Fishing the Elusive Tiger Muskie at Pineview Reservoir 

RoboTekno pretty sure it’s another way to track the fish, same thing as a fin clip in a hatchery

To answer your questions: 1. The more material there is, the better the sample and quantity of testable material they get. 2. Because they are idiots that don't know how to properly sample a fish's fin is why they cut right there. 3. No it won't grow back and yes it does affect the fish's ability to swim. probably not much, but even if it has to move it's fins 2 more times a minute to stay in position, it still affects them.

Yeah why they do that

Its to mark its been caught before so anyone that catches that fish know its been caught and to look for a tag

Tyler doesn't have a clue. It's for laboratory tests. Diseases, age, and the likes.

Namely age, but also disease or heavy metals.

lol, have you ever musky fished?

Dumbass

So every single fish you have hooked was perfectly in the mouth? Yeah sure clown.

The bait is called a "jerk bait". You twitch the rod to get the bait to move around in the water, it's how they're designed. The water clarity at this reservoir isn't good enough to be able to see the fish and actively try to snag them. Also big baits with treble hooks, it's much better for the fish to be hooked on the edges of the mouth that in the throat. That's why baits like this are designed with 3 hooks, less likely for the fish to swallow it and get the hooks in their gills. If the fish swallows an 8 inch bait with 3 hooks, hell even 1 hook, it will die. 9/10 times a fish hooked in the gills or the throat will die.