how to remove fish hooks

Removing hooks from a fish. It's always best to keep fish in the water when hooks are removed. (Those "barbless" hooks make this chore much easier). Hook disgorgers and needle-nosed pliers allow hooks to be backed out gently, which reduces the "wear and tear" on your catch. When a hook is deeply embedded in the fish, another alternative is to simply cut the line (as close to the hook as possible). The flesh surrounding the hook will eventually die back and the hook will fall out.


The mucous covering on the skin actually protects fish from infection, so handle your fish as little as possible. When fish are dropped on the ground, the mucous layer is damaged and the survival rate of released fish is greatly reduced. When handling a fish, put one hand across the gill covers, instead of putting your fingers in the gills or eye sockets. You can also hold the fish upside down, which seems to reduce the amount of struggling.

A wet cotton glove or cloth can help you to hold a trout without injuring it. Nets are allowed during the catch and release season and it's sometimes easier to remove hooks while the fish is netted. If you decide to take a photo of the "lunker" you caught, do it while holding the fish in the water. If a fish appears exhausted, hold it in the water facing upstream, until it swims out of your hand.