Fishing Q&A with Christie Thomas

I often receive emails and phone calls from many of my readers, friends and acquaintances, asking for advice about all sorts of different aspects of bass fishing.  Certain questions come up more often than others, so I have decided to share some of my most frequently asked questions with you, and answer them to the best of my ability.

I am not always sure which size hook to pick when I’m fishing with plastic baits?
It is always very important to match the size of the hook to the size of the bait you are fishing with. If the hook is too large for the lure it will impede the action of the lure, and you will struggle to achieve a natural presentation. If the hook is too small, you may find yourself struggling to set the hook successfully on the majority of your bites.
This happens because the bass tends to clamp down on the bait behind the hook, and when you set the hook you are basically just pulling the bait out of the bass’s mouth. If you are in doubt as to whether your hook is too small for the bait or not, check your bait carefully after each bite.
If you consistently notice bite or scratch marks on the plastic lure behind the hook, the hook is too small. This often happens with a fish-style bait, like a fluke, Houdini shad, senkos or Yum dingers.  For some reason bass often short-strike these lures. 
To prevent this from happening I like to use a larger hook than one would traditionally use with a 5- or 6-inch lure. Now the tip of the hook is set more toward the rear of the bait, resulting in a solid hook-set on the next bite.
As a general rule-of-thumb, I like to use a 1-O and a 2-O sized hook on 3- and 4-inch finesse baits, 3-O with 5- and 6-inch baits, 5-O on 8-inch worms or senkos and fluke-style baits. I use EWG’s (extra-wide gap) most of the time, especially when fishing with fish-shaped baits. When I have to fish within dense or heavy cover, I will select a regular offset worm hook.

Is it fact or fiction that a bass can survive with a hook left in it?
The common belief is that a deeply hooked fish should be left with the hook in the gullet as this (the hook) should rust and fall out in time.   One fact I do know, is that with modern technology and the improvement of material, it may take years and years before a hook in fresh water will rust to such a degree that it will disintegrate enough to fall out of a bass’s gullet.
Some bass may eventually be able to swallow said hook, but I think the fish will experience difficulty in passing the hook out of its system. If the hook penetrates any of the stomach, this fish will most likely die of infection, eventually. If the hook has passed through both sides of the gullet, the fish will probably struggle to swallow any other food, and will eventually starve to death. A slow and agonizing death in all of the above scenarios.

Deep-Hook Removal - Cut the line so that you still have enough to work with.  Gently insert the nose of long-nosed pliers behind the last gill plate, closest to the hook.  Manoeuvre the hook with the line so that you can grab it at the sharp end, and pull it out of the flesh, moving in the same direction as the barb, with the eye passing through the flesh last. Do not attempt to pull out the hook against the barb!  This will only rip the flesh further, causing more bleeding.
Often a gut-hooked bass will bleed profusely, mostly internally, and will die within minutes, especially if it has been brought in after a huge fight. After deep hook removal, I always keep the bass in the live-well, with salt and maximum aeration, for at least half an hour. If the bass is still alive after that, and finning upright, chances are good for its survival, and it can be released. 
If it is struggling to stay upright, keep it a while longer to see if it recovers.  If not?  I guess bass fillets are on the menu.