I posted a message about gut hooked fish a while ago.Don't know if anyone read it.I use a technique that seems to work without major damage to the fish.I hate leaving the hook in.I use a small pair of scissors.Pull up on the line,this stretches the skin that the hook is in,use your finger or thumb to hold the line against the fishes bottom lip with one hand,put the small scissors in through the gills with the other hand,cut the skin just below the hook.I have been using this technique for a while.It doesn't do much damage to the fish.It is beter than leaving the hook in.If you have a fishing partner,then have them pull up on the line and you can cut the skin.I have put fish in the livewell to see how they do after cutting the hook out.It doesn't seem to effect them at all.The skin will heal much faster than the hook rusting out.
I use the "through the gill" method and it works almost all the time, but do not cut the fish. If it is taking longer than I deem appropriate, I'll pull the hook all the way through, snip the line and re-tie. I think it's worth letting that fish live than me being impatient and just trying to yank it out, like I've seen many a fisherman do and then just chalking it up to simple bad luck for the fish. I've also snipped the barb on occaision.
Last edited by pocketfisherman on Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
Some of the best advice I've had is moving up in hook size. I switch from 2/0, 3/0 to 4/0 and have had better success.
Someone also posted a link to this method of removing hooks:
http://www.a-guide-to-florida-bass-fishing.com/gut-hook.html
I've done it twice so far and it worked both times.
Good luck, because it sucks when they are gut hooked and you can't get the hook out.