This is why I don't use treble hooks !

[msgdan]

After a short trip on the river this morning wuth about 7 pike landed, I was making my way back to the launch and found this guy floating belly up, down the river. A nice 28" pickerel that I took out of the water to look at.



After taking a look inside the mouth, I found this inside his mouth, pretty far in. It looks like there was thin braid that was still attached to the lure, and it looked like it was cut ! I know $hit happens and every fish we handle out of the water has a chance of not making it, but I just wonder if the fisherman that caught this even had pliers long enough to even try to remove the lure.



It took me a few seconds to remove the lure (I know...easy when the fish is already dead) but I just wanted to be sure that whatever eats this fish, doesn't have to worry about the hooks.

I will stick to single hook spinner baits !



Danny V

[gwl2oneida]

I usually cut my trebles down to 2 hooks. Much more manageable.

[Jigman13]

That's mighty unfortunate. That pickerel inhaled that hula popper! Sawed the angler off and never really had a chance. Terrible demise for such a big fish... But like u said, it happens.

[buzzbaiter]

28" is almost max size for pickerel. Damn shame for both the fish and angler. Somebody was cursing after losing that fish!

[antgogz]

Wow what a shame. I have never caught a pickeral that big. But I must agree, I do not like using treble hooks when it comes to fishing for pickeral or pike. I have lost too many fish from them snapping the line with their teeth. At least with bass hou know they most likely won't snap the line.

[flatcreek]

I fish for Hybrid mainly and never use triple hooks. Some guys practice catch and release and use a bait rig with a triple in the back and some use a single triple and catch and release, I don't get it. Using a triple with bait just seams like cheating to me I think it may have been illegal when I was a kid or I just thought that, not sure.
What I did want to mention a hook remover I picked up at walmart for 7 bucks and it works great. Its a tube with a little hook hanging out the end and when you squeeze the handles the hook slides inside the tube. This works great for deep hooked fish, you put the hook over the shank of the fish hook and squeeze, it turns the hook and it just pops out. I was amazed and the one I got floats.

[AndyS]

Amazing, thanx for posting. I like to use tiny light wire hooks for live lining herring, should the fish get gut hooked it may stand a chance.

[stevejordan]

the guy was probably fishing for bass and didnt even know there were fish in there with teeth... sucks for him and the fish. congrats on a brand new hula popper dan!

[NorthJerzyG]

That sucks for both fish, and fisherman. I wonder how old that fish was? I always use a leader now even if not targeting toothies. Gets the same amount of strikes from all species and if a toothy critter grabs what I'm throwing I'm confident I will land it. Remember, use protection.......

[Eskimo]

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Could the line have been cut by the fish's teeth?

I presume the post-release mortality is high for pike and large pickerel just because some anglers don't know how to deal with a fish with sharp teeth.

It doesn't appear the fish starved to death. It may have bled out from the hooks puncturing all the large veins between the gills and the heart.







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