Frogs N Hawgs

I was bank fishing a small public pond the other day where I ended up gut hooking a bass. The thing that really has been eating me up is the fact it was my PB @ 7-1/2 lbs! I have gut hooked bass in the past and it only happens when I’m bouncing a Texas rigged worm. The survival rate is 50/50. On this occasion I was just hopping the worm along the bottom at a steady retrieve when I noticed the line started moving towards me a little quicker than normal. There was no thump or any sort of “hit” to inform me the bait was taken. I reeled in quickly to pick up the slack and set the hook hard. BOOM, fish on! I pulled in a pig and knew it was going to be my new PB. My excitement turned into anxiety as I realized the fish had nearly swallowed the hook. I cut the line and attempted to back out the hook from the eye side. Every time any sort of tension was put on the fishes throat it would contract it’s gullet, lodging the hook deeper inside its throat. After no luck of getting the hook out, and some bleeding, I decided to leave it in and give the fish a chance to survive. I attempted to revive the majestic beast, but I had no luck. The 7-1/2 lb. LMB kept floating on its side occasionally twitching. I thanked her for the experience and pushed her into a thicket of cat tails. I checked back in about an hour later and three turtles had already started to make a meal of her. That made me feel ALOT better. Here’s my concern: I felt so guilty considering it was such a large specimen in a small pond that gets a lot of pressure from other anglers. I have a feeling there isn’t many bass in the pond considering there is an abundance of small baitfish and the few bass I have caught were 4+ lbs. This tells me the population ratio of bass/baitfish is not exactly “healthy”. I can’t help but to think I just screwed up the food chain by removing one of the few large predators in that ecosystem. Is that a possibility? I hope I have not just started a chain reaction that will negatively affect the fish populations. I understand this is a blood sport and sometimes fish are going to perish when practicing catch and release. I did consider taking the fish home to eat, but I did not have a cooler, it was 95° outside, and I was an hour away from home. I have never filleted and eaten a fish I have caught either so I honestly felt allowing the fish to become food for the other creatures in the ecosystem was the best option. I think the fact it was my PB LMB is what made me so dang sensitive to the situation. Extreme high to very disappointed. An emotional roller coaster. But, hey I still had fun and have a new fishing memory! Learning from this experience, I will start carrying bolt cutters specifically for cutting the shank of the hook. I will also start bending the barb down to increase the chances of removing the hook with ease. Thanks for listening! (this is my first post so I may created a new topic that was not needed)

I was bank fishing a small public pond the other day where I ended up gut hooking a bass. The thing that really has been eating me up is the fact it was my PB @ 7-1/2 lbs! I have gut hooked bass in the past and it only happens when I’m bouncing a Texas rigged worm. The survival rate is 50/50. On this occasion I was just hopping the worm along the bottom at a steady retrieve when I noticed the line started moving towards me a little quicker than normal. There was no thump or any sort of “hit” to inform me the bait was taken. I reeled in quickly to pick up the slack and set the hook hard. BOOM, fish on! I pulled in a pig and knew it was going to be my new PB. My excitement turned into anxiety as I realized the fish had nearly swallowed the hook. I cut the line and attempted to back out the hook from the eye side. Every time any sort of tension was put on the fishes throat it would contract it’s gullet, lodging the hook deeper inside its throat. After no luck of getting the hook out, and some bleeding, I decided to leave it in and give the fish a chance to survive. I attempted to revive the majestic beast, but I had no luck. The 7-1/2 lb. LMB kept floating on its side occasionally twitching. I thanked her for the experience and pushed her into a thicket of cat tails. I checked back in about an hour later and three turtles had already started to make a meal of her. That made me feel ALOT better. I felt so guilty considering it was such a large specimen in a small pond that gets a lot of pressure from other anglers. I have a feeling there isn’t many bass in the pond considering there is an abundance of small baitfish and the few bass I have caught were 4+ lbs. This tells me the population ratio of bass/baitfish is not exactly “healthy”. I can’t help but to think I just screwed up the food chain by removing one of the few large predators in that ecosystem. Is that a possibility? I hope not! Learning from this experience, I will start carrying bolt cutters specifically for cutting the shank of the hook. I will also start bending the barb down to increase the chances of removing the hook with ease. Thanks for listening!

Hey there! I got bit by the fishing bug mid July last year in 2019 and have become borderline obsessed with it. Catching my first bass on a Texas Rigged worm was one of the more satisfying experiences I can recall of recent memory. From that point on I have dedicated a good chunk of my life to chasing down LMBs. Majority of the time, I am fishing the bank at small ponds hidden behind businesses, public ponds that are tucked away from the general public’s watchful eye, stocked private ponds, the Little Miami and Ohio River, and occasionally at the nearest State Park, Eastfork Lake. I’m always looking for new spots to get my fix. Heck, I’ll fish for anything including catfish, striped bass, carp, bluegill, gar, etc. If it swims, I’ll enjoy catching it, EXCEPT massive snapping turtles! I grew up being taught to just hook up a night crawler, throw it in, and wait for the bobber to disappear. That’s still a fun and relaxing way to catch em’, but I was never really aware of all the specific techniques involved with catching different species of fish. After trial and a lot of error, I finally landed my first LMB on an artificial bait, which seemed like it would never happen. You can’t go wrong with a Texas Rigged worm! My eyes were opened that moment and have been hooked ever since. In my eyes, fishing is therapy for the mind, body, and soul. You just can’t beat the pure thrill and satisfaction of a bent pole with a fish pulling drag. I have invested in rods, reels, tackle, baits, and more recently a fishing kayak. I now want to invest in knowledge. I enjoy learning new techniques and am always open to improving my game. I finally started catching hoards of topwater fish this spring which has only sparked my interest even more. I am glad I have become part of a community that not only shares my passion, but can help me become a better angler along the way! I look forward to sharing many more experiences out on the water with you all! I’m all in! -John