I'm not in CA so I guess it does 

I was dragging a 5" zoom shakeyhead worm on a 1/8oz jighead... moving it about a foot every 15 seconds. Two taps and I set the hook! I would like to think that he had the tip of the worm in his mouth so when I set the hook it stuck in his side, but who knows. Eager to try it some this weekend when I have more time, it's hard to cover water when it takes 2 minutes per cast!

Everything counts! Especially to people like me who are stuck inside studying for final exams

There was a time when I didn't know any better and I was targeting bass similar in size to the one you got. Also, with smaller fish it's pretty easy to foul hook them even if they did commit to the lure/bait. I've belly-hooked Pumpkinseeds on a small 1/8 oz spoon. Heck, I've even hooked a rainbow on the side of the gill plate when float fishing with bait in a lake before.

Everything counts! Especially to people like me who are stuck inside studying for final exams

There was a time when I didn't know any better and I was targeting bass similar in size to the one you got. Also, with smaller fish it's pretty easy to foul hook them even if they did commit to the lure/bait. I've belly-hooked Pumpkinseeds on a small 1/8 oz spoon. Heck, I've even hooked a rainbow on the side of the gill plate when float fishing with bait in a lake before.

I'll target ANYTHING December-February

I'll target ANYTHING December-February

 

I'm a bit lucky in the sense that December-April is prime time for Winter Steelheading in my area, but last year I was catching 6-10 inch bass by the end of March so who knows, maybe I will bust out my ultralights again. Anything can be fun with the right type of gear in my opinion.

Its pretty hard to drag a worm and foul hook one unless he bit the tail like you said.  I'd count it.  I've foul hooked a few ripping lipless crankbaits in shallow water. They sure do feel bigger when they're foul hooked don't they? 

Its pretty hard to drag a worm and foul hook one unless he bit the tail like you said.  I'd count it.  I've foul hooked a few ripping lipless crankbaits in shallow water. They sure do feel bigger when they're foul hooked don't they? 

Yeah on a medium light spinning rod and 6lb fluoro it felt huge

Well you know your sensitivity is keen

You hooked it, fought it, landed it, so it counts.

As long as you didn't use a net, it counts.

As long as you didn't use a net, it counts.

 

Or dynamite...

If you got it into the boat or onto dry land, it counts.

In my state, any fish not hooked in the mouth, must be returned to the water immediately. As far as I understand, foul hooked fish are also not allowed to be counted in tournaments either. So as to wether it "counts" or not depends on who is keeping score.