Question about removing hooks

[JeremyZobel]

Today I caught a nice steelhead. Upon landing the fish I noticed a fairly good size hook lodged deep in the fish's throat. The gape and point where not visible, for they were too deep in the throat. There was still some sac material on the hook from the very "sporty" angler that hooked and lost the fish prior. My first question is; will a hook this deep affect the fish's life expectancy? It obviously was still interested in eating since he took my offering and I know most hooks will rust out. But one this deep must affect the fish somehow. And secondly should there have been any attempt to remove the hook? I could have reached in with a pair of hemostats but figured more bad than good would probably have been done by it. Any thoughts?

[Nick Pionessa]

years ago on an erie trib i hooked a fish in the back of the throat and it was a barbless hook. i backed it out and it came out without effort and immidiatly started bleeding profusely. just like the hook was right in a major blood vessel and i'm sure it was. it showed no signs of bleeding up to the time i removed the hook. this fish was eaten as it was clearly dead within about a minute of trying to revive it. after that i personally will not remove a hook that is behind the tounge. it hasn't happened since, but if it did i would leave it there. that may be what the bait guy was thinking or as you say it may have been a breakoff.

my opinion? i would have left it there following the behind the tounge rule.

[JeremyZobel]

Yeah...that was what I was kind-of thinking. I figured if I messed with the hook he was doomed. My theory was that since it was bait the fish swallowed it without fear and immediately . It was clearly a break off because there was 2 feet of mono running from the hook. I left the hook and clipped the mono. So now all I need to do is catch him again when he is around 15 lbs. I figure that should prove things for sure.