Question for the Shark Fishermen

[fishinmagician_IV]

If you are fishing for Shark, and it is a decent size (?), and are going to release it, Do you get the hook out of its mouth, or cut the line?

[Proheat]

If you are fishing for Shark, and it is a decent size (?), and are going to release it, Do you get the hook out of its mouth, or cut the line?

Cut the line!! The hook will rust out in a short time and also, getting near those choppers is a good recipe for trouble.

[Deep C]

I try to cut the wire close to the hook... Sometimes I get a little too close and have been nicked a few times and even wound up dropping my pliers down the throat of a blue shark a couple weeks ago...
Some de-hookers may work but the shark mouth is tough and often aren't easy to unhook using one of them. The added strain at boatside getting one out may outweigh the simpler cutting as to the condition of the fish to be released... So I stick to basics personally. Quick and sweet.

[T380Fisher]

The crew I fish with releases everything we estimate below 125#. It's just a number we have worked ourselved up to. Personally, I am sad to see all the 70-90# legal fish hit the docks. We cut the wire as close to the mouth as possible.

Deep C.. I had a close call as yours this spring, but with a mako. I was trying to grab the skirt that was about 1/2 way between the the swivel and the hook and that fish's eyes looked right at me and took a shot at my hand. Ended up losing the skirt, but still have all my digits. You gotta respect makos.

[getreel]

If you can see the hook, the best release is using bolt cutters on the hook shank. Other than that, cut the wire as short as possible to the hook. I recently played with a dehooker attachment on my flyer and the results were as expected, dismal. I got a few hooks out, but it was not easy on rolling blue sharks that just wanted to bite and twist when anything got near their mouth. They where getting beat up by me trying to get the hook out. A quick snip of the wire is the easiest on both parties. You will eventually get over the cost of the hooks and skirts. Fingers are worth way more!

[Captbillb]

One & All,
If the hook is around the mouth area.. a dehooking device- as depicted- is simple to use once the technique is learned and it'll pay for itself within a short while. I've used the dehooker on hundreds of bluedogs and other species.
For deeply hooked sharks.. clipping the wire as close to the hook is the way to go.

[Jared D]

We shark fish for Tigers down here off of Florida, and we just cut em free.
Most of the sharks we catch have a long line hook, or a hook of some sort in their mouth already. It doesnt seem to bother them at all.