I ran across this on facebook and I thought it was really interesting. I wonder if the fish would have been able to pass the hook completely?

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/532283126504336

That's why I will cut the line off at the eye of the hook on a deep hooked LMB. Once had a Texas Game and Fish Officer tell me that's the best thing to do. Not always, but more than one might think, the Bass can work it out or expunge it and survive.  

Good Fishing

If the fish is in good shape, I will also cut the line off the hook eye, then I use a large side cutters and cut the hook in half as close as possible and pray for a healthy recovery. That video proves that it is possible. I would also assume they may at times swallow, crawfish shell or claw fragments, bluegill spines, etc. and cough them out or need to pass those. 

Last September I caught a 37 inch tiger muskie that had a partially rusted treble with about 2 feet of old fishing line attached stuck inside the bottom of its mouth.

 

I removed it properly, discarded the hook/line, and released the fish fully alive.

 

I am skeptical that this treble hook with line attached would have passed on its own through this fish.  Quite honestly, I was shocked that fish could still feed and swallow properly with that thing in there.

 

I'm sure someone was live bait fishing using a big sucker and allowed the fish to swallow the bait before setting the hook, and then the line broke.

 

 

I’ve caught bass that had hooks coming out of their butthole 

16 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve caught bass that had hooks coming out of their butthole 

Me too. On more than one occasion. For some reason it’s always a red eagle claw hook. 

I wonder if they can fully pass a hook, or if the hook gets caught there?

51 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

Me too. On more than one occasion. For some reason it’s always a red eagle claw hook. 

Most typically this is live bait anglers who probably aren't experienced. Sit and wait and let the fish swallow it. Something goes wrong and we get this result.

3 hours ago, Bazoo said:

I wonder if they can fully pass a hook, or if the hook gets caught there?

They rust away and get passed 

d**n this thread makes me glad I'm not a bass...

4 hours ago, Swest18x said:

d**n this thread makes me glad I'm not a bass...

I seent a kid eat a quarter in kindergarten 

40 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I seent a kid eat a quarter in kindergarten 

LOL, thanks for the chuckle.

learned something today ...I have never seen this before and dont want to. 

1 hour ago, Falkus said:

learned something today ...I have never seen this before and dont want to. 

Yeah, I don't want to encounter that either.