Hook Removal and Foam Bugs

I was fishing the other day and did pretty well. I did have a problem
spotting my fly on the water with all of the debris on the water. A
fish or two took the hook pretty deep. After trying to remove the
hook a few times (putting the fish back in the water to rest between
attempts) I cut the line near the beetle.

It was a foam beetle. I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb. My
question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving
it in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the
question comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the
fishes mouth is foam or a fur and feather.

Thanks in advance.

Gene C wrote:

It was a foam beetle. I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb. My
question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving
it in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the
question comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in
the
fishes mouth is foam or a fur and feather.

IMO, one should not try too "hard" to remove the hook, especially if it
is swallowed fairly deep. If I can't get it out immediately with
hemostats or ketchem-release, I cut the tippet and let the fish go.
Every thing I've ever read or heard states the hook will either work
out or disolve without longterm effect on the fish

As to foam vs furs and feathers, I would not think there would be much
of a difference. I've seen studies where they've found all kinds of
junk in a trout's gut.

Not to criticize harshly, but even with the debris on the water, I
would think you could see a fish hit a beetle and instinctively set the
hook which would pull it back towards the mouth but that's for another
day.

Wayne

"Gene C" wrote:
A fish or two took the hook pretty deep.
What is "pretty deep?" Stomach, gills, where?

After trying to remove the hook a few times (putting the fish back in the
water to rest between attempts) I cut the line near the beetle.
Did you use any tools to remove the hook, or just your fingers?

It was a foam beetle.
Why did this make a difference? Did you have a harder time removing foam
beetles than fur and feather flies?

I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb.
Where was the fly hooked in the fish? What kind of fish? In what kind of
tissue was it hooked?

My question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving it
in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the question
comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the fishes mouth
is foam or a fur and feather.

I've tried three times to formulate an answer to your good question but
cannot without more information. Let's try again.

Thanks.
John

"John" wrote in message
...
"Gene C" wrote:

My question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving it
in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the question
comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the fishes mouth
is foam or a fur and feather.

I've tried three times to formulate an answer to your good question but
cannot without more information. Let's try again.


I wonder about carrying a pair of wire cutters, so that I can snip off the
bulk of a fly that is too embedded to retract. Never have done it, but I
think about it.

---riverman

"John" wrote in message ...
"Gene C" wrote:
A fish or two took the hook pretty deep.
What is "pretty deep?" Stomach, gills, where?

After trying to remove the hook a few times (putting the fish back in the
water to rest between attempts) I cut the line near the beetle.
Did you use any tools to remove the hook, or just your fingers?

It was a foam beetle.
Why did this make a difference? Did you have a harder time removing foam
beetles than fur and feather flies?

I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb.
Where was the fly hooked in the fish? What kind of fish? In what kind of
tissue was it hooked?

My question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving it
in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the question
comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the fishes mouth
is foam or a fur and feather.

I've tried three times to formulate an answer to your good question but
cannot without more information. Let's try again.

Thanks.
John

The hook was about 2 inches into the bottom of the mouth of a 14 inch
rainbow trout. I asked about the foam because foam takes a lot longer
to decompose then say thread, fur, or feathers. My concern is that
when I did cut the line near the hook and placed the fish back in the
water, the fish thrashed its head as though it felt it was still
fighting.

And yes, I should have had more instinct as to when to raise the rod
but I guess I need more practice. Now that's a good approach to take
with my wife! Honey I need to practice my dry fly touch....

Gene C wrote:

It was a foam beetle. I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb. My
question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving
it in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the
question comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the
fishes mouth is foam or a fur and feather.

A lot depends on just where and how deeply the fish is hooked. In any
place but the lip and jaw, I think leaving the hook will *probably* be
less of a problem than trying to remove it. Studies have been done
indicating that most hooks weather away fairly quickly. If the bug is so
big it hinders the fish's ability to capture and swallow other prey, well,
yeah that'd be a problem, but most likely no bigger problem than if you
cause the fish to bleed when trying to remove the hook.

JR

Gene C wrote:

It was a foam beetle. I did not (I forgot) to crimp the barb. My
question is, how long does one try to remove the hook. Will leaving
it in the mouth (including the foam bug) be a problem. I guess the
question comes down to does it matter if the bug you're leaving in the
fishes mouth is foam or a fur and feather.

A lot depends on just where and how deeply the fish is hooked. In any
place but the lip and jaw, I think leaving the hook will *probably* be
less of a problem than trying to remove it. Studies have been done
indicating that most hooks weather away fairly quickly. If the bug is so
big it hinders the fish's ability to capture and swallow other prey, well,
yeah that'd be a problem, but most likely no bigger problem than if you
cause the fish to bleed when trying to remove the hook.

JR