catch and release isnt always easy

i hate when this happens.. but at least i got it out. a few weeks ago i got a less then 1lb smallie and he was hooked deep. couldnt even see hook.. i tried to cut it and let him go but i saw him come up 5 min later and die.. too small to keep though so had to...i use circle hooks also when i finesse just so it happens to less bass. sometimes they just inhale the bait though and it will still get stuck in throat. with no barb though can usually get it out and they rarely bleed when they are bigger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyQChS5AUiM

Just cut your line and leave the hook in it will rust out. Last week I caught 3 different bass that had hooks in them that were doing just fine.

Barbless is probably a good idea.

Also, immediately setting the hook instead of letting a fish 'run with your bait' definitely decreases the chances of getting a fish stuck deep. Not only does good equipment increase your ability to detect subtle bites a lot better, it also decreases of gut hooking, IMO.

The purpose of using a circle hook is to let the fish set the hook by running with the bait. In theory, the hook travels back out of the fish's stomach and catches the corner of the mouth. Hence the oddly-shaped hook and point. I'm not a plastics guy so it sounds odd to me to use circles on plastics, and I mostly fish trout to keep and eat, but I can say that I have never hooked a tuna or yellow anywhere but the corner of the mouth when using circle hooks.
I hope that made some kind of sense....

i agree sometimes its better to cut line then to try to get it out but if its visible and i can get out and the fish isnt bleeding then ill get it out over just throwing it back hoping it lives. the bad thing overall hooks in fish throat does decrease its chance for survival but i think it also has to do with the position of it more then anything if its not in way of it still being able to get fish in its stomach it should be fine but if hook point is able to hook fish it tries to eat and it gets stuck in its throat or if its double hooked in throat with it closed the fish is basically done for.
yes i agree circle hooks do usually catch the corner of fish mouth. but if you use them to catch 100s of fish you will then notice still around 1% of time it will get hooked inside the mouth or throat. just depends how aggressive the fish swallows it.
the funny thing its usually the fish that bite but not move with hook that has the higher chance of the hook sticking in its throat. since to me its almost like they swallow it without even moving so then you do have to get lucky to have it come out of his gut. but ya usually the big fish dont even bleed when get throat hooked they are too big for the little hooks to hit anything important its like the .5-1 lb ones that usually bleed because the hook can actually damage it more.
i dont know if good equipment has much to do with detecting bites as much as having lighter gear. which my medium set ups are fine i can almost feel the smallest of movement even when the fish only pick up bait and move it off bed. i felt it a lot this spawn. and im pretty sure the rod and reels dont play into if the fish gets the hook stuck. its just part of fishing. even with circle hooks. ive caught enough fish on circle hooks to know that they are not always perfect. but overall they get deep hooked less with them.
after fishing hard for past couple years each bite is different. and what stands out to me the most with a throat hook is a fish that eat the bait on the drop and doesnt move so its hard to detect. unless it happens right after your cast then you know your bait isnt on bottom. usually though when my bait hits bottom i always will reel it in some just to check if a fish grabbed it before it hit bottom and is not moving.

Nice effort to release all the bass,sometimes there are some casualties,but trying good catch and release techniques is better that not trying at all!

Cya Tuna Vic

I always carry my electrical sidecut dikes and good needle nose pliers ... Reach in if you can ... Cut mosthook off then reach in with needle nose pliers and pull the hook through and out. Gotta be quick and surgical but it sure makes me feel better at days end! Kline pliers are best. :Cool:

Sometimes I have been able to go through the gills and get them right out as long as it's not hooked into vital parts