Easy Hook Removal For Gullet and Gut Hooked Fish

Did you gut hook a fish? Here is the fastest and safest way to remove the hook without injuring the fish. All you need is a pair of needle nose pliers and a little education and you'll be able to save every fish you catch.

Gear For This Method...

Gear In This Video...

The method is simple. You simply need to reach the hook with needle nose pliers via the gill plate and rotate it until the hook is pointing down the throat toward the stomach. Now reach in through the mouth and gently pull the hook free.

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[griffinranch]

Absolutely heartbreaking whenever you can’t get a fish back in the water quickly and “cleanly”. Thanks for the video guys!!

[NovemberFoxtrotRC]

Self taught fishermen here. I've known this trick for quite a long time now but man when I first started fishing I had such a problem with this. Hate to know how many fish I hurt :/ Now I rarely get a gullet hook but when I do this works 95% of the time. Glad there are people putting this stuff out there now. There was no internet when I started fishing.

[testme]

Another great video. You probably saved a bunch of fishes lives posting this!! Great Content!!

[antiest]

Thanks for this video! I gut hooked a Bass last week and wasn't sure what to do. so cut and let it go. I thought there had to be a better way and found this video. jump to today, another gut hook. Got the hook out with ease and a clean release!

[billfromelma]

Great information. I know alot of people won't agree but we just flatten the barb. You don't loose as many fish as you think, and it makes you a better angler by learning really fight the fish without the barb. Let's face it, we are out there to have fun, so ( unless your looking for a few to eat ) flattening the barb, or just flatten it and leave a little will eliminate alot of grief.

[michaelhowell]

Matt there is a little 1lb bass in North Carolina appreciating you today. I watch this video 2 days ago and gut hooked a small bass today at the river. Followed your instructions, hook popped out and he swam off with plenty of vigor. Thanks for the tips.

[telefunkenyou]

I have used this technique four different times already this year. Successful all four times.
Be very careful passing through the gills, grab at the round bend and twist to roll it back. "Pop!"
If gut hooking happens regularly....put that spinning rod down and take a senko time out until you can feel a bite.
There is no excuse for being a wussy when it comes to handling fish. And just because it swam away doesn't mean it lived. Matt, you da man!

[joshuaflores]

This was an excellent video: Short and sweet. Not any digression -- just straight to the point, and with a sample fish to illustrate what you're teaching. Thanks for this. Gut hooking has been a real problem for me -- I doesn't happen often, but when it does, it HURTS -- both the fish and me. Thanks again.

[mr.fatbasstard]

Thanks TB. Took a long time for you guys to finally deep hook one so we can get this video lol. No excuses on the gut hooked drop shot fish when Ross England is your drop shot mentor... :-)
I suspect you let that fish chomp away on that worm just so we can get this video ?? Lol.

I hate to say this but there is a lot of mortality in deep hooked fish. It's a learning curve for all new Anglers and thankfully this video will definitely help.

Anyone out there who's been fishing for more than a few years and are still pounding away with a slimy bloody stick to remove a deep hook, I'd like to take you fishing. Fortunately for the rest of us and a lot of fish you won't be returning to the launch ramp! J/k of course?? I've actually donated a lot of hook removal tools over the years... Hook removal was the first thing I taught my grandson after I pulled him back in the boat

[alexnelson]

Sometimes you can pull the line just a little and they'll regurgitate just enough to where you can get your pliers on it and turn it out from the side! I was just thinking someone should make this video and here it is! So glad you shared this as too many guys cut the line or kill the fish!

[kimehunt]

I've said this about a few of your videos, but everyone who fishes should be made to watch this video. I do appreciate how you got that hook out and released that fish rather than use it as a prop for your video. I also agree you two should have 10x the subs.

[michaelrusso]

I have done this before many times and its like magic!  The hook just comes right out!  Great tip!  More people need to know about this technique.

[stuartmatthews]

I had this happen this morning for first time. I tried to go in through the front gill and eventually was able to flip the hook and take it out but due to my inexperience the fish ended up dead a few minutes after release. he was bleeding pretty bad before I even got him to me and seemed to fight a lot harder than fish his size typically would when hooked properly. I feel pretty terrible about it, it actually kind of ruined a morning of what would have otherwise been one of my best days fishing. (this was my first year getting into the hobby). Thanks for the info, i'm hopeful I can prevent something like this from happening in the future now.

[rhallman]

Awesome tip that I did not know about. The older I get, the more I try to take care of the fish that give me the thrill. I agree Latch Swaney. These guys have by far the best bass channel. I have picked up a ton of tips from their videos.

[nicklawrence]

Great video as usual. The information you give in your videos has definitely made me a better angler.

[castncatchem]

Thanks for the info!!! My wife caught a bass a few days ago and there was a hook in its throat. Seems like someone cut the line and released it. I tried to get the hook out but it was deep in there and I didn’t want to hurt the fish so I released it. Now I know for the future and I will definitely be sharing this video with everyone I know. Again thank you!

[williamwallen]

awesome video! very informative. its the worst feeling in the world when you see a bass belly up due to gut hooks. heartbreaking

[cecapt]

Thank you! I hate hurting these guys. This is a valuable lesson I’ll use and pass on to other fishermen .

[bwmacallister]

Caught a smallmouth in upstate NY last weekend after untangling my spinning reel. Fish had time to take it all the way in and luckily i had just watched this vid. I got it out and the fish went back in the water without a hook. Great vid guys. Actually I caught the fish using the nose hooked fluke method (with the screw in spring) from another one of your vids. So, I guess I used two of your videos on one catch! ---- Great channel keep up the good work.

[mooshimjim]

Great info. I have become a big fan of tactical bassing these last 4 months! I am reviewing all your videos. I have been a tournament and weekend fisherman for the last 30 years and am now recently retired. Really looking to return to tournament heavily. Your videos close a lot of voids for me where other pros just don’t want to give up this info. Looking forward to more of your videos!