Dead sticking trout

[NJSquatch]

give small inline circle hooks a try. No gut hooks yet!

see this thread where others have success with them too

http://www.njfishing.com/forums/show...ht=circle+hook

[RussH]

You know I remember that thread now.. dang it I was just at Dick's today AND I placed an Amazon order yesterday. Oh well, next time. I picked up a couple plain chrome Kastmaster 1/8 jigs to try instead of the roosters. Maybe I'll have better luck. Saw a guy catch a beast of a fish on one yesterday while I was half killing cookie cutter 10" fish.

[nsell]

I have found no. 8 hooks with power bait will get deep in the throat of trout, but a long hemostat pliers will get them out with no damage. I found the Mustad 9523 hook in no. 8 works well. You cannot get them any longer, only on ebay. I do not like the new ultrapoint 9523 as much as the older style 9523.

[Bill Willix]

The only good thing is if you do want to eat a few fish the one fish you don't have to feel bad about taking home are trout put in ponds and lakes in NJ. Most will not survive summer and are stocked for the purpose of taking home and enjoyed in a meal. But I do understand how you feel when you dont intend on taking any and hook it deep. That really is the down fall of fishing with bait

[RussH]

Don't get me wrong I'm no bleeding heart! I understand they'll die at some point. Either to us or to the birds/turtles/eventual heat. I just don't like needless suffering and it's nice to give others the opportunity to catch. They're fragile fish though and probably next time I go out I'll keep what I catch either to eat or strip, salt and freeze to use as fluke bait.