Copyright © 2003 Jeremy Alcorn
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      These two tools are for removing hooks lodged in a fish’s mouth. There are a couple of reasons that one may want to use a tool such as this. Some anglers intend on releasing a fish after it is caught and try to affect it as little as possible while it is out of the water. Accordingly, they use the hook removers as a type of “hands off” method for handling the fish. The value in this method is that it removes less of the fish’s protective coating than if the angler were to grab the fish by hand, leaving it better protected against disease and parasites. Sometimes, the fish is never removed completely from the water when this tactic is used, thus furthering the value of this method in relation to the fish’s well-being.

      Anglers also catch fish that contain sharp teeth such as walleyes and muskies. Because of this anglers use these tools in order to avoid the sharp teeth that these fish possess.

      Probably the most prevalent situation is the use of these tools to remove a hook unreachable by hand. Fish can swim with a hook or lure for a couple of seconds before the angler notices and jerks up on the rod to set the hook. Because of this, fish can partially or totally ingest a hook before it is set. Anglers then use these tools to attempt to remove a hook that is embedded in a fish’s throat or gullet.

      It is important to note that there are anglers who do not posses either of these tools and will simply try to pull the hook out of a fish’s throat or stomach in order to retrieve their property (the hook). That fish in this situation suffer is to go without saying, furthermore, this method results in death (though not immediate) regardless of whether the fish is released afterwards.

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Posted/Updated: 10/21/04

Copyright © 2003 Jeremy Alcorn
All Rights Reserved - Reservation of Rights