Catching bass without a hook...

[Bizzo]

Has anyone had this happen? I was fishing for smallies with senkos and hooked into a decent size fish, about 2 pounds. Fought him for a bit to tire him out, took awhile, then pulled him in. I looked in his mouth and saw the lure and line go all the way down deep. I was going to cut the line, but wanted to pull out the lure first. I grabbed the lure with my needle nose and pulled it and the hook right out. He wasnt hooked at all! I have heard stories of people catching bass on senkos without the hook being set, but didn't really believe them until now. I am still just amazed that the fish just wouldnt let it go!

[Shad_Master]

I had a similar situation a couple of years ago when I first started using Sweet Beavers - after experimenting with them a little to see what the action was like, I made my first serious cast to an area where I was sure there were bass -- sure enough I saw my line moving to the left immediately.  I "set the hook" and got his head turned and he was swimming right at me on the bank - I had to scramble to stay up with him and lifted him over the grass on the edge of the pond.  When I did, he dropped down.  I picked him up and got him back in the water and started to re-set the hook point when I discovered that the point was still buried in the lure.  That was quite an endorsement for me about the Beavers.

[Lucky Craft Man]

Its funny you brought this up.  I was fishing a drop off area that went from 10 down to 17 feet.  I threw out a Fat Ika and let it sink all the way down.  Gently lifting my rod, I felt resistance and I set the hook like I was trying to get the hook to pentrate a brick wall.  I fought the fish for at least for 30 seconds when the bass came to the surface and jumped out of the water with his mouth open.  My lure came flying out of his mouth and when I brought the lure back to the boat, the hook was burried deep into the Ika without the hook tip being exposed.  I couldn't believe that fish held onto the lure so long without a hook in him and I see that has happened to others as well.

[the ohh face]

every time I use those damned toads