For the first time in my life I tongue hooked a largemouth while using a hair jig and I have never had a fish bleed so much. Hook came out like there was no  issue and I released it as quick as I could, swam off quickly. I just have no idea why a fish would bleed so much after being hooked in the tongue.

Tongue hooked bass are goners. Should have released it in the deep fryer.

5 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Tongue hooked bass are goners. Should have released it in the deep fryer.

^+1. The gill rakers come up to the tongue so the hook usually hits them, causing all the bleeding. 

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

^+1. The gill rakers come up to the tongue so the hook usually hits them, causing all the bleeding. 

d**n it. First fish I can pretty much confirm dying on me

Just now, FloridaBass said:

d**n it. First fish I can pretty much confirm dying on me

Ha! Don't feel bad. "Pretty much" confirming doesn't count as confirmation. Not much you can do, other than eat it or give it to someone. It's a side effect of our glorious sport, but each one lays like 40,000 eggs a year. They are a remarkably resilient species. If you think about it, most places allow you to kill 5 or more bass every day. And they are still thriving 

I've had fish bleed from nicking one of the gills and with a quick hook removal and release they took off no worse for wear. I even caught one of those released later the same day.  Next time, if you can, keep the fish submerged and remove the hook. Their blood coagulates in the water and the bleeding will stop.

11 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I've had fish bleed from nicking one of the gills and with a quick hook removal and release they took off no worse for wear. I even caught one of those released later the same day.  Next time, if you can, keep the fish submerged and remove the hook. Their blood coagulates in the water and the bleeding will stop.

Unfortunately this isn't true with a tongue hooked bass. It will be dead within a few hours if not sooner

3 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Unfortunately this isn't true with a tongue hooked bass. It will be dead within a few hours if not sooner

Good to know. Now that I think about it, all the rakers come together at that point.

Yeah the ole tongue hooked bass is a non survivor. Won big bass in a tourney this summer on a tongue hooked one and it was technically still alive at weigh in but floated on the release. Sucks

Tongue hooked bass bleed, major vessels run through there. Getting her back in the water quickly was the best thing you could have done to try to save it. Water coagulates a fishes blood like air does ours. I don't eat bass, ever. And unlike alot of people, even if I think a bass may die, i still release it. If there is any chance at all of it surviving, it's in the water. And if it does die, also contrary to popular belief, it's not wasted. Tons of organisms in the water, microscopic and large, feed on other dead organisms. Circle of life man, we violently rip these fish from their environments for our enjoyment, some of them will die. I'm all about healthy live release, but i dont bother myself or worry about the one or two fish that dies once or twice a year. Usually less actually. If it died from mishandling or being purposely abused i could see you feeling guilty. But you can't control that the fish was tongue hooked. Move on, enjoy the sport and tight lines!!

How much blood do you think a 2 lb to 3 lb LMB has? Bass are cold blooded animals and thier blood isn't used for body heating functions.

Organs that contain blood are the heart, gills, brain and liver the highest volume is in the tissue to supply muscles. 

If a bass looses a teaspoon of blood from hook injury it will not survive because the heart stops and brain dies.

For those of us that believe fish are food and actually kill, clean and fillet them know bass have very little blood.

Tom

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I've heard some people say a soft drink poured on the gills will coagulate the blood quickly? Don't know if it's true 

It's true, but it doesn't work any faster than plain old water.

Birds have to eat too......

 

It happens!

11 hours ago, slonezp said:

Tongue hooked bass are goners. Should have released it in the deep fryer.

My thought exactly.  

 

When fishing tournaments - you learn quick that a tongue hooked fish is going be a floater in the well...pretty much guaranteed.  

 

It's part of it...

11 hours ago, NorthwestBasser said:

Tongue hooked bass bleed, major vessels run through there. Getting her back in the water quickly was the best thing you could have done to try to save it. Water coagulates a fishes blood like air does ours. I don't eat bass, ever. And unlike alot of people, even if I think a bass may die, i still release it. If there is any chance at all of it surviving, it's in the water. And if it does die, also contrary to popular belief, it's not wasted. Tons of organisms in the water, microscopic and large, feed on other dead organisms. Circle of life man, we violently rip these fish from their environments for our enjoyment, some of them will die. I'm all about healthy live release, but i dont bother myself or worry about the one or two fish that dies once or twice a year. Usually less actually. If it died from mishandling or being purposely abused i could see you feeling guilty. But you can't control that the fish was tongue hooked. Move on, enjoy the sport and tight lines!!

I don't know why more people don't have this mindset.  It's not a waste to have a fish die in the water.  It will feed another animal or just add to the ecosystem.

If I tongue hook a fish in a tournament, I leave the hook in until just before weigh in.  When I do remove the hook, I cut the point and barb off, carefully remove the hook, and hope for the best, though it's doubtful it will live. 

3 hours ago, NHBull said:

Birds have to eat too......

 

It happens!

And turtles.

 

Saw a big old snapping turtle chowing down on a dead Bass once.

13 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

And turtles.

 

1 hour ago, Hawkeye21 said:

I don't know why more people don't have this mindset.  It's not a waste to have a fish die in the water.  It will feed another animal or just add to the ecosystem.

I'm another animal

2 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I'm another animal

Yes you are! I certainly have zero issue with someone keeping a bass that will likely die, or keeping a legal limit for the dinner table. I choose not to, bass just isn't my favorite fish to eat. I would rather see guys keep the little ones though, but I'm certainly not here to tell another man or woman what they can and can't do

I once caught a nice bass with half the gill rakers completely detached half way down one side of the mouth.  It was an old injury, and that fish was doing well.  I released her again and she swam off strong.  A little blood does not always mean death.  If she does die she will be consumed by the food chain.  Others organisms will thrive from her!

6 hours ago, slonezp said:

I'm another animal

That's perfectly acceptable too.  I actually like bass when I do eat it.  I've had it at my friend's before and it was great.  I myself never keep any fish, don't care to clean them.

Lost a nice one yesterday to a hook at the back of the tongue. Swallowed a RES and even with the hooks quickly removed and swam away quickly when I released it, she was floating on her side 30' from the boat 5 minutes later. 21" length limit, fish was probably 18-19 inches long, so there was nothing I could do but leave it for the eagles. It's going to happen if you fish enough, something you'll just have to deal with. 

I’ve tongue hooked some bass and some of them didn’t bleed a speck of blood and swam off fine. Anyone else?

Yes, it's no fun when that happens but it's the circle of life. A gator, bird, or turtle will be happy for the meal.