Just barely caught the bottom of his right gill. But still makes me feel guilty.

Actually it was through his lower jaw and knicked his gill. Just venting my problems.

Catching another-bigger bass will take some of the sting out of it!

He may live did the same thing not to long ago he absolutely crushed the bait and it knocked his gill. He swam off fine though.

If that ever happens again, remember to release properly.  Almost works every time when I hook a gill. 

If that ever happens again, remember to release properly.  Almost works every time when I hook a gill.

When do you not release properly?

Lol. I think he means don't jerk the hook out and get him back in the water ASAP. Which is what I did. Still makes me feel bad. But that comes with the territory though.

  Almost works every time when I hook a gill. 

Struck me as funny!

60% of the time, it works everytime.

When do you not release properly?

When you throw it back into the water with a splash.  Sometimes you have to gently move the fish back and forth so air can get into its gills.  

Part of fishing

A lot of the newer guys seem like they love busting balls...it happens.. most of them will be fine

The fish i mean.. lol

Did it today with a Tiger Musky. He sucked those two treble hooks right down.

I did the best I could because musky tend to close their mouths when you stick pliers in there.

He lost a 1/4" of gill and I felt terrible. I hope he made it.

I had the same thing the other day. The hooks are just so damned hard to pry out when they are so deep in the fish's mouth. That's why I always carry a pair of needle nose, but sometimes I need a buddy to hold the fish for me.

Just a thought but when we hook a fish and are not sure if he'll live or not.  He becomes supper a few night down the road. Then you know he was not a waste, not what you wanted but better than living him to die.

It happens.                But it`s worse having them swallow it.

Don't feel bad, it happens.  If it is that concerning you should probably pick up a different sport because no matter how good we al are at our catch and release and taking care of the fish, some will bite the dust.  I don't like it all but I do my best to minimize it from happening.

If you start using Tru Turn hooks, you will never have gut hooked fish or your problem. Hooks all of 'em on lip and corner of jaw. Promise.

 

Old school basser...

It happens, its part of fishing. Gut hooked and gill hooked fish will happen. If they are keepers, keep em. When cut into small nuggets, even the most funky bass is edible. If you think you don't like bass at all, then go to the grocery store and buy a few cans of clam chowder (or any kind of chowder) and toss the diced up fish fillets in it. Do not bring to a boil, but simmer for 15-20 minutes and you'll never even know it was in there. Beats throwing it back and hoping it survives. Can't tell you how many legal keepers I've plucked off the surface half alive and bleeding from the throat/gills. 

 

I caught a 21.5" while ice fishing this year, the fight on 2lb line (total accidental catch) just wore her out. Was nothing I could do about it, wasn't going to break off and leave a jigging spoon in a big fish like that as I had no idea where it was hooked. So I fought and fought until we landed her. She was pooped after that! I held her under the ice until my hands went numb and she never moved a gill. I laid her on the ice in front of me (sometimes fish will come back after they rest for a while) but she never moved. Heart attack maybe? Dunno. Anyways I put it in my bucket as it was a legal keeper and I couldn't just throw it back and hope she revived sometime. Man did I take a lot of flack from the people around me, but I think I did the right thing. The fish was cleaned correctly and the meat was used, so I don't feel TOOO bad about it.