Hooking mortality, looking for data NOT opinions

This is an age old question, hooking mortality of fish caught on live bait. In this instance I’m wondering about game fish caught on crawlers, leeches, or minnows on weightless, split shot, or rigs. The crux of the question is, what do you do with gut hooked fish? Especially if you are required to throw them back due to a catch and release fishery, outside the slot, etc. This question actually came up concerning trout fishing with night crawlers on a split shot rig. Some people feed line, and gut hook the vast majority of the fish that bite. THEY SAY THAT THE FISHES STOMACH ACID DISSOLVES THE HOOK. Or the other thought is that the hook rusts out quickly from being in the water. I am curious if the science has ever come to a clear conclusion on this, or what some of you recommend based on real data (NOT WHAT GRANDPA TOLD YOU GROWING UP OR SOME YAHOO AT THE BOAT RAMP). I very rarely use live bait, but have been wondering about this one a lot. Thank you.

Gut hooked is never good, but it happens. Best to use methods that would reduce that possibility, but it still happens.

Given methods that only work in certain fishing scenarios, like ice fishing when the only thing that is catching is live bait down on a hook, they will at times inhale it…it is what it is.

Here is a study with results most of us perhaps already know…

“Recent implementation of size-based regulations in recreational fisheries for walleye Sander vitreus have led to more released walleyes and presumably to more losses of released fish. We conducted this study to estimate hooking mortality in Mille Lacs, Minnesota, and to determine factors that influence the survival of released walleyes. Volunteers and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources employees sampled walleyes with common angling methods in 2003 and 2004 on Mille Lacs (n = 1,246). Simple hooking mortality rates ranged from 0% (95% confidence interval = 0–1.8%; n = 204) in May, when lake water temperatures were less than 20°C, to 12.2% (9.2–15.9%; n = 392) in the July–August period, when lake water temperatures were at least 20°C. We used logistic regression within generalized linear or additive models to determine influential variables. Hooking mortality was most associated with water temperature, bleeding, fish length, hook location, and fish floating upon release. Mortality increased as the water warmed above 18°C and was higher for fish that bled at temperatures less than 24°C but similar for both bleeding and nonbleeding fishes at temperatures of 24°C or more. Fish hooked in the throat or stomach died at higher rates than fish hooked in the jaw, inner mouth, or gills and those that were externally foul-hooked, especially when they were smaller. Although fish of medium length (300–600 mm) were more likely to be deep hooked, they died less frequently than walleyes of other lengths. Cutting the line did not significantly improve survival in deeply hooked fish. Mortality was similar between live bait jigs and live bait regular hooks. Most observed hooking mortality was caused by damage to major internal organs. Hooking mortality is minimized when anglers fish in cool water, use active fishing methods, and catch medium-length walleyes.”

There was a time when hooks were made of cheap steel and rusted rather quickly. There may have been a time where leaving it in were actually beneficial. Unfortunately these days the hooks are very resistant to corrosion and could probably stay in a fish for many months to a year.

What Andy posted is what I generally believe in and live by. I try to remove hooks with the most precision possible and as quickly as possible. Sometimes they die. It’s all part of the deal.

Thanks for posting that study. Very informative. I think one of the biggest problems with people deep hooking fish on varies types of live bait rigs is the old taught method of “count to 10,” or, “let em take it.” I doubt any walleye or trout grab a minnow or worm by the tail and swim around for 5 minutes like that. I say, feel the bite, set the hook.

crawdaddy wrote:

I say, feel the bite, set the hook.

That’s usually true for me too. Big fish take big bites.

Well here’s my op…opps sorry.

The fact is, results may vary.

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Science, studies, statistics, and the data produced all indicate that mortality goes up when live bait is used. Especially in the summer when the water is warmer. This is why the DNR has floated the idea of banning live bait on Mille lacs in July/August. It would reduce mortality up to 60%.

I think the key word in the study is “estimate”. Certainly not very scientific, but perhaps the best that can be applied.

Stop and consider those fish who break off without ever having been landed. How many of them are deep hooked? How many fish are released that appear to be very healthy yet fall to infections or other problems a week or two later?

In light of that one word I think any opinion based on a study using it [estimate] should be viewed very open-mindedly.

Using Mille Lacs as an example, maybe just closing the lake to ANY live bait fishing would yield the best data for study with hooking mortality involved as it removes perhaps the largest component in hooking mortality. Right now, allowing live bait at all, there is nothing to compare data to or against.

I remember a study on throat/gut hooked Musky mortality.
They put radio tracking devises in throat or gut hooked muskies and found that ALL of them died. A few lived 8 months or so but that was it. So, I believe that mortality rates are even worse than what they find in short term studies.
For that reason I am very careful to avoid deep hooking any fish and if I do I keep them to eat, if legal.

I caught a trout that had fishing line and part of a hook coming out its a$$.