How often to you accidently kill a bass??

[FR0G]

I haven't killed a bass that I know of. I am usually pretty good with either setting the hook perfectly, or no getting them at all. Rarely ever do I have to cut my line due to the hook being in the throat.

[Grey Wolf]

I've never killed a bass...I've killed sunnies when fishing ultralights with live bait, but that's it. Nearly killed a bass recently, though...I think it bumped the jig I was fishing, and it got a hookset just above the eye...had to be real careful or I think I would have blinded it or hit the brain, but it swam off just fine.

[SenkoBasser]

That I know of, never killed any. But who's to say that the thing didn't swim away and die later. ??? Ya never know. But I've never released one to find it belly up a few minutes later.

[ba7ss3in]

1 to 2 a year, sometimes when you are catching fish in 90 to 95 degree water you can't get them back in quick enough.

[Garnet]

It's just a fact with schooling Smallies and yes tubes are the worst thats why I try to get a dropshot bite going.

Leaving a hook and bait in a fish is just criminal, with care and a pair of offset sidecutters you can cut hooks very close. This is the best approach.

Garnet

[Bankbeater]

Probably two or three a year.

[tkite16]

1. Buy good high modulus fast action rods for sensitivity

2. When you feel a thump SET THE HOOK, the thump was not them picking up with their fins. It is already in their mouth

  It always kills me to have people with me say there letting them take it.  I always ask em if they think the fish is down there juggling their worm or what. :

[BadKarma42]

It happens.  When it happens I feel bad and try to figure out what I did wrong and learn from it.

[simplejoe]

I kill sometimes 2 or 3 a year but as soon as I feel smallest tap I pull my rod back a little bit to see if I feel a fish on the end of my line.

[Fishin Phil]

The more important thing about it is the overall health of the lake. The few fish that are killed by anglers that practice catch and release is nothing compared to over harvesting. I wouldn't worry about the 1 fish as it seems you have the right attitude about fishing in general. Culling the population isn't a bad thing either, just as long as things stay balanced.

Nobody likes to see a fish die for no reason, but if it's gonna go may as well keep it and fry it up. Nature provides for us, may as well appreciate it now and then.

[Popeye]

None that I know of. All the bass I've caught swam away nicely and appeared healthy. I can only hope that they all survived OK (which I suspect they all did).

[OBX-BASS]

very few each year...it isnt a good feeling when you do accidently kill one either   .....if one does swallow the hook like you said one of yours did i usually jus cut the line...i do believe they survive too...i heard that the hook will eventually rust and it will pop out leaving no harm to the fish...i hope that is true!

[bigbill]

Never so far....

But i have seen guys fishing asleep at the controls so the bass swallows the tube baits or plastics to the point there guts are ripped out.

My thoughts;

One more question is how many bass do you take home each year?

What size bass do you take?

I take home 2 to 3 bass a year that are 2 to 3lbs to feed my abandon cats fresh fish.

The US goverment did a survey(god only knows how much it cost us) on what size bass we can take so the bass population eco system isn't affected.  They said to eat the smaller bass and leave the larger ones that spawn.

My thoughts on this is the 5 & 6lb bass aren't supplying the bass population that much.  Its the big gals 8lbs + up to 12lbs  that most of us never see thats doing it.  Trust me we have more big bass than we think across our great country.

[miked62]

Very rare, maybe if a big hardbait was hooked deep.

[Grey Wolf]

Never so far....

But i have seen guys fishing asleep at the controls so the bass swallows the tube baits or plastics to the point there guts are ripped out.

My thoughts;

One more question is how many bass do you take home each year?

What size bass do you take?

I take home 2 to 3 bass a year that are 2 to 3lbs to feed my abandon cats fresh fish.

The US goverment did a survey(god only knows how much it cost us) on what size bass we can take so the bass population eco system isn't affected. They said to eat the smaller bass and leave the larger ones that spawn.

My thoughts on this is the 5 & 6lb bass aren't supplying the bass population that much. Its the big gals 8lbs + up to 12lbs that most of us never see thats doing it. Trust me we have more big bass than we think across our great country.

Just don't agree with your thought process. How can you say that 5 and 6 lb. bass aren't supplying a sufficant amount of off-spring into the system. It just looks to me like you are trying to justify keeping the bass that fall into that particular weight catagory.

[Davis]

My buddy got a 2lb smallie on Saturday and she was hooked on the side of her tongue. Tried all I could to get the hook out with pliers and bending down the barb but it still wouldn't dislodge. So I cut the line from the hook and released her. She same off fine but I don't like her chances with that 2/0 EWG in there. There tongues are so tough. Tried and did everything I could.

[Grey Wolf]

My buddy got a 2lb smallie on Saturday and she was hooked on the side of her tongue. Tried all I could to get the hook out with pliers and bending down the barb but it still wouldn't dislodge. So I cut the line from the hook and released her. She same off fine but I don't like her chances with that 2/0 EWG in there. There tongues are so tough. Tried and did everything I could.

Could you have possibly cut the hook itself ?

[Tin]

I can't remember the last time a largie went belly-up on me. No fish this year, but tast year I did take the lives of 2 innocent smallmouth. They just inhaled the tube on me. Poor little guys

[Davis]

My buddy got a 2lb smallie on Saturday and she was hooked on the side of her tongue. Tried all I could to get the hook out with pliers and bending down the barb but it still wouldn't dislodge. So I cut the line from the hook and released her. She same off fine but I don't like her chances with that 2/0 EWG in there. There tongues are so tough. Tried and did everything I could.

Could you have possibly cut the hook itself ?

The wire cutters that I had on my tool were not strong enough.

[BirdNestBen]

Never..... sometimes worm fishing they will swallow the hook.... cut the line and the hook will rust out....... if the hook is too deep cut the hook...

to revive a bass move him back and forth in the water to get the air in his lungs.....

Usually when your line breaks on say a topwater plug they will throw the lure out.... so anyway hope this helps....

[fishfordollars]

Maybe one a year. Don't remember the last one. None of any size.

If you fish deep water you need to learn how to fizz a bass's air bladder. It will help the survival.

[Ballpark Frank]

The first one I have ever killed was last weekend. I had stopped at my favorite bank spot after work. This little guy had already swallowed my lizard when I felt him. When I did notice, I set the hook pretty hard. The angle of the hook came completely through his right side gills, they were all bleeding. He bled out and died while I was getting the hook out. I didn't waste the meat, but felt aweful for several days(heck still do).

[ian515]

I dont think I have killed any yet, but my question is, some of you are talking about saving the meat, and taking it home, but how are you doing that? I mean, when I go fishing, I go for catch and release, so I dont bring a cooler, or anything to keep them cold for the drive home (usually 25 minutes or so). I am assuming there are some out there like me, what are you doin to save the meat?

[Ballpark Frank]

I always have a cooler with ice for lunch and drinks. The fillet knife is always in my tackle bag, since I catfish alot also.

[Mase]

Last year I only had one fish that actually died, but it wasn't really me that finished it off. A 10 inch smallie took my whole rapala in and it took a few minutes to get it out. She seemed okay and swam off then 20 seconds later she appeared the far bank belly up twitching - within seconds there was the biggest splash I've ever seen in the river and she was gone