Does A Snagged Bass Count? 2025
Topwater98 reply :
Yesterday I was fishing for a bedding bass. I had been fishing for it for a while. Suddenly the bass grabbed at the lure hard but missed. I set the hook and hooked it near it's mouth but not in it. I am keeping track of how many fish I catch this year and was wondering if you would count this fish? I am sure that if I hadn't snagged it I would have caught it soon.
aavery2 reply :
In a lot of tournaments a foul hooked fish is counted if it was not caught sight fishing. If bed fishing (sight fishing) a foul hooked fish must be released.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Count it.... Make a note on it
Mccallister25 reply :
Thats completely up to you my friend. If fishing simply for enjoyment, and not in a tournament, thats your call to make. I personally dont consider a fish caught unless landed, but I may tell the occasional lie 
Bluebasser86 reply :
Nope, sight fishing fish must be hooked inside the mouth. Whole different story if a fish swats at a topwater or jerkbait and gets side swung, that fish counts.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 5/27/2014 at 9:49 AM, Topwater98 said:Yesterday I was fishing for a bedding bass. I had been fishing for it for a while. Suddenly the bass grabbed at the lure hard but missed. I set the hook and hooked it near it's mouth but not in it. I am keeping track of how many fish I catch this year and was wondering if you would count this fish? I am sure that if I hadn't snagged it I would have caught it soon.
I don't understanding keeping track in the first place. If 100 fish caught over a paltry 99 greatly affects your life, then count it.
Scott F reply :
I count the number of fish I catch to judge the level of fish activity for my fishing journal. A fish that gets off near the boat or hits and gets hooked out side of the mouth counts for me. I won't sight fish for bedding fish so they would not count for my records because they aren't feeding.
WRB reply :
Some states it's illegal to snag game fish like bass and that's the law in California, so here it's illegal period.
Remember Dottie the potential world record bass had to be released without recognition do to this law as she was snagged off a bed.
Tom
Hyrule Bass reply :
On 5/27/2014 at 6:58 PM, Scott F said:A fish that gets off near the boat....counts for me.
shouldnt count if you dont land it, but thats just my opinion
Bankbeater reply :
Like Bluebasser said, If the bass goes after the bait and gets hooked outside the mouth, its good.
Master Bait'r reply :
I personally don't get the whole "sit on this bedding fish for 10 minutes until they go crazy and swipe something" deal at all but regardless...
Inside the mouth = catch
Outside the mouth = only if you're bowfishing! 
Basically what I'm saying is this:
AK-Jax86 reply :
On 5/27/2014 at 9:57 AM, aavery2 said:In a lot of tournaments a foul hooked fish is counted if it was not caught sight fishing. If bed fishing (sight fishing) a foul hooked fish must be released.
How would they know if you foul hooked a fish sight fishing?
I would imagine it would be a honor system because I highly doubt they have eyes on every single angler unless we are talking Bassmaster, Major League Fishing, FLW, or similar big name type of tournaments.
If it's honor system I doubt any angler would be able to release, I'm sure there are a few who would but more who wouldn't (anyone who responds to this saying that they would yea that sounds good for your public perception lol), an 8lb+ bass they foul hooked sight fishing
VAHunter reply :
On 5/28/2014 at 1:43 AM, AK-Jax86 said:How would they know if you foul hooked a fish sight fishing?
I would imagine it would be a honor system because I highly doubt they have eyes on every single angler unless we are talking Bassmaster, Major League Fishing, FLW, or similar big name type of tournaments.
If it's honor system I doubt any angler would be able to release, I'm sure there are a few who would but more who wouldn't (anyone who responds to this saying that they would yea that sounds good for your public perception lol), an 8lb+ bass they foul hooked sight fishing
Unless another boater sees the "foul" hooked fish and knows your bed fishing, nobody would know -- except you. That's the kicker. I can't get myself to keep one that was foul hooked if I'm bed fishing. I've had guys approach me after tournaments and ask why I threw back a big fish. I told them because it was foul hooked off a bed. I never knew the other fishermen were there or could even see me. Like you said, it's the honor system and I'm not placing my honor in jeopardy. By the way, I haven't had to release any 8+ bed fish, but I've tossed back sever over 7. Sometimes karma plays a role as well, as I've turned around 10 minutes later and caught the same fish in the mouth.
michang5 reply :
I went out on a kayak on Saturday. After wasting several hours trying something new, I switched to my confidence rig — a wacky senko. A few casts under a high tree limb, I feel a definitive thump. I reel down and set the hook within a second, which starts an epic 3+ minute fight. Drag is screaming. The fish jumps and then spins me around several times as it heads into the weeds and then out to open water and then back in again. It was the best and longest fight of my short fishing "career."
I reach down to grab the fish and am shocked to see where the fish is hooked. It weighed 6.0 pounds on my Boga.
That catch had every component of a good fishing story. I enjoyed the heck out of it. And 10 people on the shore stopped, watched and cheered as I brought the fish in. To me, it didn't matter if I had hooked it on the top or — or underneath — its mouth. I'm counting it!
macmichael reply :
I agree. Count what you want, it's your fishing trip. Whatever you enjoy and makes your day.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Like I said... You're keeping records, record this information too... I don't think it's a tournament question... It's a learning tool that's pretty interesting a few years down the road... Kept records on whitetails & turkeys... I really picked up some interesting facts... It's worth the extra effort and fun!
Catch and Grease reply :
Foul hooked fish can feel very big... I foul hooked a 4lb bass in the side the other day and thought I had a monster on my hook...
Jolly Green reply :
Sure you can count it, but you have to tag it with an asterisk. 
Marty reply :
Check your state's regulations. In New York, with a few exceptions, foul-hooked trout and salmon must be released while other species may be kept.
Bassguytom reply :
What you guys don't play horse shoes or hand grenades? Besides Babe Ruth did it on beer and hot dogs not steroids. Sorry I saw the opening.
atpns1234 reply :
Yes you count it. Especially if you are fishing for the fun of it.
Topwater98 reply :
By the way this was my first time bed fishing.
einscodek reply :
Yea if it were for a state record maybe not..
but hey that fish was brought on board.. as long as u let her go.. its a catch!
BassinLou reply :
I don't tournament fish. But if I did, i know for a fact my conscious would get the better of me, and I would release that big fish. Even if it wasn't a tournament I would always say I foul hooked a big one once, and I wouldn't be proud of it. It has to be hooked in the mouth and it has to be going after my lure for me to count it.
Pz3 reply :
On 5/27/2014 at 9:57 AM, aavery2 said:In a lot of tournaments a foul hooked fish is counted if it was not caught sight fishing. If bed fishing (sight fishing) a foul hooked fish must be released.
What if you are sight fishing and the fish goes to bump the lure. I.E. toget a devil horse to go away. Is that considered a snag? Ive caught quiet a few fish this way (not in tournaments)
SirSnookalot reply :
On 5/29/2014 at 4:57 AM, Pz3 said:What if you are sight fishing and the fish goes to bump the lure. I.E. toget a devil horse to go away. Is that considered a snag? Ive caught quiet a few fish this way (not in tournaments)
Having a fish miss the lure and get snagged in another part of the body is anything but unusual. A foul hooked fish can be and probably most of the time is more difficult to land. If I land a hard fighting fishing I'm always proud of that accomplishment. I lose track of how many fish I catch after about 1, whether they are 15 inches, 15#.
slimshad reply :
If you hold the fish in your hands, it is a caught fish. Worrying about a bed fish or tournament rules are crazy. If you are fishing and catch a fish, I say good for you. Write the whole deal in your log and it will be remebered forever.
lmbfisherman reply :
On 5/27/2014 at 1:10 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Nope, sight fishing fish must be hooked inside the mouth. Whole different story if a fish swats at a topwater or jerkbait and gets side swung, that fish counts.
What if like I have a happened a few times now, that when I was fishing my swim jig the bass comes out of nowhere near the shore and I "see them" swipe at it and I set the hook and foul hook'em. Is that considered sight fishing? lol
SirSnookalot reply :
On 5/30/2014 at 12:25 AM, lmbfisherman said:What if like I have a happened a few times now, that when I was fishing my swim jig the bass comes out of nowhere near the shore and I "see them" swipe at it and I set the hook and foul hook'em. Is that considered sight fishing? lol
IMO no.
Sight fishing is seeing the fish or some kind of activity like a ripple then throwing your lure at, not too close as not to spook it. Casting at fish busting bait may or may not be considered sight casting, each has their own opinion. Mine would be no because I'm not casting at one specific fish. In the end all that matters is a fish on your hook.
lmbfisherman reply :
On 5/30/2014 at 12:42 AM, SirSnookalot said:IMO no.
Sight fishing is seeing the fish or some kind of activity like a ripple then throwing your lure at, not too close as not to spook it. Casting at fish busting bait may or may not be considered sight casting, each has their own opinion. Mine would be no because I'm not casting at one specific fish. In the end all that matters is a fish on your hook.
Thanks for input, good to know. In the end i don't have an issue either, it happens. I did however felt bad the other day when I did it to a small pike. The spinnerbait hook foul hooked him in the eye, it was pretty tough to not try to damage its eye further.
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