Lost what appeared to be a personal best bass today (at least it appeared that way when he broke water).  Long story short, he ended up wrapping around a dock post and breaking the line.  I'm obviously disappointed he got away.  Just wondering will the fish survive with a 3/0 worm hook still in it's mouth and my soft plastic?  I'm a catch and release guy through and through and always try to do my best to release the fish alive and well. 

A fish will usually shake the hook out of their mouth or if they swallow it the fish has a liquid that can rust and dissolve the hook.

Thanks Kevin!  Was wondering if that dissolve thing was just a myth.  Evidentially it is not.  Happy fishing to you!

It always sucks to lose a big fish, especially when its a PB. As far as the hook goes; some say the hook will corrode after time but who knows how long that takes. Plenty of people catch fish with hooks in em that looks to be quite old. Sometimes fish will even pass the hook.

See how many big fish Ive had shake the lure out of their mouths with ease I think you can probably sleep alil better with the hope that they are good at getting those hooks eventually out of their mouths.

I had a *** frog taken when my line snapped this morning as well and feel the same as you.. but I recall last year how the same frog was easily shook out of a big fish's mouth when she broke surface.. I think theyll be ok.

Lost what appeared to be a personal best bass today (at least it appeared that way when he broke water). Long story short, he ended up wrapping around a dock post and breaking the line. I'm obviously disappointed he got away. Just wondering will the fish survive with a 3/0 worm hook still in it's mouth and my soft plastic? I'm a catch and release guy through and through and always try to do my best to release the fish alive and well.

as long as the hook is not obstructing his ability to swallow food he should be fine...

If its in there really good it can take a good while as in weeks to corrode out, if its just on his lip he may be able to shake it out or rub it out but if not it'll corrode eventually.

I caught one a couple weeks ago that had an old rusty hook in it's gullet.  No telling how long it was there...

Thanks for the input guys!  I think it's safe to say that the chances are pretty good this hawg will be just fine!

I gut hooked one last summer with a 5/0 circle hook (the circle hook didn't do its job) that measured 24". Caught her again this year in march, no hook, healthy as can be. 

I gut hooked one last summer with a 5/0 circle hook (the circle hook didn't do its job) that measured 24". Caught her again this year in march, no hook, healthy as can be.

Just curious on how you know its the same fish you hut hooked.

As long as the hook and plastic don't make it to the bass's stomach it should be able to dislodge them eventially and will be fine.  If a fish swallows a hook and/or plastic lure the hook can damage the fish (I've read the hook dissolving internally is a myth) and soft plastics do not digest in the fish.  It is possible for a fish to pass the soft plastic whole but otherwise it just sits and sits in the GI tract for quite some time until it is either passed or regurgitated.  I just hope the fish didn't have a long leader of line attached to the hook that might get caught up in heavy cover.  Otherwise I'd say it will be fine.  Bass are pretty resilient. 

I've caught bass with guts full of bird and rodent bones. Pretty sure they can pass some plastic.

I've caught bass with guts full of bird and rodent bones. Pretty sure they can pass some plastic.

I said they couldn't be digested, but could be passed whole or regurgitated. 

My apologies I was simply voicing my experience

Just curious on how you know its the same fish you hut hooked.

Her left pectoral fin is chopped off, must have been from a turtle or something. I have caught her 3 times, but the pond is right by my house and I fish it REALLY often, multiple times a week during the school year when I don't have time to go anywhere else after school. She absolutely will not eat plastics. Caught her once on an 8" bass (with the circle hook), once on a tiny crank pre-spawn, and once on a 6" BBZ swimbait.

I caught a healthy 3ish pounder a few weekends ago. When i was removing my hook i noticed the eye of another hook just barely sticking out from its gullet. I grabbed the eye of the hook and pulled gently with pliers and out came a texas rigged 10.5 purple ole monster worm and super rusty hook. Released the fish a few ounces lighter. Who knows how long that had been in the fish?!? That was a first for me.