Hello all, I know I shouldn't even be fishing in this hot weather but I cant help myself. I went out today in the heat of the day and fished deep and found the big girls. But also as my punishment I gill hooked a 5 lb 12oz prize bass and she died. (Bill I will report length/gape in the mouth thread, 20.25 inch and 3.5 inch gape inside to inside.)

I was using a medium to large size crankbait and the fish was so large she just inhaled the bait and got a treble in each gill. Is there anything I can do to stop this? I have a pretty flexible cranking rod, and reel that is very low geared. I don't know if the slow retrieve and bend of the rod allow the fish to take the bait better?

Then once I gave up on saving the fish I continued to fish with the same bait and a 4+ lb fish also inhaled it and got a minor gill hook. I immediately got the hook out and let the fish go, she swam off but did bleed some. Who knows she may not make it either.

Any suggestions? just retire that particular crank? use smaller hooks? Also I guess I cut the fish lose with the crank in its mouth/gill? and hope she spits out on own?

It may just be that the bigger fish are able to inhale it so well that there is not much I can do?

Any help would be appreciated.

Get out and fish.