Fish kept my lure!

[squeeb27]

Was out at Sugar lake today casting for some bass, I was using a rubber storm swim bait one single treble hook on the bottom. While I was reeling it in I got a strike, set the hook and began the fight. The fish got to the edge of the boat and I realized it was a little muskie maybe a foot and a half to two feet long. When it saw the boat it rolled and snapped my line I saw the lure deep in its mouth just wondering what may happen to the fish is that certain death for her? I was pretty bummed losing my lure and what would have been my first muskie, and thinking she may not live.

[slipperybob]

It's not always certain death. I've caught fish that have deformed mouths from lures that have fallen off.

[mainbutter]

It may impede feeding, but they can go months without food. Hopefully it'll come out, nothing you could have done so don't beat yourself up about it.

Anywhere that has toothy fish these days, I'm using 20lb fluorocarbon leader, tied directly to my main line with a uni-to-uni knot. The less visible aspect of fluoro lets me feel confident that I'm not ruining my catch rates of typically leader-shy fish but still have some bite protection. Also the wallet doesn't take those hits from lost lures

[Nick Kuhn]

Depends on where it was hooked. When I was little I broke my line on a bass that was spawning under the dock. The bass swam about 20 feet to a patch of weeds and managed to rip out the lure on those weeds. I actually got that lure back.

[Ufatz]

Mainbutter......are you certain fish "can go for months without food"? Seems to me they would eventually die.....just like most things.

But maybe there is something I don't understand.

[Deitz Dittrich]

First off, congrats on your almost first muskie. Secondly, far too many variables. It may survive fine, it may become turtle food. Nothing you really did or didnt do could have changed anything. keep on fishin.