Today I was wacky rigging a Senko and I hooked a bass but it swallowed the hook down to where its mouth meets its stomach and was hooked.  The hook wouldn't budge so I just cut the line. The hook was a small light wire hook.  Do you guys think the fish will live?

    It should.  I have always been told to just cut your line and the hook will rust out; don't know if that is true but it's the only thing I have heard so I just do it.

thats one thing i do not like about senkos...it seems like they swallow the darn thing everytime

Maybe! Recent information indicates that the hook will not rust out.. In-Fisherman has a mehtod of removiing deeply inbedded hooks that you can find on their web page or do a seaqrch for it here.

Using hooks without a barb or the barb bent down makes it easier on both you and the fish to remove deep hooks. There is also a gadget called a "Barb-It" that cuts the hook and a magnet retrieves the pieces.

I generally bag fish that this happens to.  If they are going to die anyway then why not enjoy their tastiness.

I recently caught a healthy fish that had a hook in the same spot. Looked like the hook had been their for a while. The fish was fine and the hook just fell out when I tried to get it. Sure it will be fine

Two summers ago I caught a 7lb+ largemouth that had 3 hooks, not including mine, in its mouth semi-deep already. They appeared to have been there a while and that fish was healthy so I think it all depends on the fish. Some can survive some can't

BTW I did remove the other hooks before I released her  

Next time try what Glenn posted in this thread:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1128002349/22#22

Next time try what Glenn posted in this thread:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1128002349/22#22

Outstanding post by Glenn there. Thanks Jake for reposting that.  

I had two fish last week that I cut the hook very close to the fish's gullet but from now on I'll give this a go first.

Yep, it's going to die... way to go fish killer   :

Joking of course, I'm sure it will be alright, but Glenn's post helped me numerous times.  Study it and learn it for the next time a situation like that come up.

I wouldn't worry about it. If it dies it dies. There are others to replace it, unless your in a very small body of water or in a lake with few big fish a couple less bass swimming around is not the end of the world. Even if it didn't swallow the hook the stress from catching it could kill it. 100% catch and release does not mean 100% post catch survivel rate for any fish.

Probably will be O.K. but who can say.

Even fish hooked in the lip and released right away can die.

Part of the game.

You know I have never thought about it, but what would make a bass hooked in the lip die? stress or is it something else.

It should live. I've caught fish with hooks buried deep and they seemed fine.

In saltwater a hook could rust out in a few days but I wonder how long it would take in fresh water. I am sure as long as food will pass uninterupted it will be fine.

Most of the newer hooks are coated and it takes forever for them to rust out.  It will probably be alright though but don't ever count on a hook rusting out because it takes a long time to occur.

A good way to not hook a Senko fish deep is to ALWAYS watch your line.  Set the hook as soon as you see your line do anything unnatural.  Bigger bass will inhale the lure causing your line to jump slightly.  Stick them then and you should get them in the lip and not the gullet.  

I usually try to get it out no matter what.  I dont think hooks rust out in fresh water in an amount of time that would benefit a bass.  Salt water probably a different story.  I have used the method that Glenn posted for a very long time now and it works VERY well.  My buddy actually did the same thing with a senko in a tourney this weekend and I removed it with ease using that method.  The fish lived all day and through weigh in with tons of life left in him.   You can always try to mash or cut off the barb as well.  

Maybe! Recent information indicates that the hook will not rust out.. In-Fisherman has a mehtod of removiing deeply inbedded hooks that you can find on their web page or do a seaqrch for it here.

Using hooks without a barb or the barb bent down makes it easier on both you and the fish to remove deep hooks. There is also a gadget called a "Barb-It" that cuts the hook and a magnet retrieves the pieces.

Good addition. I concur, I often find that cutting the hook all together is the best way of remedying this problem. Although, I heard that just cutting the line is okay becuase 9/10 times they'll still feed with no problems. But cutting the hook is better. In addition, if you hook YOURSELF you could use that neat tool. So its a great product.

The post by Glen that a few others referred to is a technique that I've been using for a few years.  It's excellent advice!!  In fact, I had two fish just yesterday that swallowed trick worms on shakey heads.  They were deep.  I went in from the gills and got both hooks just fine.  It looks a lot worse that what it is until you move in from the gills.