I've caught countless stockers with hooks in there belly. Also countless trout crappin powerbait.
A buddy here at a local stocker pond uses 6 snells, gets the trout to the edge and cuts the line. I've caught countless fish of his with his size 6 hook in the fish gut.
I've caught two fish this summer with treble hooks hanging out of their arse - so they definetly can pass them. I have also caught probably a dozen fish this season with treble hooks still visible in their gullet - so they can still be agressive even with a hook in their throat. I never recommend that folks practice C & R when dunking bait but if I know for a fact that they're going to regardless of what I think - then I recommend that they keep the fish in the water, cut the hook as close to the mouth as possible and release it as quicly and as gently as possible. If they do this, my hope is that at least some of the fish will pass the hook or be caught and kept by someone else before they die so they're not wasted.
I'd love to see catch & release bait fishing made illegal.....I'm sick of seeing dead fish littering the bottom of the lake.
If folks want to practice C&R, IMO they should learn to fish artificials - period.
If a trout gets hooked deep it's gone. You might as well keep it he's just going to be bass/catfish bait at that point... Then you have the bass/catfish trying to pass the treble hook.
I see people handle trout with a towel or dry hand all the time. That's a dead trout too. If you fish bait, and I do from time to tiime, keep everything. If a trout is bleeding keep it.
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