iso18 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2013 Reason I ask is cause its not directly in the lips. I think,i may have set to soon or to late. I saw the carp plopped the fly in front bout (3feet) and he came directly towrd my fly. When he was where i thought my fly was i lifted the rod and he was there! Shane http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/isoemerger18/carp10lbs5_zpsa0178d1d.jpg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2013 Officially, for record or tournament fishing, no ... this is a foul hook fish. Any hooking outside the mouth is considered a snagging. However, there is some gray area here. If the fish was actually taking the fly at the time of the hook set, it might be considered fair hooked. I don't know how you'd prove that to a record committee or a tournament director, but there ya go. Additionally, no, that is not a fair fish ... that is one ugly set o' lips !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2013 in Michigan it would be foul hooked as it isn't inside the mouth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2013 Some places I have seen, that "in front of the gills" is a fair hooked fish. Mainly because some fish hit the fry to render it unconscious, and then eat it, if the do that to a fly, they might end up with hitting the hook and then be hooked outside of the mouth. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JSzymczyk 0 Report post Posted August 29, 2013 considering that in most jurisdictions it is legal to SHOOT carp, I would say yes it is a fair hook. It is obvious the fish was investigating the fly in some fashion. If you were bass fishing with a crankbait and landed a fish which had a hook on the outside of the lip you wouldn't think twice about it - the fish took a whack at the lure and got hooked. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mainbutter 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2013 It depends state to state, some have a "within X inches of the mouth" rule to accommodate barely missed strikes that hook outside the mouth and that notorious "fixed bead followed by a bare hook" fishing tactic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted August 31, 2013 Accordin' to many tournament and state rules, there'd be issue, but if you weren't snaggin', I say be pleased that you attracted that fish to your fly! 8-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites