I appreciate the tip about the DBarb tool.
Seems pretty handy but unfortunately completely irrelevant to my original
question.

The tool appears useless in a gullet hooked fish. Reaching in and just
snipping off the shank of the hook will not reduce the chances of death for
the returned fish.

This tool seems more useful when fish are hooked in the bony areas of the
face or in the eyes. Any situation where "backing" the hook out would cause
more severe damage.

Steve Huber....thanks for the tip. I am going to try the gill slit thing
next time. It's amazing to me how we all buy into erroneous information.
"What was good enough for my dad must be good enough for me eh?"


--
Ric Hamel
poor, poor fishing freak...






"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
news:G6ydnaGiDb_QWRvZnZ2dnUVZ_sadnZ2d@wideopenwest .com...
I keep this URL bookmarked because this question seems to rise about once
a
year. I have nothing to do with this company what so ever, I just use and
believe in the product. http://www.dbarb.com/



"Alaskan420" wrote in message
news:sQqhg.4986$LN1.3027@trndny01...
Background...

I fish a local pond fairly regularly. It has a very high level of toxic
metals and other contaminants left behind from tanneries and mills.

I have caught numerous bass and pickerel with lesions and sores.

NOTHING CAN BE EATEN.

This spring I seem to be deep hooking more fish than normal. Usually I
am
able to lip hook 85-90% of the time.

Anyway. What should ethically be done with an inedible fish that has
been
gullet hooked?

I clipped the line on two yesterday and left the hook in the fish and
released 'em. With the quality of hook materials I doubt they just melt
away
like the old wives tale tells us.

Today I tried surgery on one. The patient was alive when I got the hook
out
but bleeding badly. I watched her struggle and die.

Any ideas????

I already crimp the barbs when I fish this pond.