I put him back in the water very gently and moved him back and forth in the water until he swam out of my hand. He only swam like a foot and then drifted to the bottom and just layed there upside down flapping his gills. I reached back into the water and grabbed his tail to try and help him breathe or something, but when I did he finally swam away, but very slowly. What are the odds the fish survives? His eye was completely managled and he was bleeding a decent amount.
I feel very guilty about this. How can I avoid doing this in the future? I'm very new to fishing, and this is the first time I've got a fish that was more than like an inch long. Pic is the lure I was using.
Posted by Chris13024
5 Comments
Shit happens, not too much you can do sometimes beyond revive them if possible. Maybe swap treble hooks for single hooks when applicable, and clamp barbs. Remember, a lake isn’t like a supermarket though, that fish will be not be wasted. It is an important part to the ecosystem dead or alive.
Sorry this happened especially as you’re so new to landing fish, just be aware that it happens from time to time, it’s inevitable with sharp hooks in the water, you did the best you could at the time and that’s all you can do. Don’t be discouraged by it, it’s incredibly rare, and it’s never happened to me in years but that doesn’t mean it can’t, it’s good you feel something because that shows you care and respect the animal- when it gets to the point you do t feel anything it’s best time to call it quits
kinda rare to foul hook a trout at all, can’t control that. maybe crimp the barbs on your lure hooks to make the process easier next time if it does happen.
Trout are fragile, many trout fishermen use barbless hooks to avoid hurting them
Change to inline single hooks. Better for the fish and safer for you.