Juvenile coho In coastal lakes

LazyBrewer · Apr 19, 2021

Over the last two days, I've pulled two young 14-15 inch fin-clipped coho out of Sutton Lake, near Florence, while trolling for trout. Both were lip hooked, and quickly returned to the water, since they can't be retained.

But here's the question. I'm pulling nightcrawlers behind flashers, and some of the trout I catch get gut hooked. If this happens with a coho, is the best course of action to snip the line by the hook, and hope for the best? I'm certainly not going put it on the stringer if it is in bad shape, but it just feels wrong to drop a fish that is going to die back in the lake...

Irishrover · Apr 20, 2021

Cutting the line is about your only option if they are gut hooked. Not sure what their chances for survival would be.

troutdude · Apr 20, 2021

Back in the 80's an ODFW Fisheries Biologist told me that hooks dissolve, inside of fish, within 3 days. There's an enzyme in their blood which gets rid of the hooks. Because of that they will usually be fine, once the hook dissolves. I've cut my lines close to the mouth, ever since. When I have a gut hooked fish.

C_Run · Apr 20, 2021

For what it's worth, I recall catching trout with two feet of leader trailing behind and a hook deep in their throat. Apparently some people use bait where it is not allowed. I wonder about some modern hooks like Gamakatsu that is made from stainless steel. Would they dissolve? I have always heard what Troutdude said.

LazyBrewer · Apr 20, 2021

I've heard the same thing since I was a kid (that was a long time ago), but have wondered about modern hooks. Stainless hooks would seem to be more resistant, I'd think.

troutdude · Apr 21, 2021

LazyBrewer said:
Stainless hooks would seem to be more resistant, I'd think.

That makes sense. So I guess leaving hooks in a fish; is a six of one half dozen of the other proposition?

C_Run · Apr 21, 2021

If you carry side cutters you can cut the hook. I haven't gone that far yet but I have heard of it.

Grant22 · Apr 26, 2021

LazyBrewer said:
Over the last two days, I've pulled two young 14-15 inch fin-clipped coho out of Sutton Lake, near Florence, while trolling for trout. Both were lip hooked, and quickly returned to the water, since they can't be retained.

But here's the question. I'm pulling nightcrawlers behind flashers, and some of the trout I catch get gut hooked. If this happens with a coho, is the best course of action to snip the line by the hook, and hope for the best? I'm certainly not going put it on the stringer if it is in bad shape, but it just feels wrong to drop a fish that is going to die back in the lake...

From what i've heard there is two different way to cut the hook (I use both depending on the situation). The first is to cut the line near the hook and the second is to cut the line the length as the fish to keep the hook out of the way the fish's throat.

Juvenile coho In coastal lakes

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