I'm pretty much all catch & release here...
SO: any time I get a baited gut- hooked Bass (or generally hooked too deep to extricate without causing further damage)... I simply cut & leave it there. I use Mustad Beak hooks that rust quite quickly... & like you I've observed that (larger esp.) Bass can & do easily survive & even still do feed with hooks and/ or rigs stuck in their maw!
Approx. survival rate of released Bass w/ hook left in?-- I'd guess 30- 75% depending (on a # of other factors)...
Deep- hooked Bass' survival- rate if kept because it's deep- hooked? Zero!
The KEY here with the Bass' survival in mind, is to of course use mono. or mono. leaders only... SO you can slide a clippers/ cutter way down & cut the leader or mono. very close to the hook-- the less leader/ trailer of any type on the hook, the better!
Guys who insist on using wire while chunkin' / fishing bait for Bass will be the ones having problems in this regard...
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