Anyone know much about catfish?

[Sniper82]

If a catfish swallows the hook will it most likely die? Why I was wondering is because I been going to the pay lake and most the fish I caught have swallowed the hook. If I don't feel like cleaning them I will turn them loose in a farm pond close by. Thats the reason I ask. Also the pay lake is only about 3 miles from the farm pond so they ain't out of the water more than 6-10 mins. I know catfish are some of the hardest fish to kill.

 

[Atrail]

A treblehook hook should kill the fish.

Most fish ponds I have been to do not let you throw anything back!

 

[batgeek]

i like catfish soaked in beer over night. dredge in a mix of eggs and milk. bread with a mix of cornmeal and Old Bay seasoning. fry in a nicely seasoned iron skillet. serve with green beans and cornbread.

seriously. if you dont try and yank the hook out and rupture some internals he should be fine. cutting the leader or line wont hurt the fish. if the fish fought long and hard, there is a good chance that internal organs may be damaged. he will die eventually.

 

[WombatWoman]

I am fairly certain that a fish that swallows a hook is probably a goner. In my youth, I went fishing often, and I gutted a lot of catfish. Never once did I find a hook in their innards, which leads me to believe that the hook-swallowers did not live long enough to get caught again.

Personally, I do not think you should go fishing if, as you say, you "don't feel like cleaning them."

 

[Sniper82]

Yeah this pay lake is the same way. I was just curious as to how many % chance does a catfish have to live with a hook in them. BTW not many if any have totally swallowed the hook like in the belly. Most are in the mouth or hooked on the opening that goes to their stomach.

I heard their chances decrease alot if they start bleeding.

 

[Sniper82]

"Personally, I do not think you should go fishing if, as you say, you "don't feel like cleaning them."

Well the owner of the lake don't allow you to keep the fish so they have to go somewhere. BTW I won't clean them if I only have a couple small ones. I live with a family of 5 here and 3 small fish won't even be enough to start. IMO they have a much better chance being put back in the pond than they do laying on the bank. Now if I catch a few good ones then I will consider it.

Also I get home real late like 1:00 in the morning and I am fairly tired by then so cleaning them is the last of my worries. I believe in catch and release more than anything I just can't help it that they swallowed the hook.

 

[tkdkid]

Hooks are designed so that they rust and completely disentigrate in water. It doesn't take very long for it to happen. A week at the most. The fish should be fine. Especially a catfish...we've had catfish out of the water for hours, cut completely open and various organs taken out and the damn things are still breathing and sometimes moving around.

 

[Sniper82]

Oh yeah if one did swallow a hook where they are in water if they did survive that the hook would rust and break eventually? Also none of these really fully swallowed the hook as in it being inside their stomach.

 

[WombatWoman]

Originally posted by: ^Sniper^
"Personally, I do not think you should go fishing if, as you say, you "don't feel like cleaning them."

Well the owner of the lake don't allow you to keep the fish so they have to go somewhere. BTW I won't clean them if I only have a couple small ones. I live with a family of 5 here and 3 small fish won't even be enough to start. IMO they have a much better chance being put back in the pond than they do laying on the bank. Now if I catch a few good ones then I will consider it.

Also I get home real late like 1:00 in the morning and I am fairly tired by then so cleaning them is the last of my worries. I beleive in catch and release more than anything I just can't help it that they swallowed the hook.

I didn't mean to sound like an animal-rights nut. Sorry if I came off that way.

 

[Sniper82]

np I just got back tonight and caught 4 but 3 of them was only about 1 and a half each but I had one good eating sized one that went about 5-6lbs. But it was full of eggs so I hope it lives more and anything. I like catching them more than eating them myself. Maybe I need to just start using bigger hooks

My problem is I have no dang felaying knife so that makes things even harder. Man do I need to invest in one.