Question

[Cody Cathes]

I caught a 6 pound bass and kept it out of the water long enough for pictures, the after that took the hook out and it started bleeding , I put it back in the water and it swam right off , should I be worried if it lived or not?

[dwh4784]

I wouldn't worry about it, bass aren't planter trout. I released a bad bleeder one time, I had no way to keep it even if I had wanted to. Never saw it floating belly up or anything so I hope it made it.

[Catt]

Been fishing 61 yrs wanna guess how many died on me?

 

It happens, try & minimize the number...press on!

[Choporoz]

I've been fishing just a few years fewer than Catt..... Regrets, I've had a few....But then again, too few to mention

 

But, you know, I remember nearly all of those I lost or likely lost.

 

I appreciate your concern.  Don't lose it.  But not worth an ulcer, either.  Do your best to care for them and you'll be fine...so will the fish.

[jr231]

Fish are so resilient... I remember once a few years back we were going to have a fish fry.. well we had done this previously to clear up stunted bass in an unfished pond .. and the first time I would catch them and throw them in a chest full of ice. Well this made them tough to filet.. so the next time I kept them in a fish basket and threw them in a chest with no ice. They stayed alive for what felt like forever. I ended up giving in and put ice on them cuz I didn't want to filet them alive. 

 

Moral of the story is they are tougher than given credit for. When handled with care and in a timely manner. Survival rate is very high. 

[CTBassin860]

On 3/30/2017 at 10:29 AM, Choporoz said:

I've been fishing just a few years fewer than Catt..... Regrets, I've had a few....But then again, too few to mention

 

But, you know, I remember nearly all of those I lost or likely lost.

 

I appreciate your concern.  Don't lose it.  But not worth an ulcer, either.  Do your best to care for them and you'll be fine...so will the fish.

Thanks for the Sinatra bug in my head.

[Jaderose]

Yep...it happens and I always feel bad.  I released a bleeder a couple of years ago and it swam away.  Half hour later, I saw it dying in an area that I could not get access to so I couldn't get it.  Felt bad.  Still feel bad.  You do what you can do.  Treat them as good as you can and respect the home they live.  You'll help more than you hurt.

 

ps...I've also released fish that were fouled in abandoned line as I'm sure others have.  You do what you can.

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Hopefully it'll heal up, otherwise, it happens...

[shimmy]

I am ALWAYS in the viewpoint that you take pictures of big bass. Great fish, be reasonable with how long it is out of the water. Take several pictures, let em go. Most will swim away just fine. Every once in a while, one does not and it was unexpected. This is a part of fishing. Control what you can, get the pic, and post on the forum. 

[RoLo]

 

I would imagine that many of the 'big chunks' we catch have already been photographed.

A bass that weighs 6 pounds is probably thinking, "Good grief, here we go again!".

 

Roger

 

[lonnie g]

never know some times, but your concern for the fish and the sport is admirable.