It seems like lately I have had a bunch of hooksets near the eyesocket.  Luckily only 3 or 4 have actually been in the eye :'(.  Any ideas what i'm doing.  I don't think i'm doing anything different then when I firts to into fishing, but it seems like about 25% of my hooksets are near the eye.  I fish soft plastics a lot more than when I first started fishing.  In fact almost exclusively soft plastics this year.  I know that i'm setting the hook MUCH harder than I used to, but I wouldn't think that would be the cause.  I set side arm a lot of time, but always have.

Eh, I think it happens to everyone, ESPECIALLY with plastics.. I'm not sure whether or not it's happening more so to you then others, sure sounds like it. I have 1-3 a month in which it goes through the socket or eye.

Maybe someone will disagree and give advice, but seems like it's just a part of fishing.

I agree, it's just a part of fishing.  I don't think it's any specific thing that you are or are not doing.  Just the way it goes.  What are ya gonna do  

Jason

Hooks through the eye socket

Happened to me once.

Hurt like helll

Hooks through the eye socket

Happened to me once.

Hurt like helll

Didn't do that no more, did ya?   ;D

caught a 15" largemouth a few days ago with an eye that apparently was hooked previously, the eye was gross as hell but the fish was  healthy and swam away fine ... I don't know how well I could swim with a hole in my eye, haha

This topic reminds me that I wanted ask about a similar situation that occurred to me about a month ago. I caught a bass and that appeared to already be blind in one eye and my hook just barely missed damaging his one good eye. Hypothetically lets say I did hook it in the good eye, and completely blinded the fish...what next? I always CNR, but what about releasing a fish that you just blinded, can this fish survive blind or should the fish be kept or what? Opinions please.

They can live they just dont live as long ,bass use there lateral line to FEEL vibrations!!! Bass in muddy water  depend  on other senses to find food.Only thing is a blind bass will be easy prey for snapping turtles, osprey, herons etc

I caught this fish that was definately blind in one eye and the other seemed to be damaged as well!

You can see that the fish is in a terrible shape but still was feeding! This fish weighed only 3,5lbs.!

t-rig.

I would have kept that bass.  It looked sickly and I wouldn't return it to the lake.  This would be a classic case of keeping fish NOT to eat.  I would call the local DNR and see if they wanted to take a look at it, otherwise it would fertilize the garden.  I also would probably have opened it up to check for parasites or other signs of disease, then call DNR if I found anything.

mattm,

downsize your hook next time you go out... the bigger the hooks or smaller the fish, the greater the chance a hook gap can reach the eye sockets.  (have you caught a lot of smaller fish lately?)

I'd bet that a smaller hook will cut your % down quite a bit.  It's worth a try for a day.

I've been using 3/0 and 4/0 fishing senko's and beavers.  Would you say I need to go smaller than that.  I'm about to leave work and i'm off the next 2 days so I may just try it.  However, it seems like its pretty evenly split up between the smalls and avg. ones.  Haven't caught a lunker lately, but the last one I remember doing it to went 3lbs 14oz.  At least its something to try.  Thanks for the suggestion.

I dont recall catching a bass by the eye socket. But I did snag a turtle by the front leg once.

I hooked 2 through the eye yesterday. I use #2 Gamakatsu offset shank hooks most of the time. On occassion I'll tie on a #3 but I've never used anything larger. Both of the one's I handicapped were about a lbs or less. I agree with what others said.....it happens.

I caught this fish that was definately blind in one eye and the other seemed to be damaged as well!

It's like my grandpa always says...

"So you're blind in one eye, and can't see out the other."

;D

I hook tons of fish through the eye and I don't think there is much you can do about it. If its badly hooked I guess you could keep the fish and eat it or find a friend that likes it.

i hooked one yesterday, not in the eye, on a crankbait. well it started jumping around and ended up actually hooking itself in the eye with the other treble hook. i felt kinda bad cuz when i was taking it out of the eye, it kinda flopped a bit in pain. but, it swam away fine.

they are just keeping an eye on the prize. ;D

"He swam away fine"---Right into the jaws of a waiting Pike.

At least provide him a seeing eye frog or little --stick--cane.

I've had a few eye hooks latley, but i dont think there is anything you can do to stop it.

What i have started doing that helps a TON on eye hooks is crushing down the barbs so your not yanking the dang things eye out.

I caught one yesterday that was blind in one eye.  He didn't have troubles seeing my plastic worm.  He sucked it up and off he went.

Ive had this happen before too.  My only suggestion would be to set the hook as soon as you detect a strike.  I think that may help prevent this a little.  However as others mentioned, its part of fishing.