Can A Fish Live With A Hook In It?

Published on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 by Katherine

I promised I would tell you something “crazy weird” about the puppy drum I caught this weekend. And that I could prove or disprove an old fisherman’s story. Day 13 of NaBloPoMo gives me an opportunity to tell you a fish tale. But a TRUE one! Honest!

How many of you have heard that a fish can live with a hook in it? “Your fish swallowed the hook? Just throw it back – the hook will rust and disappear! The fish will be FINE. Don’t worry!”

I always thought, “Yea right. The hook will just rust and go away. Surrreeeeeeee.”

WELL GUESS WHAT.

*Note* If you do not fish, you may not want to read further. I’m just sayin’.

When I held my fish for a picture, I noticed a four-inch long piece of fishing line coming out of his… well… oh heck, out of his BUTT. A completely different color from the line I had on my own rod.

While I was cleaning it I carefully followed the line through the guts and found what I expected might be inside. Sure enough, inside the fish was a jighead. A JIGHEAD. I was astounded. How did this guy survive with such a thing inside of him!

As I continued to clean the fish I found something even more unexpected. His stomach was huge. Bigger than any I’ve seen before. Carefully, I opened it up to discover its contents. (I TOLD you not to read this if you do not fish!)

What did I find? The shad that at one time was attached to the jighead. I was stunned. How in the world did this fish live with a hook, artificial bait and fishing line inside of him? How did food pass through him? How did he even swim?

With this, I realized I knew the answer to an age-old question. Can a fish really live with a hook inside of him? Apparently yes. And the artificial bait to boot.

Could he have lived much longer? I seriously doubt it. There isn’t any way he could have kept going long enough for the jighead to rust. But after having seen this unbelievable abnormality, I honestly believe a fish could live a full life with a simple hook inside of him.

That is your science lesson for today. Each and every one of you get an A+!