Hook Set Killed 6 Pounder... 2025
Zoff reply :
Guys... I was getting a little fishing in today when I hooked what ended up being a 6 pounder. I was using a shakeyhead with 4/0 wide gap and finess worm. Got a good bite and swim-off... set the hook and though I missed it and hung a stick. Dead weight reel in. When I got it in it was dead as a doornail. Can somebody tell me why and is this a common thing? First time for me.
flyfisher reply :
I have never heard of one dying that quickly. I know there are some big blood vessels in the tongue area of bass that I have heard if you stick one there they are pretty mud goners but never had what you experienced happen to me....
Bluebasser86 reply :
I've killed a couple dinks when the hook point went through their brains or spines on the hookset, but never one that size. You must have just hit the exact right (or wrong) spot. I wouldn't let it bug you too bad though, occasionally a fish you catch isn't going to make it no matter what you do.
tcbass reply :
Never heard of such a thing.
OroBass reply :
That's crazy. Was he convulsing or twitching or anything. Or was he just totally dead.
NorcalBassin reply :
That is crazy... definitely a fluke.
Crestliner2008 reply :
Definitely not a normal occurrence!
speed craw reply :
You had a one and a million chance that something weird happened . I wouldn't let it bother you continue fishing just strike it up as something crazy .
Loop_Dad reply :
Wow, never heard of something like this. Which spot did the hook go through?
edfitzvb reply :
That's a new one on me, too.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Very Strange, indeed
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
FISH KILLER!!!! JK... In all my years of fishing, I've never heard of this nor seen it. I know I've blinded in one eye a bunch of fish, makes me feel bad for the fish... Did you take it home and fillet it? No sense in wasting it...
slonezp reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 11:35 AM, flyfisher said:I have never heard of one dying that quickly. I know there are some big blood vessels in the tongue area of bass that I have heard if you stick one there they are pretty mud goners but never had what you experienced happen to me....
A tongue hooked fish won't die instantly. Could take hours to bleed out.
Zoff reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 1:12 PM, Bluebasser86 said:I've killed a couple dinks when the hook point went through their brains or spines on the hookset, but never one that size. You must have just hit the exact right (or wrong) spot. I wouldn't let it bug you too bad though, occasionally a fish you catch isn't going to make it no matter what you do.
Yeah... not bugging me but just thought it was strange. 
On 6/19/2014 at 2:54 PM, OroBass said:That's crazy. Was he convulsing or twitching or anything. Or was he just totally dead.
Nope... just locked up dead as dead can be. Not even a gill moved when I got it to the boat.
On 6/19/2014 at 8:06 PM, Loop_Dad said:Wow, never heard of something like this. Which spot did the hook go through?
Looked like the hook was in the roof of the mouth way in the back. Possible I hit the brain pan.
On 6/19/2014 at 8:40 PM, Fish Murderer 71 said:FISH KILLER!!!! JK... In all my years of fishing, I've never heard of this nor seen it. I know I've blinded in one eye a bunch of fish, makes me feel bad for the fish... Did you take it home and fillet it? No sense in wasting it...
Yup... got two very nice fillets and served them up about 3 hours after I killed it. Very fresh!!!! Gave it a drizzle of Olive Oil... a sprinkling ot salt, pepper, rosemary, basil, and garlic. With skin on... seared it on the skin side until it was cooked over half way through. Throw a splash of lemon juice on top. Flip it over just to complete the cooking. AWESOME!!!!!
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:00 PM, Zoff said:
Yup... got two very nice fillets and served them up about 3 hours after I killed it. Very fresh!!!! Gave it a drizzle of Olive Oil... a sprinkling ot salt, pepper, rosemary, basil, and garlic. With skin on... seared it on the skin side until it was cooked over half way through. Throw a splash of lemon juice on top. Flip it over just to complete the cooking. AWESOME!!!!!
And now I'm hungry...
quanjig reply :
I know you are country strong Zoff, maybe just 1/2 bowl of Wheeties next time!!
Loop_Dad reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:00 PM, Zoff said:Looked like the hook was in the roof of the mouth way in the back. Possible I hit the brain pan.
Yeah, that probably explains the instant death.
basscatcher8 reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:00 PM, Zoff said:
Yup... got two very nice fillets and served them up about 3 hours after I killed it. Very fresh!!!! Gave it a drizzle of Olive Oil... a sprinkling ot salt, pepper, rosemary, basil, and garlic. With skin on... seared it on the skin side until it was cooked over half way through. Throw a splash of lemon juice on top. Flip it over just to complete the cooking. AWESOME!!!!!
Atleast you did that I know several that wouldnt even put that much effort into it and let it float. Good to hear he was a good meal atleast 
Mike L reply :
Makes sense...The extra penetrating room of the wide gap probably made it easier to pierce the pan.
I wonder if a straight shank hook would have done the same...maybe not.
One in a million shot.
Mike
Kevin22 reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:00 PM, Zoff said:Yeah... not bugging me but just thought it was strange.
Nope... just locked up dead as dead can be. Not even a gill moved when I got it to the boat.
Looked like the hook was in the roof of the mouth way in the back. Possible I hit the brain pan.
Yup... got two very nice fillets and served them up about 3 hours after I killed it. Very fresh!!!! Gave it a drizzle of Olive Oil... a sprinkling ot salt, pepper, rosemary, basil, and garlic. With skin on... seared it on the skin side until it was cooked over half way through. Throw a splash of lemon juice on top. Flip it over just to complete the cooking. AWESOME!!!!!
More evidence of the MYTH that bass taste terrible. Glad you cleaned it and enjoyed it. Stuff happens, that's fishing. I've had them jump and hit the side of the boat dead as a rock, it happens. That's just another reason why everyone needs to learn to clean and cook fish, even if you are a 100% C&R bass fisherman.
Catch and Grease reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 11:22 PM, Kevin22 said:More evidence of the MYTH that bass taste terrible. Glad you cleaned it and enjoyed it. Stuff happens, that's fishing. I've had them jump and hit the side of the boat dead as a rock, it happens. That's just another reason why everyone needs to learn to clean and cook fish, even if you are a 100% C&R bass fisherman.
I always have bass in my freezer... Haha
Hubtech reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 11:22 PM, Kevin22 said:More evidence of the MYTH that bass taste terrible. Glad you cleaned it and enjoyed it. Stuff happens, that's fishing. I've had them jump and hit the side of the boat dead as a rock, it happens. That's just another reason why everyone needs to learn to clean and cook fish, even if you are a 100% C&R bass fisherman.
Bass is great! we never leave the skin on, but your recipe sounds good! sounds like something i'd do with grouper or tilapia since they're pretty mild. we usually do a cornmeal coating, and fry it up. baked with lemon, onions, and either olive oil or butter is pretty great too!
Bob C reply :
I had that happen with a 4lb a couple years ago. All the way to the boat it was like reeling in a wet towel. He was completely motionless even after I got hook out. I put him in the live well. When I got home and opened the well door he scared the crap out of me. He jumped all the way out and landed on the boat floor very much alive. 
bighed reply :
Never had that happen on a bass but I did hit one so hard once that it turned him inside out. Reached thru his mouth and grabbed his tail then gave him a pop like a tube sock. Watched him swim away, no bull
everythingthatswims reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:04 PM, Fish Murderer 71 said:And now I'm hungry...
Time to do some dink management
FL Bass Abducter reply :
Never seen that before..................
mcgreggor57 reply :
I vote heart attack...
TNBassin' reply :
Bass are delicious if you know how to cook them. Beer batter them and roll them in corn meal and wow....tasty as can be. Can't believe more people don't eat them.On 6/19/2014 at 11:22 PM, Kevin22 said:More evidence of the MYTH that bass taste terrible. Glad you cleaned it and enjoyed it. Stuff happens, that's fishing. I've had them jump and hit the side of the boat dead as a rock, it happens. That's just another reason why everyone needs to learn to clean and cook fish, even if you are a 100% C&R bass fisherman.
5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :
Sounds like some type of spine/lower cranial trauma. That size hook and that gap can do that. How deep was it? Ruling out a busted swim bladder from a fast reel in from deep water. If she tried to swim down as you set the hook, the angle would've been perfect to hit the tail of the spinal cord. Either way 1 / 1,000,000 shot.
geo g reply :
I have caught many thousands of fish and never had something like that happen. That is certainly a freaky thing.
Zoff reply :
On 6/20/2014 at 9:49 AM, 5 Dollar Fishing Game said:Sounds like some type of spine/lower cranial trauma. That size hook and that gap can do that. How deep was it? Ruling out a busted swim bladder from a fast reel in from deep water. If she tried to swim down as you set the hook, the angle would've been perfect to hit the tail of the spinal cord. Either way 1 / 1,000,000 shot.
Shallow water so not SB problem. Hook was deep so I am opting for the spinal/cranial trauma.
WRB reply :
Happens when the hook point goes into the brain through the roof of the mouth.
Tom
flyingmonkie reply :
Craziness...
Evan Lip Ripper reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 11:32 AM, Zoff said:Guys... I was getting a little fishing in today when I hooked what ended up being a 6 pounder. I was using a shakeyhead with 4/0 wide gap and finess worm. Got a good bite and swim-off... set the hook and though I missed it and hung a stick. Dead weight reel in. When I got it in it was dead as a doornail. Can somebody tell me why and is this a common thing? First time for me.
Maybe it was just super stunned. Look at one of the last comments about this one bass that was thought to be dead but jumped around out of the livewell.
Raul reply :
On 4/30/2017 at 5:23 AM, Evan Lip Ripper said:Maybe it was just super stunned. Look at one of the last comments about this one bass that was thought to be dead but jumped around out of the livewell.
IT happened 3 YEARS AGO, btw, TC hasn't been around for like 2 years.
N Florida Mike reply :
Maybe he had a heart attack.
Ive never had a fish die on the hookset.
I did hit a bass with the oars one time when I was rowing but at least he was swimming around in circles not dead.
I scooped him up and invited him home for dinner.Figured he would drown eventually anyway swimming around and around like that.
RoLo reply :
Maybe that stick he thought he snagged, was a 'dead' bass 
Roger
Oklahoma Mike reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 8:40 PM, Fish Murderer 71 said:FISH KILLER!!!! JK... In all my years of fishing, I've never heard of this nor seen it. I know I've blinded in one eye a bunch of fish, makes me feel bad for the fish... Did you take it home and fillet it? No sense in wasting it...
Screen name does not check out.
Evan Lip Ripper reply :
On 4/30/2017 at 8:48 AM, RoLo said:
Maybe that stick that you thought you snagged, was an already dead bass
Roger
Then he probably would have snagged it.
Adleyfishes reply :
I've ripped a few jaws off and set a lot in the eye but thats strange don't let it bother you.
lonnie g reply :
never seen that before what a shame ,nice fish. those things are good grilled tho just put on aluminum foil rub in olive oil add lemon pepper and grill until it flakes apart. yum yum!
Angry John reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 11:22 PM, Kevin22 said:
More evidence of the MYTH that bass taste terrible. Glad you cleaned it and enjoyed it. Stuff happens, that's fishing. I've had them jump and hit the side of the boat dead as a rock, it happens. That's just another reason why everyone needs to learn to clean and cook fish, even if you are a 100% C&R bass fisherman.
I dont eat fish but know a bunch of country boys around me that will eat anything. Have yet to have to use this method but will feel little or nothing as i know it went to feed a family that could use all the help they can get!!!
scaleface reply :
I only heard it happening one other time by Chuck Norris .
riverbasser reply :
On 5/1/2017 at 5:08 AM, scaleface said:I only heard it happening one other time by Chuck Norris .
Good one!
Paul Roberts reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 9:00 PM, Zoff said:Yup... got two very nice fillets and served them up about 3 hours after I killed it. Very fresh!!!! Gave it a drizzle of Olive Oil... a sprinkling ot salt, pepper, rosemary, basil, and garlic. With skin on... seared it on the skin side until it was cooked over half way through. Throw a splash of lemon juice on top. Flip it over just to complete the cooking. AWESOME!!!!!
Hey... stop it. i haven't had lunch yet.
WRB reply :
Killing a bass by hooking it through the roof of the mouth into the brain isn't common but it happens. I have done this a few times using 5/0 jig hooks and the bass isn't totally lifeless but the die quickly by the time you remove the hook.
Tom
RMax reply :
On 6/19/2014 at 8:50 PM, slonezp said:A tongue hooked fish won't die instantly. Could take hours to bleed out.
They bleed out rather quickly. For a fishes size, they have a very small amount of blood.
frogflogger reply :
Several years ago in the everglades I killed a 6 1/2 bass in a tournament - hook on the frog was driven into the roof of his mouth - I figured it hit her brain or something she was dead when I got her to the boat.
Edited by frogfloggergender confusion
Ratherbfishing reply :
On 6/20/2014 at 7:27 AM, mcgreggor57 said:I vote heart attack...
It's very possible. I know that I get a heart attack anytime I hook a fish that large (rarely).
geo g reply :
I too have caught a fish that ran off with the bait and came in dead as a door nail. I was using a senko and a #4 EWG Gama hook. I hooked the fish through the top of the mouth and I believe directly into the brain or brain stem. That fish was gone as soon as I set the hook. RIP little buddy!!!!!!!!
J Francho reply :
Holy zombie thread!
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