Eye-hooked bass

[EGbassing]

So recently I caught a pretty good sized bass, (the one in my profile picture) but it was hooked about a half-inch below the eye with a 2/0 round bend worm hook, and the eye looked pretty weird. (kind of red or something - a lot different from the other normal looking one) Does anybody know if it can survive like that? It was at least 4 pounds so I'd hate to see it starve or something...  

[BrianinMD]

It will survive without issue, caught numerous fish that were blind in one eye and they were healthy

[Deleted account]

It will survive with one eye. I've caught bass blind in both eyes before. Every so often you'll get one in the eye, it happens. If the eye isn't punctured, and you turn the barb away from it, you can usually remove the hook without further damage.

[12poundbass]

They'll swim in circles until they get their bearings then take off.

[A-Jay]

She was a 'one-eye'.

Didn't seem to slow her down much . . . . 

A-Jay

[EGbassing]

56 minutes ago, BrianinMD said:

It will survive without issue, caught numerous fish that were blind in one eye and they were healthy

Thanks for the help. I've never caught one that had been previously eye-hooked, but I've eye-hooked 2 of them. Unfortunate, but it's good to know that they can still survive.  

[NHBull]

27 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

She was a 'one-eye'.

Didn't seem to slow her down much . . . . 

A-Jay

A-Jay for the win....

[New River Addiction]

38 minutes ago, NHBull said:

A-Jay for the win....

X 2!! That fish is a tank!!

[FishDewd]

Catfish are so bad about this... I've caught a bunch that have sucked it in too hard and I ended up eye hooking them or have already been eye hooked before. But they seem to do fine with one or no eyes. Not as sure about bass, the ones I have caught so far I have gotten through the cheek or on the roof of the mouth. But if these more experienced guys say they do okay, then I am inclined to lean that way. If it ever happens to me I will do the same thing I do with catfish. Try to turn the hook away and try to remove the hook as gently as possible. If that fails, squish the hook barb and remove it that way to reduce damage. One thing about eyes, human or not, they tend to be one of the best body parts for healing. But sometimes you just know you blinded one, no way around it.

[Way north bass guy]

I have a 6lb smallie on my wall that I caught years ago, hammered a spinnerbait in a foot of water and was fat as ever. His one eye had been wrecked and healed right over years before that. Clearly it didn’t hurt him much. 

[frosty]

I caught a nice sized bluegill that only had one eye. Kinda surprised me when he spun around and there was just the eye cavity. He seemed to be doing pretty good considering the number of decent size bass in the water with him...

[VAHunter]

I agree with all the responses.  That fish is fine.  As for the red eye, it is the spawn.  Bass, especially the males, get red eyes before they go on the bed.