Speaking of soft plastics. If it's swallowed, can you get the hook out? Will the fish survive? What if you see blood?

 

Hmmm... could mash the barb down, that would help.

 

I keep bass for eating but release some and want them to survive.

I've used this technique before and it works great.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

When bass are choking lipless cranks, it's hard not to nick something. A quick release in cold water usually stops the bleeding and they're fine. 

Bleeding from the gills and its likely a goner . I often have to release non keeper  fish knowing that they are not going to make it but thats the law .

The behind the gill technique that Steveo-1969 linked to works great, particularly if you go barbless on your soft plastic hooks. I do not have a deep hooking problem with hard baits or jigs but plastic worms seem to get swallowed quickly so I use barbless hooks for that type of presentation.

I just keep them. We have no closed season here. Plus I fish private places where there's no limit, clean water and it's a good idea to take some for the population. But I have caught a small bass with a hook deep in its throat that was almost rusted out. I don't know how it was eating, but it was.

I've used this technique before and it works great.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

 

 

This has worked for me everytime. It hasen't failed me yet! Knock on wood..

Bleeding gills is not necessarily a kiss of death. I've caught several fish that have a piece of their gill hanging out. They must have been bleeding when the gill was torn, but they survived to be caught again.

I fully agree with Stevo and Turtle.  The behind the gills hook removal technique works great!

i agree about the through the gill removal method posted above. when i started getting back into fishing, it was one of the first things i read here. and the next day promptly gut hooked a bass lol. thanks to remembering the method i was able to remove the hook from the fish without having to cut my line or do something stupid like ripping the basses gullet out and still not getting my hook back...

 

also at the bottom of the hook removal link post was this:

 

What needs to be emphasized is how resilient a fish's gills actually are -- far from being the fragile organs often suggest by some sources. And the occasional bleeding fish? Does it have to be kept? Just get the fish back into the water as soon as possible and, more often than not, the bleeding stops.

gills are stronger than people think...

I've used this technique before and it works great.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

This technique has saved me numerous fish. 

 

Like others have said, bleeding or damaged gills is not a death sentence. I've caught fish with their gills having been nearly torn out at some point, but they're still alive and feeding effectively. 

I rarely deep hook a bass with a worm. Crankbaits are the worse offenders for me . I had to quit using a bait one day because the bass kept taking it deep . Switched to a Rick Clunn crank and the fish were then barely hooked . Ended up catching more bass on it because I didnt have to perform surgery on every fish .

This is the best way to remove a hook that  fish has swallowed:  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2