# Undersized & Gut Hooked - What Next?



## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Fishing partner and I were catching a few specks this past weekend bouncing jigs off the bottom. Bite was so slow at times that we couldn't hardly feel the pickup. Ended up gut hooking a couple but fortunately they were keeper sized so they went in the box.

Can't hardly see tossing a fish over just to die (though something will usually eat it). At the same time, I'm not desperate to keep fish either.

Question/scenario - if for some reason an undersized fish were to get gut hooked, what would you do? Thought crossed my mind about trimming the line and leaving the jig in the fish to show the Game Warden.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Throw him back over. FWC don't care if it's gut hooked or not, if it's a small fish it's illegal. Just think of all those grouper that's 1" under limit that "swallowed" the hook if FWC would fall for that.


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## Buckyt (Oct 1, 2007)

My understanding is that the game warden would expect you to release the fish.


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## Sunshine17 (Dec 11, 2009)

Every game warden I have ever ran across gave off the vibe that they wouldent care if it was gut hooked, your getting a ticket. The laws the law in their eyes, which makes sense because they have to follow it and so do we. But I also see the other side. Atleast 2 or 3 times a year I hear someone come over the radio asking FWC if they can keep the bull red they caught that's now belly up next to their boat because of gut hooking, tired/dead from fighting. Answer is always no that Ive heard. Personally I would just throw it back and like to think the blue crabs will eat it which feed the trout/reds/sheepies/flounder that I will catch next time I go out.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Unfortunately I would throw it back.... Your point is very valid, why throw back something thats dead or dieing??? Because the law hasn't figured out a way to decide for that....but its not unheard of for people to take matters into their own hands and do what they think is best....


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## RedLeg (Mar 15, 2014)

The fish must be released back into the water...it would probably die anyways though. I always say the same thing when I let a stud ARS go and it just floats away to die. I've tried using a deflation device, but apparently that is kinda frowned upon too nowadays.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Sucks to have to throw fish back, but there are other critters that will make use of the free handout....


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## tbaxl (Mar 13, 2013)

Unfortunately the rules are black and white, makes it easier for FWC to do their jobs but makes it very difficult on sportsmen.


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks for your feedback and I'll heed your statements. Usually there's enough gulls and pelicans around to gobble it up. Guess its really no different than catching bait with the castnet and letting the kiddo feed them. But something about sliding a decent sized gut hooked fish over the side doesn't sit well with me.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

Smash the barb down.


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thank ya....


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

The hook WILL slide out with minimal damage. Just keep a tight line to stay hooked up.


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## Dive1 (May 16, 2015)

Filet and release. Just kidding


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## BrakeTurnAccelerate (Jul 1, 2012)

Dive1 said:


> Filet and release. Just kidding


"That's just my bait, officer."


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## mirage2521 (Apr 22, 2009)

Release it to die is the legal answer. My only contrary experience was I used to fish this one particular top water lure. The manufacturer went out of business and I bought all there was to buy anywhere I could find them for a grand total of three. I was trout fishing and somehow a submarine size overslot red took my last one so deep that I could not even see it down his gullet.

I may or may not have taken that big boy home and retrieved my plug and enjoyed some seafood. The lure had 2 treble hooks. The fish was a goner for sure. I didn't want him. I just wanted my lure back.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

yeah i gut hooked a 17" red the other day and felt bad throwing it back in but the fwc is not playing around lately


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Well I could just let every fish swallow it to their tail and keep all that were gut hooked if it were legal to keep gut hooked fish!!!

Thats why any undersized goes back in the drink


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## blkwtr (Oct 6, 2007)

Caught a 30" red snapper in the Pensacola Pass a couple of years ago. It was out of season "of course" so we turned it loose and it went belly up. We caught it again in the dip net and tried to revive it to no avail. It kept going belly up. As we drifted away and started fishing again, a guy pulled up in a john boat, picked it up in his dip net and put it in his cooler. I was glad that it seemed like someone would get some use out it. Hope he wasn't caught.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

Have fry daddy & some way of heating the grease. :shifty:


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## nathar (Jun 25, 2009)

Wonder if FWC will suspect anything when they find my bowl of cooked sushi rice, soy sauce, and wasabi?


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## snake 166 (Oct 2, 2007)

As has been pointed out, have to release the fish. However, I have no data to support this but I always retrieve the hook because of the possibility that other predators will become gut hooked when the released fish is digested or in the case of an eagle or osprey, hooked beak to foot by a lure. Hooks keep on catching.


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