Bob posted a pic on the Drastic Times (maraton thread) of a fish with hooks still in it. (page 4)

I too have seen peeeeple grab the leader and snap it off while making the comment that the hooks will rust off in a week or some such BULL!

I think we have an obligation to the fish to give it the best possible chance of survival if we're going to release it.

I don't know if that fish would have survived if the hook had been removed, but I do know it had a better chance if the other one was clipped off.

If the hook was barbless I would have tried to remove it.

Do adult fish survive after being hooked in that spot? It damn sure wasn't gonna with the set up it had in it.

herm

Pretty tricky spot to try to remove a barbed hook....

First of all I don't use the double hook rigs so I wouldn't have hooked a fish like that. If I happen to hook a steelie in that spot with a barbed hook I see if the hook will pop out on its own accord, sometimes it works. If that doesn't work I try to clip the line right at the hook or as close to it as I can.

That pic should also be a good indication of just how hearty steelhead are...weren't there a couple of rust stains on the fishes mouth? They had to be there at least couple of days...(edit: upon further review they are line sores.)

maybe the leader broke off.