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Random Quote: I have nice six pack abs, so nice I keep them well padded.
I bought two to try this season since we release most of what we catch. The enclosed DVD demonstrated how to use and I thought it was very clever. Anyone using them? Experiences?
Yup. They work great. Best dehooking device I have ever had. Much better than needle nose pliers. The first time I used it was on Gulf Of Mexico catfish, which have a nasty dorsal fin barb. Never had to touch a single slimy catfish, and therefore I never had a chance of getting barbed.
Use it just like the mini DVD suggests. There are also directions printed on the back of the package.
__________________ 1999 20 foot Seagull power cat
Single 135 Optimax outboard
I haven't gotten the knack yet. I can't seem to get the right angle or something. As a result, I've been using the SS ones with the open loop at the tip and the trigger in the handle. Not the $3.99 ones.
I like mine a lot. Today I was able to get my hook back three times out of three on very nasty medium bull sharks at the boat. I've never had any de-hooker that worked that well. It will both flip fish off of any hook but will also work when fish are deeply throat hooked.
Now if they only made one that would float when dropped overboard....
__________________ Tight Lines
Capt Bob LeMay
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I looked into these last year and they looked like a great idea, but the price is a bit much. Went to McMasterCarr bought 1/8" and 3/16" SS rod. Yeah it ended up costing me a little more but I made like 8 of these removers with nice IPE wooden handles. I've given a bunch away to friends and have a few on my boat. They work great. Used them on fish up to good sized stripers.
"I looked into these last year and they looked like a great idea, but the price is a bit much. Went to McMasterCarr bought 1/8" and 3/16" SS rod. Yeah it ended up costing me a little more but I made like 8 of these removers with nice IPE wooden handles. I've given a bunch away to friends and have a few on my boat. They work great. Used them on fish up to good sized stripers."
Can we all say patent infringement. The ARC design is patented, so I hope you didn't try and sell the other 7 you made.
LI32 - 1/9/2009 7:36 AM "I looked into these last year and they looked like a great idea, but the price is a bit much. Went to McMasterCarr bought 1/8" and 3/16" SS rod. Yeah it ended up costing me a little more but I made like 8 of these removers with nice IPE wooden handles. I've given a bunch away to friends and have a few on my boat. They work great. Used them on fish up to good sized stripers." Can we all say patent infringement. The ARC design is patented, so I hope you didn't try and sell the other 7 you made.
????? Did he say he sold them ?[img]../images/emoticons/hitfish.gif[/img]
i made some also.not to sell but use myself and friends.onarampage,{love that name} i noticed that when you made the bend,you formed a cirle and stopped there.on the original dehooker,{at least the one i had}the bend continues further to form a half circle.i do'nt know if it matters however.i made a small one for striper and a MUCH longer,larger one for sharks.
The ARC de-hooker may be patented but the design has been around for lots of years. There is a better design too.
When I sold my last boat I left a fantastic de-hooker board by accident. It will work with trebles too. I don't have access to a welder anymore but I'll draw one up if anybody wants to see it.
Maybe somebody can get it patented and make a buck on it.
Patented design... ha ha ha, yeah right. Like I'm worried about that. I haven't sold anything nor have I marketed my version of their "patented" product. But, in fact in some ways I could patent this design as an improvement on their product. But I have no intention of that, even though their product is ridiculously overpriced and competition would do well. I've only made these to GIVE away to a couple friends and to use myself.
A waste of money for me. I fish for grouper and snapper in 100-250ft. We have to vent any of the fish we send back down. because of this we have to handle the fish. That eliminates the dehooker's main benefit.
Also, I cant get sharks to cooperate long enough to use it. And circle hooks are a biatch to remove from sharks with this tool.
Arc's patent allows people to make em as long as they don't sell em. In fact they encourage it, if you can't afford an Arc.
__________________ "Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll pee on em
Thats what the statue of bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, lets club em to death
And get it over with and just dump em on the boulevard"
-L.Reed
"If you don't like it, go to Russia" -Homer Simpson.
ARC Dehooker 
