Fishing this weekend and caught several nice LM. Near the end of the day I hooked a nice fish and when I got it in the boat noticed a piece of fishing line with a split shot sinker hanging under the stomach of a 4.8lb'er. Thought it was just a foul hook that broke off. No sir. It was a live bait rig (I guess) that the fish broke off and swallowed. It had managed to pass the large split shot through the intestine and out it's vent where it was just hanging there attached to a 3 inch section of braided line. A couple of tugs confirmed that something was attached to the other end of the line still inside the fish and was not going to come out. I went ahead and cut the line to remove the split shot, weighed it and put the fish back in the lake. Didn't know what else to do other than let nature take it's course. I have always heard that the hook would eventually work it's way out but have no idea if that is true. Anyone know?