Deep Hooked Pike

Hi.

I have been lucky until now, having not deep-hooked a Pike. But, what is
the best thing to do if you do deep hook one?

Obviously try to get the hooks out first with forceps, then try to cut the
hooks if it is the only way. But, what if you can't get to the hooks? Is
it better to cut the wire trace as close as possible, so there is less to
get in the way of the fish. Or cut the line leaving the swivel, in case
someone else catches the fish and can try to get the hooks out easier?

For other people interested in deep hooked pike, have a look at these sites:

http://tinyurl.com/tira
http://tinyurl.com/tirm ('then go to Handling')

And this was written by Alan Tomkins (http://tinyurl.com/tism):
I shouldn't have to say anything about pike handling should I. After all,
virtually every article written on pike nowadays deals with the treatment of
pike once they are on the bank. So why do I continually meet anglers whose
only unhooking equipment is a pair of pliers, if that, a pike gag and a pair
of wire cutters (they always have wire cutters!)

Why did I catch a beautiful pike of nearly 22lbs last season that had one
flank permanently disfigured by being allowed to thrash about on a gravel
bank? Why do people who are terrified of pike, fish for them? Why do they
use short traces, enormous trebles and low breaking strain lines? Why do
they wait 5 minutes before striking a run, even on 2 inch livebaits? Why do
I see people casting out herrings, using no audible form of bite indication
(often no visual one either), then disappearing for hours on end to fish for
small fish elsewhere on the lake? It is nearly always the people who deep
hook pike regularly that come ill equipped to deal with that situation.
Standard pike unhooking equipment must include the following:

Soft mat to lay pike on if fishing on hard banks.
At least one pair 12" artery forceps.
Leather glove.
Long handled wire cutters (for cutting up hooks as
a last resort - not just cutting the trace and leaving the hooks in)
Deep throat pike disgorger.

Don't be frightened of a pike - they don't bite you on purpose. Most cuts
are caused by anglers touching the pike's razor sharp teeth, or the gill
covers. Or by having their hand in the wrong place when a pike jumps. Turn
the pike upside down, and slide one hand into the gill covers, starting at
the end furthest from the snout, and moving up until you have a grip. Lift
the pikes head, and it's mouth will open. If you have timed your strike
correctly, it will just be a case of picking out the hooks with the forceps.

If you don't fancy using your bare hands, this operation can be carried out
while wearing a glove on the hand with which you are holding the fish, but
if the glove is at all thick you may find it difficult, and it may be best
to open the pike's mouth my holding it at the tip of its lower jaw and
lifting from there. In either case, on larger pike this is best done while
kneeling astride the fish. If you can't see the hooks, pull gently until you
can, then remove them with the forceps. Turning hooks upside down helps, as
does working through the gill covers, but take care not to damage the
delicate gill filaments. The wire cutters come in as a last resort,
initially to cut up any hooks which you can't remove, and finally, to cut
the trace as far down as possible. Don't go too far with this pulling up of
hooks - turning a pike's stomach inside out can't do it any good.

One last thing - I'm sure many people, even after reading this, and all the
other words written on pike handling, will still go pike fishing without the
necessary equipment. If you do have problems with a badly hooked fish,
please ask other anglers for assistance. Most responsible pike anglers will
not only be properly equipped, but will be only too pleased to help you, and
show you how pike should be unhooked. Don't be too proud to ask - everyone
needs to be shown once. Just because you've been fishing fifty years or
more, it doesn't mean you know everything. Saving the life of a pike is far
more important than a little lost pride!