble hook in the corner of its mouth - one hook in the upper part and one in the lower part. Thanks guys. It's just sad to see a fish wasted like that.

You did what you could, to release it safely. So, don't beat yourself up. It happens. At least, you have a conscience and tried for a safe release. Far too many, don't give a damn.

You can try changing from treble hooks, to single hooks. That will help. But, there are really no 100% guarantees.

Keep up the good work.

In this scenario, as well as mine, cutting the line would have still killed the fish. It couldn't breath with the hooks holding it's mouth closed. It's not possible to know this until its in your hand.

If it's hooked deep in its throat, then you might save it by cutting the line but still doubtful in my opinion.

Get the fish landed and then try to revive it. You'll do a better job keeping it's belly down as you pump water through it's gills by hand.

waco said:

It happens sadly very often, you tried to do your best don't feel bad!! However cutting the line and lose a lure sometimes feels better than killing a fish!!

Click to expand...

Hey, congrats on the catch, sorry to hear how it worked out. The hurt goes away, you just need time. Try to remember the good times. You'll be ok

We keep angle-cutting pliers (snips?) on hand. You can cut the treble at the bend in no time flat and that leaves only the barb in the fish.

A Native guide up in Alaska taught us that trick.

Happens to us all unfortunately. Do what the guides do- if you can't get your hooks out quick enough cut your line and leave it there. Another reason to not use trebles. Siwash is way better