While I haven't yet read the article, I do have a moderate amount of experience with fish expelling hooks. I have collected plenty of fish with shanks of hooks protruding from their south sides. While most of the hook was gone, digested by strong gastric acids, the fish usually appear to be in good condition. I disagree with the statements quoted. I believe hooking mortality to be much higher when a deep hook is removed. While tissues may be resilient, they are torn. Torn flesh in fish cannot heal as it was. No stitches, no repairs. Remember, these tissues are used either to feed or to breathe. Pretty important tissues. Fish bleeding from the gills usually die. My best estimate is that more than 80% of gill hooked fish die, if they obviously bleed. How does blood coagulate in water? Blood IS water, mostly. Do hooks left behind digest quickly? No, but they digest. Ripped flesh, inside a fish, can quickly kill the creature. As tough as the tissue is, when torn, it leaks. Leaks are not good. I choose to leave the hook. If gills were sturdy, they wouldn't be surrounded by a bony plate. Sorry, the writer may be selling, but I ain't buying.
