Fish hook remover

Abstract

A fish hook remover for humanely removing a hook from a fish is particularly useful for catch-and-release fishing. The fish hook remover has a handle for a user to manipulate, a hook engagement member, and two rods which connect the handle and the hook engagement member. These connections are located such that the hook remover acts similar to a four-bar linkage. When the handle, forming one side of the four-bar linkage, is rotated one direction, the hook engagement member, forming the opposing side of the four-bar linkage, is rotated the same direction, thereby allowing the user to remotely control the motion of the hook engagement member. The hook engagement member has a channel running through it. An opening in the hook engagement member allows the user to insert the fishing line which is then used as a guide to properly place the fish hook remover. The hook engagement member is slid downward until the fish hook slides into a notch located in the bottom of the hook engagement member. At this point the fish hook is locked in place within the fish hook remover and the hook may be removed. There are several way to remove the hook, but the most basic is to twist the handle so that the hook engagement member rotates 180° which removes the fish hook by backing the hook out of the flesh of the fish in the direction it entered, thereby causing the minimum amount of trauma possible.