Fish hooks

[moozy]

While out with the family at Bolam Lake (northumberland) on saturday we saw the very distressing sight of a canada goose with a fish hook and float stuck to the side of its mouth, everyone feeding the swans, ducks and geese where very concerned. I phoned the northumberland wildlife trust who run the lake and they told me they knew this and had tried to catch the goose but without success and they have a specialist coming this week as the goose was feeding ok.
I will call again either today or tomorrow to find if they have managed to help the poor goose.
Now this is not the first time I have seen wildlife caught up in fishing equipment / hooks mainly, and I am alway picking fishing line up when I am at St Marys Lighthouse (whitley bay).
I have complained about this to the enviroment agentsy but nothing seems to get done, I know all anglers are not bad and lots are very tuned in when it comes to nature, but I feel Angling clubs and members have to get proactive and police themselfs.

sorry about any spelling mistakes, I'm in a hurry before work.

[healfdan]

A few years ago when I was involved with woodland management I had to rescue a Carrion crow that had fishing line wrapped around its leg and finished up hanging helplessly from a branch high up in a tree. We manged to rescue the bird but the line had bitten deeply into its leg and it was lucky not to lose it.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Problem is alot of the time it's kids who aren't educated in the right way to behave who do this. Also the problem isn't black and white, swans in particular can reach down easily into 4ft of water and pick up a baited hook, tufted ducks can dive into very deep water and do the same, although they don't have the same power to break the line. On beaches many marks are snaggy close in, it's easy to lose tackle when the tide is in only for it to become exposed when the tide goes out.

This type of thing only seems a major issue on busy park type places, luckily that's only a small percentage of water throughout the country

[APC]

This happens at my work a few times a year.

It usually occurs, as someone has said before, because a swan goes for a baited hook beneath the surface, or unsupervised surface bait.

A way we have used to sort this, once, was to catch the affected swan and kneel on it, on the bank, containing its wings between your thighs. Another person (or better 2) cut the line a meter from the swans mouth. You then thread a thin flexible tube over the line and find the hook (should be where the tube stops). Then try and work out the hook. Once you feel the hook is out, pull the hook so that it either slides up the inside of the tube (ideal situation, never happened with us) or hooks onto the tube (much more likely).

Be prepared for the swan not to be grateful.

I think this has worked once for us in 3 years. Other times we have had the RSPCA out and they have dealt with it.

I'm not sure on whether this is an approved method but if you have a bunch of you I think it is worth giving it a go, so long as you can juggle being firm with being gentle.

[Farplace]

It is hard to catch a water bird on the water. This goose is in good health at the moment. It can swin and it can fly. It will not want to be caught.
If it can be lured to the bank with the promise of a free meal, and IF someone can get close enough to it, it can be caught. The easiest way to catch a goose/swan etc on land is to grab it by the neck, close to the head, and INSTANTLY wrap your arms around it's wings to prevent it flapping. Easier said than done.
On water, same principle applies, but it's virtually impossible.
Sadly, it is very often impossible to catch the bird until it is too weak to put up much of a fight.... by which time it is often too late.
much depends on how near people can get to the bird.
Let us know what happens to it, if you can please.

[thebeard]

it is a shame that this stuff happens, but unfortunately its difficult to stop, i posted a thread recently concerning a tawny owl that had been snagged in some line in a tree which resulted in it drowning. the picture i took of the bird is to be used in a poster for the notts wildlife trust apparently, to warn anglers of consequences at the reserves where angling is permitted, but this probably wont deter the idiots!

[Farplace]

Originally Posted by thebeard

it is a shame that this stuff happens, but unfortunately its difficult to stop, i posted a thread recently concerning a tawny owl that had been snagged in some line in a tree which resulted in it drowning. the picture i took of the bird is to be used in a poster for the notts wildlife trust apparently, to warn anglers of consequences at the reserves where angling is permitted, but this probably wont deter the idiots!

I am glad your photo is being put to good use, Beard.

[Dogghound]

I think the real issure is not birds intentionally feeding on hooks, but particularly with swans, when hooks gets snagged in waterweed and the swan feeds on this weed resulting in it swallowing the hook.

[moozy]

I totally agree dogghound , anglers need educating, so few have lessons on how and where to fish, they buy a rod now your a angler.

I phoned bolam lake last night when I got in but got no answer, but phone today and see how got on with the poor goose.

[RKB]

It's a tough one. Most angling waters are managed, so you're pretty much told where to fish. The problem is that line can and does easily become snagged on bushes etc on the opposing bank if you cast too far (easy to do - and the far bank is often where the fish are). Anglers try very hard to avoid it, as they lose gear and a lot of time. But it's usually very hard/impractical to retrieve lost gear due to access problems (far side of a river, island in a lake etc).

One easy way of alleviating it would be to clear all bushes from opposing banks, but that wouldn't be popular with birders either.