getting past perch swalling hook

[s_mac]

Hi all. im fairly new to fishing, fished a couple of years now. the venue i fish has some nice bream, but alot of little roach and perch. the roach are not a problem, im happy to sit all day and catch them. but every perch i catch even the ones the length of your finger have nearlly always taken the hook right down.

 

i use barbless hooks, if i increase the size of the hook, then i loose on the bream bites, if i strike early, then i am looseing the bream, as it seems the best way is to let the bite develop, they seem to test it out before taking it.

 

what im looking for is there any easy way do retrieve the hook. is it better to cut the hook or continue to try to remove it after a couple of attempts and risk hurting the fish.

 

i dont mind how many hooks i would loose as long as the fish would be ok if i left it.

 

hope you can all help many thanks and regards s.mac

[jimpy0]

use barbless hooks and have a couple of tries with a disgorger if still too deep the cut your hooklink short down its throat and return it the hook will usually rust away with no ill effects on the fish.

 

sorry u did say u use barbless will have to start reading slower

Edited August 18, 2006 by jimpy0

[GlennB]

Stop using maggots/worms as bait?

 

Seriously, it can be a terrible problem especially when fishing hard on the bottom. If float fishing, hit every indication. If legering use a short tail to see the bites sooner. But both these things may affect your success rate with the other fish. Use bread, sweetcorn, paste or any other non-perchy baits.

 

An alternative for maggots/bits of worm is to use small circle hooks (about #12, say) which pull out of the fish's throat and only take a hold as they twist around the mouth. I seriously rate them for avoiding deep-hooked perch.

 

cheers and good luck

[Kappa]

Stop using maggots/worms as bait?

 

Seriously, it can be a terrible problem especially when fishing hard on the bottom. If float fishing, hit every indication. If legering use a short tail to see the bites sooner. But both these things may affect your success rate with the other fish. Use bread, sweetcorn, paste or any other non-perchy baits.

 

An alternative for maggots/bits of worm is to use small circle hooks (about #12, say) which pull out of the fish's throat and only take a hold as they twist around the mouth. I seriously rate them for avoiding deep-hooked perch.

 

cheers and good luck

 

Get a good quality disgorger! If used properly with the correct size once the hook has come off the fish (with slight inward presure) the hook point shold be tight to the disgorger and then it will come out easily!

 

Remember to keep the line taught and twist it around the discorger once.

 

Rich

[GlennB]

Get a good quality disgorger! If used properly with the correct size once the hook has come off the fish (with slight inward presure) the hook point shold be tight to the disgorger and then it will come out easily!

 

Remember to keep the line taught and twist it around the discorger once.

 

Rich

Despite a good range of disgorgers, I never found it that easy.

[Steve Burke]

If the hook is actually out of sight down the throat of a perch please, please don't try to get it out with a disgorger. This increases the risk of the perch dying as it has vital organs close to the surface of the throat. Instead it's better to cut the line and return the fish as quickly as possible.

 

Additionally, please don't use barbless hooks in the larger sizes for perch as they can also kill. For further details see http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=60247 If you're on a water where there's a ban on barbed hooks try putting a small piece of float rubber or a John Roberts Bait Saver on the bend of the hook.

 

I agree with the advice to strike quickly and to move the weight nearer to the hook when ledgering. This will show the bites more quickly (although it will mean some bites don't develop). The same goes for float fishing when you can move the bottom shot nearer to the hook.

 

I haven't tried small circle hooks for perch as I'm usually using big baits, partly because they usually catch more specimens. An additionally advantage is that small perch can't swallow big baits so easily without giving an indication.

 

However I can see the advantage of circle hooks. I have tried them in larger sizes but found that I needed a larger hook than normal. This again could increase the risk as they'd be able to penetrate more deeply and thus there'd be a greater chance of penetrating vital organs. It would of course be less of a problem with small hooks.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Steve Burke

[Andy Macfarlane]

I always use size 6 (I know that sounds big) long shank hooks for perch fishing. It's amazing what a Perch can swallow so don't be scared to go big. The long shank means that in the event of a deep-hooking, you have something to grab for, with the forceps.

Going big also means the smaller perch tend to poke at the bait, rather than swallow it and the difference is fairly obvious under a float like a chubber or a loafer.

[s_mac]

i understand go bigger, but if i do, i miss out on the good bream thats there, with the smaller mouths, and the playing with the bait. i strike early feel the weight and its gone, probably because the bream have not taken the bait, just playing with it, getting confident. as to another couple of posts, i am pole fishing or wagler. not the feeder method. the barb and barbless post im unsure of. i like to use barbless as in theory it makes for easy retrievel to barbed. but then there is the case of it coming out easy after cutting and the fish swalling the hook further down.

could a fish survive to adult hood witha barbed hooked, that it has and never thrown. up to now i have not prodded to much, but cut the hook as far down as poss.

[Dick Dastardly]

S Mac, You seem to have misunderstood the reasons for not using larger barbless hooks for perch.The problem with barbless hooks is that they tend to penetrate deeper than barbed hooks.As Steve says a perchs vital organs are positioned very close to the surface just behind the throat.If the heart for example is penetrated it means certain death.

[Andy Macfarlane]

i understand go bigger, but if i do, i miss out on the good bream thats there, with the smaller mouths, and the playing with the bait. i

 

If Bream can swallow a whole lobworm, a large pellet, a couple of pieces of corn or a boilie, it can swallow your hook. Don't fall into the trap of buying hooks to suit the species. The size of a hook is dictated by the bait.

Put it this way....I use size 8s for ROACH, because I tend to use corn for bait. Believe me, if they want the bait, they'll take the hook with it.