How do I get over my fear of touching live fish?

[sixstringsteve]

I'm not sure why, but the thought of touching live fish bothers me. I don't mind gutting them once they're dead, but I'm scared to touch them when they're on the hook. Yes, it's embarassing having my wife remove the fish, but there you have it.

I enjoy fishing except for when it comes time to remove the fish from the hook. I have a few theories as to why:

1) When i was 6 I went fishing with my dad. He caught a bluegill and when he was taking it off the line it sliced his hand open. Probably a 4" slice. That was pretty scary as a kid.

2) Fish are spastic. Obviously, they're trying to get un-hooked, and sometimes it works, but they wriggle around like crazy. If a fish would just sit still while I removed the hook it'd be tons better

3) It's those eyes. They're always staring at you...

4) I feel like I'm hurting it. I don't enjoy hurting animals, and I've seen fish completely swallow the hook.

5) Since I'm afraid of touching fish, I've never gotten much practice removing a hook. I'm scared I won't be able to get it out before I deprive them of oxygen.


I know most of these fears are unfounded, but there it is. I'd like to get over my fear of touching fish. Anyone got any tips?

 

[pELYgroso]

So, the worst torture for you would be to throw you in a fishing boats full holding tank?

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'm not afraid of swimming in lakes or rivers full of fish, but a holding tank? Yes.

I think if I wore a leather glove it would help me get a grip on the fish.

 

[muleskinner]

Borrow your wife's man card? hell, even my 12 year old daughter takes care of her fish when she catches it...

 

[sixstringsteve]

Thanks, very helpful. Problem solved.

 

[sixstringsteve]

any techniques that make removing a fish from the hook easier?

 

[muleskinner]

Thanks, very helpful. Problem solved.

Sorry, but I cant even begin to believe this is really a problem.

If you were fishing for Muskies or Pike I could see using some caution, but how could anyone be afraid of a trout? Sorry, not trying to bash or make fun of you (maybe a little)

Maybe grab them with a hand towel? That's only if you are going to keep them, as it will destroy the protective (slime) on the fish.

Use needle nose pliers for hook removal. Catch more fish for practice

 

[B2-Bomber]

I think you need to change your perspective on how you think of fish. your OCD might be taking over a bit causing a minor phobia. try thinking of fish as mindless drones who don't feel pain, or even think thoughts. just like squishing a bug. I bet you have no aversion to that do you? yet I bet you would have a hard time grabbing a dog by the neck, and causing it pain. that's because dogs are conscious beings, and your mind knows that

fish are not conscious beings, pain isn't anything to them, don't be afraid to man-handle it, choke it, rip a hook out of it etc.

or I could be way off base here, just trying to think outside the box to help

 

[Marsh99]

any techniques that make removing a fish from the hook easier?

They make a tool for helping take out hooks, or needle nose pliers.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Sorry, but I cant even begin to believe this is really a problem.

You're right, you definitely know my phobias better than me. I'm making this all up just for fun.

 

[Kevin B.]

I have heard that fish will not swallow artificial baits as deeply as a worm or salmon egg. I have no idea if that's actually true.

 

[sixstringsteve]

How do you get a hook out if it swallowed it entirely? I also heard that the hooks these days are made of a material that the fish's saliva will dissolve over time. is this true?

 

[sixstringsteve]

I think you need to change your perspective on how you think of fish. try thinking of fish as mindless drones who don't feel pain, or even think thoughts. just like squishing a bug. I bet you have no aversion to that do you? yet I bet you would have a hard time grabbing a dog by the neck, and causing it pain. that's because dogs are conscious beings, and your mind knows that

fish are not conscious beings, pain isn't anything to them, don't be afraid to man-handle it, choke it, rip a hook out of it etc.

That's a good perspective. I think the "conscious beings" part bothers me. Ironically, I would have zero issue just chopping its head off and killing it, but I feel like I'm causing it agony when it's sitting there on the hook as I struggle to get the hook out.

 

[B2-Bomber]

to be clear, fish aren't even considered animals in laws describing "animal cruelty", there was the mythbusters that tested the myth that fish can't even remember longer than 30 seconds ago......they can't. there was a KSL article last week about goldfish and other aquarium fish that were unwanted by their owners and were being released into Utahs waterways. and the DNR even was quoted in that article as saying something like "it is perfectly fine to kill your fish if you don't want it anymore......"

fish aren't animals, they aren't conscious, and it is widely believed they can't even feel pain.

 

[sixstringsteve]

thanks bomber, knowing I'm not hurting them will really help me.

 

[DAA]

If the hook is set so deep you can't just shake them loose with needle nose, they are probably going to die anyway. So just shoot them in the head before you touch them.

- DAA

 

[Rot Box]

Haha don't feel too bad lots of people don't like touching fish. I'm going through this with my daughter along with trying to get her to put worms on the hook.

Mechanix gloves (although stupid expensive) and a towel rock for this sort of thing. You can wash them with soap and water when you're done too. Getting familiar with the type of fish you're catching is a good idea. Most pan fish (crappie, bass, perch, bluegill etc) have spikes on the dorsal fin whereas Catfish have spikes on the pectoral fins. Some have monster teeth like the Tiger Musky and Walleye. None of which suck as bad as getting slimed by a trout though LOL

Using jigs, spinners or fly's greatly reduces the chance of a swallowed hook. There are those red colored hook removers that work very well for bait hooks. Every tackle box should have one of those.. That said there isn't a lot of hope for a trout that swallows a bait hook. They bleed out and die pretty easy.

 

[B2-Bomber]

thanks bomber, knowing I'm not hurting them will really help me.

yeah perspective, and OCD are funny things aren't they? the wrong combination of both can cripple a person's ability to do anything

 

[sixstringsteve]

I dont' have OCD, but perspective definitely helps. I definitely need to practice more. The more I do it, the more I'll get used to it. Maybe gutting a few more fish will help me get used to handling them.

 

[sixstringsteve]

If I use gloves for catch and release, will it hurt/damage the fish?