I've never seen a bass this skinny. Most of the bass I've caught out of this pond were healthy. A lot of them looked like they were still bedding. This one was caught near a bunch of tiny fish, which I assume were bass fry. I seen a couple of other bass doing the same with their own batches of fry. 

It kind of seems deformed to me. Notice how the back is also "pinched" at the same point as the belly.

It looks sick. Not just the stomach, but its entire body, looks malnutritioned.  Spawning does take its toll on females, but I've never seen it that drastic. 

That fish is starving. 

No one more cruel than mother nature herself

That's about as bad as I've seen.  

Did you catch any other bass?  If it was just hungry, you'd likely catch other skinny ones.

I bet he's got a plastic worm in his stomach.

2 hours ago, Smokinal said:

I bet he's got a plastic worm in his stomach.

I was going to say the same thing. 

 

The body looks half the size it should be, looks like it is starved. 

Something's wrong with that fish, it looks more than just skinny.  My vote would be plastic worm or worms stuck in the stomach.  

Could also be a old male that isn't healthy near the end of it's life, bass die of old age.

Tom

Just caught another really unhealthy looking bass at a different pond. This time I could see the plastic sticking out of his gut. 

Pulled it out and he could barely swim away. 

Any idea what causes those lacerations? I've seen them on a lot of other fish. 

^^^Are there any gators or gar in those ponds? And just a guess, but I would think as a fish gets to that unhealthy of a state from starvation, I'm sure it's immune system and healing properties are lowered, making any nick or cut seem much worse than it may be in a healthy fish.

Looks like bird beak or talon wounds, could also be hook wounds from someone snagging the bass.

Tom

 

Good for you for taking that lizzard out - might have done him a favor.