If a is fish caught with a live meal in its mouth, do you release it with the meal.

[steezy]

If you catch a fish with a live meal in its mouth, do you release it with the meal in its mouth or remove it then relase the fish?

Most fisherman have caught a fish with a meal or remains of a meal in its mouth but how many of you have caught a bass with a live meal in its mouth and if so do you remove it before releasing the fish?

I caught a nice size bass today and it had a live craw in its mouth, the fish had swallowed the craw, it was halfway down its throat but the head and claws were still in the fishes mouth and the claws were moving like it was trying to get out.

I released it with the craw inside, did I do wrong?

[Hammer 4]

I don't think you did it wrong..afterall, the bass caught the craw, he shouldn't be deprived of a meal just cause you happen to catch him/her..

I wouldn't remove a meal unless it threatened the bass, i.e. gagging to death.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I see no reason for removing it really! You risk hurting it if it is half way down! I have caught hawgs with Perch and Blue Gills half way down and just let them be.

[endless]

same here i had them with minnows one spit the minnow at me.

[Culln5]

I also would have left it.  Now is there was something that I thought was impeading the fish from swallowing (or something along those lines) I would interfere.

[Fishing Rhino]

Think of it this way.

Other than bugs, most of a bass's forage is other fish, crawfish, etc.

Most have fins and spurs which are harmless if swallowed the correct way.  Fish, headfirst, craws, tail first.

Trying to remove it, requires pulling it against the spurs, and the sharp spines of fins.

My experience has been that fish do regurgitate things they have swallowed.  But somehow, the stomach knows how to turn the object around prior to regurgitation, or, it is decomposed to the state that the spurs and spines are either gone, or soft.

I remove the hook, and release the fish.  Nature will take care of the rest.

[Grey Wolf]

They've got to eat too.

[Koop]

What about you tournament anglers?  How digested must the meal be to count as weight?

I saw skeet pull a half digested shad out of a bass's mouth because he didn't want it in his live well.  ;D

[MichBassMan]

Fun fishing, they go back how I found them. In a tournament they go in the livewell the way they came in.

[endless]

Think of it this way.

Other than bugs, most of a bass's forage is other fish, crawfish, etc.

Most have fins and spurs which are harmless if swallowed the correct way. Fish, headfirst, craws, tail first.

Trying to remove it, requires pulling it against the spurs, and the sharp spines of fins.

My experience has been that fish do regurgitate things they have swallowed. But somehow, the stomach knows how to turn the object around prior to regurgitation, or, it is decomposed to the state that the spurs and spines are either gone, or soft.

I remove the hook, and release the fish. Nature will take care of the rest.

i do believe that cause the two i caught that seemed like it was spitting the bait minnow at me both spit the minnow head out first

[JLBomber]

Why ruin a good meal?

[MALTESE FALCON]

I leave the meal in the fish. Afterall, he had to work to get that food. I just wish they would stop spewing their breakfast on me. The other day I caught a 1.5# smallie that spewed a handful of shiners all over me...............not pretty.

Falcon

[JuniorFisherJJ08]

Say your tournament fishing. You catch a nice Lm. it has a decent sized fish in its mouth do the tournament directors keep it in or what?

[grimlin]

I don't think you did it wrong..afterall, the bass caught the craw, he shouldn't be deprived of a meal just cause you happen to catch him/her..

I wouldn't remove a meal unless it threatened the bass, i.e. gagging to death.

Just curious...is it even possible for a bass or any fish for that matter gag to death over his meal after being caught? How would you know?  ;D

[SoFl-native]

What about you tournament anglers? How digested must the meal be to count as weight?

I saw skeet pull a half digested shad out of a bass's mouth because he didn't want it in his live well. ;D

i think that was russ lane not skeet.

[SammyLee]

I don't think you did it wrong..afterall, the bass caught the craw, he shouldn't be deprived of a meal just cause you happen to catch him/her..

I wouldn't remove a meal unless it threatened the bass, i.e. gagging to death.

Just curious...is it even possible for a bass or any fish for that matter gag to death over his meal after being caught? How would you know? ;D

Story goes, two fishermen notice something flapping and spashing like crazy on the surface nearby and it doesn't stop.  They go over to investigate and discover a big bass near death and scoop him up.  They notice he has a huge bluegill halfway down his throat so they remove it and do the usual to revive a fish.  He swims away.