Ouch

[nixstyx]

This guy has had a rough life. Was all healed over though, even had scales growing over where you'd expect the fin.

[Whopper Stopper]

If he could only talk.

       WS

[osiris]

wow suprised it could still swim neverless survive after that kinda bite 

[Lrains]

Maybe from a prop

[Dull Hooks]

I caught one a week ago that was 13.5 in. with a similar wound but near the head just behind the gill plate. My immediate thought was a heron , fish was lucky enough to escape that, but not lucky enough escape my bucket 

[Pail Rider]

Did you throw the "survivor" back, or did he succumb to the fillet knife?

[Townie]

Heron bite--see it often on panfish; right behind dorsal as well

[nixstyx]

I felt bad for him, so I sent him back to survive another day.
I agree that it was probably a bird. Plenty of herons around here, and this pond has no boat ramp.

[panfishman13]

what are the live bait laws in new hampshire? i've seen pictures of bluegill like that, and i can't help but think that somebody's netting fingerlings and using them as bait, hooking them behind the dorsal fin and then when something hits and they tear off, if they survive they end up with that cut in them.

[big bobber]

Maybe from a prop

i would have to agree...

[Dull Hooks]

what are the live bait laws in new hampshire? i've seen pictures of bluegill like that, and i can't help but think that somebody's netting fingerlings and using them as bait, hooking them behind the dorsal fin and then when something hits and they tear off, if they survive they end up with that cut in them.

Off the top of my head , in New Hampshire I don't think we're allowed to use spiny finned fish as live bait, perch...etc...I would think wounds like that are caused from herons or other birds.Not sure how any fish would get just clipped in the back by a boat prop with being chopped to bits.

[Lord_of_the_Perch]

I got one very similar....

[Lord_of_the_Perch]

Here's my picture...