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We have all been there. You’re slow to set the hook because the wind is blowing and you don’t feel the bite. You land the bass and your heart sinks as you see you’ve gut hooked the fish and you fear this catch and release won’t go so well. You fiddle around with the hook and decide to cut the line and hope the hook will disintegrate.

Sometimes after cutting the line, the bass will actually expel the hook. If it is embedded in the tissue, it will stay there for years and will reduce or stops the ability of the bass to eat. Hooks these days take a long time to rust and disintegrate. The bass may survive but it is going to have trouble.

Gut Hooked Fish: How To Remove The Hook

To increase the chance of survival, you must learn this through the gill release technique. Check out this entire article and associated videos to really learn this technique.

You’ll thank me later!

Check out this AMAZING set of illustrations of this technique by the folks over at In-Fisherman Magazine.

Note the position of the hook. Not good, or so it would seem!

Click NEXT for step 1