Hook Size to catch a 4 inch Hippo

[Ldesp]

So I am trying to catch a Hippo Tang, I have tried...

Netting not possible the fish dives into the rock work whenever a net goes into the tank.

2 different fish traps, one purchased one home made the hippo does not get anywhere near them.

While sleeping, does not work as the hippo sleeps too deep in the rock work.


That brings me to my question. I am going to try a line and hook but I am not sure what hook size I use for a 4 inch hippo tang. Can someone give me some info using a hook and line. I know I should snip the barbs off the hook but anymore advice would be great.

Thanks,

[username in use]

i got some fly hooks from my brother in law for the same fish same size. I forget the exact size, but they were small, the number was in the 20's, I want to say 26, but somehwere around there.

[Butterz]

You can just buy the hooks barbless as well. Just in case you have to do some more fishing later on.

[Ldesp]

i got some fly hooks from my brother in law for the same fish same size. I forget the exact size, but they were small, the number was in the 20's, I want to say 26, but somehwere around there.

Thanks for the responses. I will see what I can get here at the shop. Did you use a rod or just some line and your finger?

[Ldesp]

You can just buy the hooks barbless as well. Just in case you have to do some more fishing later on.

good idea. =)

[hfleming]

I am interested to see how this turns out. Keep us posted

[Mako]

I have used a Sabiki rig before with good results. I trimmed the barbs off the hooks with dykes to allow for easier removal of the fish.

[username in use]

I just used line on my finger and baited it with some mysis. The tiny fly hooks are so small that you can just bend t he barb back flush with the shank, and it takes care of it.

[mcoomer]

I would take a trip to a fly fishing shop and get some hooks. The will have tiny dry fly hooks that you want and they'll have them without barbs. I know that you can pinch a barb over and be OK with the game warden but if you can rub your finger over the barb and still feel it's profile you might still injure your fish, particularly one with a tiny mouth. While you're in the shop pick up some leader material, very fine monofilament, and just wrap it around your finger with some mysis on the hook. BTW...don't try to take the fish off the hook. With a barbless hook and a fish that small, carefully grab the eye of the hook with a pair of hemostats, hold the fish and hook under water, and then slowly turn the hook eye down so that the fish simply slides off. Very quick release and will save the slime coat from handling. Be sure to strap into your fighting chair.

Mike

[jbird69]

I have done this several times to remove fish from my tank. A #22 is the biggest hook you can get away with. Use some hemostats or needlenose to pinch the barb. Hooks this small can be hard to come by, especially the barbless versions if you dont live in an area that has full flyfishing service shops. You will need very fine mono to thread the hook. like 2#. Put a loop around your finger like suggested. Have a small bucket ready with tank water, once you hook him, quickly transfer him to the bucket and give him slack on the line. He will simply spit out the barbless hook without you having to do any thing.

Mysis can be very dificult to get on a hook, I would suggest krill or squid.

[dwd5813]

you guys are forgetting a very important piece of equipment for this expedition. a videocamera!! :lol: i wanna see someone fishing in their tank :D

good luck.

[Ldesp]

I live in Macau China and do not know of any specialty fly fishing shops. I am going to hit up the regular fishing shops tomorrow however to see what I can find as far as the smallest hooks they got.

I can try setting up my digital camera to record but the memory card on that thing wont last long. Hopefully the fish will just jump on the hook right away =)

I plan to skip feeding breakfast so that when I get back in the afternoon from the shop with hook and line the hippo should be hungry.

anyhow fingers crossed.

[asonitez]

Caught a Lunar Wrass like this before. I used a childs fishing pole. I even used a bobber o.O - My Fiance thought it was halarious. Its not as bad as when I was using a fish trap to catch a bi-color angel in my reef. I was dressed in black sitting on the floor reaaaaaaaaaaaaal still waiting for it to go in after the softy and sps coral i put in the trap. My Fiance thought this was funny too.

[username in use]

if you cant find what you need in a shop, check out cabellas.com. They have everything.

[Ldesp]

Caught a Lunar Wrass like this before. I used a childs fishing pole. I even used a bobber o.O - My Fiance thought it was halarious. Its not as bad as when I was using a fish trap to catch a bi-color angel in my reef. I was dressed in black sitting on the floor reaaaaaaaaaaaaal still waiting for it to go in after the softy and sps coral i put in the trap. My Fiance thought this was funny too.

hahaha sounds just like me. The trap and all black ninja outfit do seem to work if I was wanting to catch my chromis but they are not the target. The hippo just doesnt like the trap at all so I gave up on sneaking around in all black :lmao:

[BigandUgly]

Don't forget to use a steel leader. You don't want your trophy catch getting away...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=307&pictureid=4071

[Dutch06]

Don't forget to use a steel leader. You don't want your trophy catch getting away...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=307&pictureid=4071

Hilarious.

[Fisher72]

go to a fly shop and get a #28 along with 10x tippet, I've done this many times and works well.

[teeteeplz]

how much of a risk is there of harming the fish by removing them this way?

[bsharding1982]

how much of a risk is there of harming the fish by removing them this way?

I was wondering the excact same thing.

[username in use]

Ive done it twice with no ill affects.

[AMDphenomx4]

Personally, i have never used a hook. Ive used a net to catch a powder blue tang aswell as a yellow tang, both taking less than 5 minutes.
Ah crap, i posted...

[am3gross]

wow.....! lol! fishing in our tanks... that is so funny!

[bsharding1982]

Yes, please post a picture if you can. I can only imagine doing this. And thats one way to break the trust of your fish.

[jbird69]

how much of a risk is there of harming the fish by removing them this way?


It is probably the least stressful way to remove a fish. You arent trapping it, you arent chasing it around w a net, you arent draining the tank.
I have accidently hooked the wrong fish several times. I give the line slack and it comes off, within 15 seconds the same fish is going for it again.

I honestly cant believe that everyone isnt removing problem fish with this method. The only bummer is coaxing the right fish. Just keep pulling it away from the other fish (they really get fired up when you do this) When the right fish latches on, be quick to come tight and lift him into your container.

A word of caution is some fish go wild when hooked and can spray a lot of water so turn off your MH's.

[kc350twin]

This thread made me laugh. That Bill Dance pic is awesome. Please video your prize catch.

[Ldesp]

woo hooo ... good news!!
I caught me a hippo tang for thanks giving dinner .. jk =)

Bad news the video camera battery died before it happened. I did film a couple failed
attempts of almost catching it then the battery crapped out. I also took some still shots afterwards once the battery recharged.

Anyhow I woke up early this morning to head out to the fishing store to pick up some hooks and line. As mentioned I live in Macau China so I was not sure what I would find at the shop. I walked in and they had a bunch of hooks in boxes diff sizes. Crazy thing is the hooks were not even labeled in size so I just asked them for the smallest hook they had and some line that would fit the hook. I brought it home took some needle nose pliers to the tiny barb to ensure the fish would not get hurt and started fishing.

I tried mysis as bait at first and it was too hard to stick it on the hook. So I tried some frozen shrimp thawed out. That was easier to get on the hook. It being morning time all the fish were hungry and ready for breakfast so the hardest part was trying to avoid catching the wrong fish. As soon as I dropped the line in the tank all the fish showed interest so I was continuously pulling the line and hook out of the water in fear of hooking the wrong fish.

I ended up throwing a few little peace's of shrimp in the tank to distract some of the fish away from the line so I was able to drop the line right infront of the hippo and she jumped on it. I pulled up and she came right out splashing straight into my bucket of tank water I had waiting. I let some slack on the line she and slipped right off the hook. She was probably only on the hook for less then 10 seconds. I did not have to touch or handle her in anyway.

Anyhow I will upload some pics a bit later so you guys can get a peek. I am taking her back to the LFS now.

Thanks to everyone for helping with advice ect on this.

Happy Thanks Giving. =)

[silverfly]

Hey, well done!
Sounds like it worked a treat. Sounds like you enjoyed it, i hope you're not hooked!

Richie

[Ldesp]

So here is a few pics of the hook and line used. As well as the Hippo in the bucket after the catch.

Hook used
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/Hook.jpg

Line used
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/Line.jpg

Hook and Line
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/HookLine.jpg

Hook and Line Close Up
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/HookLine2.jpg

Hippo
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/Hippo1.jpg
and
http://www.jelenaboskovic.com/fish/Hippo2.jpg

I am not sure how to upload the small failed attempt video that I did manage to catch before the battery died. Do I need to upload to youtube and link to it?

[am3gross]

nice!

[fishy125]

Wish I would of thought of this when I tried to capture my large tomato clown. Never would of thought of this, tore apart my rockwork to get him.:lmao:

[jollyballs]

lol great job. i would have never thought of that.

[jollyballs]

i might have to remove a powder blue tang from my tank because he is picking on my hippo. i might have to try this procedure.

[jbird69]

Sweeeeet! Not only is it easy, its FUN! I catch and release all my fish every day just for a thrill!



jk

[BigandUgly]

Sweeeeet! Not only is it easy, its FUN! I catch and release all my fish every day just for a thrill!


I did this for a while, but my survival rate wasn't very good.

Of course I only fish with a spear gun...

[WethandsCT]

LOL, I have a nasty butterfly that is picking polyps off my orange aussie hammer, his mouth is what 1/8".

[Grassroots]

LOL, I have a nasty butterfly that is picking polyps off my orange aussie hammer, his mouth is what 1/8".

Hahaha good luck with catching that lol.



I have used these hooks to catch small damsels and wrasses pretty much any type of fish with a decent sized mouth can be caught.