Deep hooked fish (bass)

Got on a good large mouth bite this past weekend at berryessa (up to 6.25) but bite was super soft and I had issues with bass choking lure. (Jackal flik shake cut down to 3 - 4"). Was using. Gamakatsu offset worm hook. And this deep hooking in crushers (on two of about 20 fish caught) caused the fish to die.
So my question is how do you either prevent deep hooking fish when running such a small lure combination or how do you get the hook out safely?
The two were eaten but would have been released had it not been for deep hook.

Possibly upgrade the size of the bait and hooks?

Hemostats if the hook hasn't reached the gullet.

Just part of the game, really. If you notice a pattern of deep hooking, it might be wise to crimp your barb. It'll make pulling the hook from their throat much easier.

Thanks for insight. I tried a 6" with a 2o hook and couldn't get a bite.
I know it happens. Just want to make sure I do all I can to preserve fisheries especially largemouth in berry.

I was having this same problem with Senko caught fish. I was using an offset worm hook and switched over octopus circle hooks. it was a success and I still caught fish.

Dont wait too long once you feel the bite. That way it wont give them plenty of time to swallow. Agree to change the hook size.

use the red plastic hook removers with the small balls on each end with grooves. It takes a sort of 3 hand approach to use but works great. Hold the fish in one hand, the tool and line in the other. Keep tension on the line to pull the hook into the grooves and hold it there. Then push down and into the fish and the hook pops out, stays in the groove and can be removed from the gullet.

http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mfd7e4b403bf47f75fd0d599e71ce8be2o0&w=90&h=105&c=7&rs=1&qlt=90&pid=3.1&rm=2

I usually cut the line and release the fish,it's 50/50.the hook sizes that I use is 4/0 ewg for my general plastics and a 1 ewg for my finesse so I don't get deep hook fish too often.i can't even remember the last time I had a deep hook fish

If the hook is down into the gullet, you can get it out without hurting the fish usually.

Take your needle-nose pliers, reach upwards through the gill plate toward the eye of the hook from below. Grab the hook eye with the pliers, and rotate the hook so that the point is aimed straight down the gullet. The eye will be pointing back towards the gill plate. The hook should pop loose with a little tug if it doesn't just jump out on it's own, assuming you got it right. It's a little awkward, but once you do it a couple of times, it gets much easier and less cumbersome. Sometimes it helps to cut the hook off the line first to keep the line out of the way.

That little trick has saved me numerous dead fish penalties back in my tournament fishing days.  It's worked like a charm even on really deeply hooked fish where the hook eye was not readily visible, or barely visible.

Of course this assumes a single hook. A swallowed treble, and you might probably think about finding some tartar sauce.

If the hook is down into the gullet, you can get it out without hurting the fish usually.

Take your needle-nose pliers, reach upwards through the gill plate toward the eye of the hook from below. Grab the hook eye with the pliers, and rotate the hook so that the point is aimed straight down the gullet. The eye will be pointing back towards the gill plate. The hook should pop loose with a little tug if it doesn't just jump out on it's own, assuming you got it right. It's a little awkward, but once you do it a couple of times, it gets much easier and less cumbersome. Sometimes it helps to cut the hook off the line first to keep the line out of the way.

That little trick has saved me numerous dead fish penalties back in my tournament fishing days.  It's worked like a charm even on really deeply hooked fish where the hook eye was not readily visible, or barely visible.

Of course this assumes a single hook. A swallowed treble, and you might probably think about finding some tartar sauce.

+1. I use this method.

If the fish is hooked so deep that there is no hook to be seen, I run the line under the lowermost gill and pull gently. This usually exposes most of the hook. I then take the needle-nose pliers down the mouth of the fish, and while maintaining light pressure on the line I am usually able to corkscrew the hook out with minimal trauma.