Bluegill got attacked?

I was fishing for bluegill, got this one hooked, 7.5", then either it got seriously caught in some weeds or a northern or musky might have bit onto this poor guy. Some bluegill were diving down and then it was tough to pull them out with all the weeds. It felt like I snagged a log and at first there was some fight to it, then just felt like a log, then after a minute there was no tension and I pulled this guy out. Any ideas as to what happened? (judging by the injury in the picture, oh and the injury was only on one side of the bluegill, not both sides)

Yep thats what it looks like. I seen that happen 1 time when realing in a gill a northern clamped on to it.

JJ

I think this happens quite a lot. The picture is a crappie that got hit pretty much the same as yours. There are muskies and northern in this lake
Illinoisgiller

Looks like that fish was lucky to live to bite another day!;)

Are there snapping turtles in your area?

ReadyToFish, If you were speaking of the crappie, yes we have snappers in Illinois, but I think this was a fish by the way it acted. It hit as the crappie was pulled off structure ,was shaking it's head and finally let go.
Never tell for sure of course. Mine was killed so I got one fillet. lol illinoisgiller

The private place I fish has loads of northern. We learned by accident that the best bait for a 40" northern is a 12" northern, lol. Many many times while reeling in a small one a larger one grabs it. Some don't let go until they hit the floor of the boat. We have caught many that never had a hook in them!

this happend to me while bream fishing. big ole bass smoked it

Bluecat ?

could also be a bowfin no bass could do that.

Bowfin

Once while fishing with 1/16 oz jigs i caught a hand sized bluegill. I only had limited jigs with me as I forgot my jig box. Was skittering the blugliil acroos the surface when a about 2 lb bass grabbed it. Fishing with 2 lb test line and a 6'6" ultra lite spinng rod I was taking it pretty easy. I thought the bass was just not giving up the bluegill (not hooked) I was right because when he got close to the dock that I was standing on he spit it out.

Another bass about the same size was following and immediately grabbed the bluegill. I opened the bail on the spinning reel and let him run closed the bail and set the hook gently the bluegill popped out and hooked the bass. Landed this bass and on a digital scale it weighed 2 lb 15 oz. I would not have bet a coke that I would have landed this fish.

a

This happend to me the other day at Woodrum lake in WV. Was reeling in a 6" gill when a musky ate it! He ran and ran and ran through a buncha long stumps. I had 6 lb line that eventually broke.

I fish another creek where it's not unusual to catch 2 sunfish at a time...usually looks like a small one went for the worm right before a larger one does....the dink always ends up spinning around the line through his gills!

ANOTHER time on Sutton Lake WV My dad and I had just caught 2 monster gills.....Just as I stringer'd them and dropped them in the water the biggest darn large mouth I've ever seen surfaces from the depths and tries to eat one but gave up rather quickly.