Liping a bass

[cruiseforever]

I have always given nice bass a lip lock with my thumb to get them into the boat. But over the last couple years I have been using more crankbaits and have had way too many close calls with their hooks. Time to use a lip grabber. What do you do?

[KickNBass]

I grab the bill or try to get the hooks out with a pliers while the fish is in the water.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

FishGrip

[RK]

Yeah, corralling a fish with a face full of trebles isn't fun. Smallies are the worst - they never quit fighting, and they have a smaller yap to begin with so there's less to grab, plus they slash at cranks more so they get hooked outside their mouth a lot. Doesn't help that I have Triple Grips on most of my cranks. Those hooks are nasty. Way more scared of them than I am the 5/0s on a Suick...

I end up bellying fish a lot of the time. Sometimes starts with just pinning the fish against the side of the boat, then setting the rod down so I can get a grip on it with my free hand if there's a safe spot to lip it.

Never liked lip grippers. Fish twist and thrash and it's pretty easy to tear their jaws up.

[RumRiverRat]

Belly land them or just swing them into the boat.

I do not own a net and do not plan on buying one anytime soon.

[Craigums]

Net for larger fish, boat flip everything else

[thatoneguy]

Net for larger fish, boat flip everything else

Yep

[Basschaser]

Large fish get pinned against the side of the boat and little ones get flipped into the boat. Bass will hold surprisingly still when you hold them under the belly. With cranks I remove the hooks with a pliers.

[EBass]

I got me one of them frabil rubber nets. It's it bit on the heavy side, but easy to get the crankbaits out since it's not nylon.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Flip or net. Esspicially in tournaments. For pike I like to grab them on the gill plates on each side.

[river rat316]

for pike I just wack em in the head with a bat and hopefully they fall off the line at the same time kidding of course but sometimes would like to

[ECP1989]

Spread hand wide and belly them

[Nick Kuhn]

The ole behind the head grab.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Hahaha that whole bat thing isn't that bad of an idea! I might have to try that sometime.

[delcecchi]

Hahaha that whole bat thing isn't that bad of an idea! I might have to try that sometime.

My dad used to talk about shooting muskies at boatside, back in the 30's in Wisconsin. Pretty much same deal.

[Hawg]

Careful River Rat, those Pike guys will be on you like stink on Northern

[Juan Grande]

I would like to hear arguments against having/using a net for bigger fish if you're not in a tournament that restricts it.

I use a rubber net which is less abrasive to the fish and will not snag my hooks. I guess I just don't see the point of laying on the deck to grab a nice fish and risk getting a handful of hooks.

RRR and I were having this discussion during our last night fishing outing in his boat. I had a 5 pounder hit about 6' feet out and it was going ballistic boat side. He tried to lip it several times and it kept diving and flipping away from him. Nothing against RRR's fishing lipping abilities as it was dark and the fish was still full of fight but, with a net, the fish would have likely been in the boat the second I had it at the surface.

[EBass]

Quote:

RRR and I were having this discussion during our last night fishing outing in his boat. I had a 5 pounder hit about 6' feet out and it was going ballistic boat side. He tried to lip it several times and it kept diving and flipping away from him. Nothing against RRR's fishing lipping abilities as it was dark and the fish was still full of fight but, with a net, the fish would have likely been in the boat the second I had it at the surface.

Agree and don't forget about those that are barely hooked and if you flip them they are gone. Not to mention if the hook does rip off while flippin it in then you have a crankbait coming off that at warp speed.

That being said I've knocked off fish with the net before. Sorry Brandon!

[M1dwestF1sh]

I'd always use it in a tournament but outside tournaments I'd draw the line around 4 pounds to net or not. 4 pounds and up I net. Bass are extremely tough fish and I don't think a net is ever going to hurt or kill a bass. I trout fish and those are complete opposites but bass I have no problem with netting.

[Juan Grande]

I don't think it's so much that the net hurts the fish as it is the "Pros don't use nets" mentality. I could be wrong though. Maybe people just like the challenge of lipping them.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I'm not sure what they are thinking either but that's probably it. Which I see where they are coming from but if you watch the Forrest wood cup every fish hooked was netted pretty Much. Sometimes I don't net them for the fun of it. Its like another battle to lip them.

[TR21HP]

FLW allows nets, BASS never has. Personally I've never netted a bass and really don't see the need especially when I'm going to release it anyway. According to a number of fish biologists, including Steve Quinn of In Fisherman a net does disturb the protective slime of a bass and open it up to bacteria to what extent I personally don't know. Never had a problem lipping, swinging or cradling them so I see no need for a net.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I'll admit I like landing the fish. The fight is the best part but something about getting ahold of a 5 pound bass will always make me excited.

[Todd S.]

I prefer lipping or in situation with a mouth full of trebles I typically grab the crankbait. My selfish reason for not using a net is my affliction for the gunnels of my boat, that aluminum net handle sliding on the gel coat could mar the finish, heck when ur in my boat shoes are only allowed to touch the carpet or rubber step pads, no shoes touch the gel coat or vinyl. I'm on the far left end of picky when it comes to scratches and cleanliness of my boat.

I would think nets could rub off some slime for sure, heck feel/smell the net after you take the fish out, it's slimy and smells fishy, can't be good for the fish, but I don't know how bad it is either. Same goes for fish flopping around on the carpet, it happens to us all once in awhile, but I hate to see pics on Facebook of fish laying on the carpet, that has to be really hard on the slime coat.

[JP Z]

I generally Lip them, unless in a tourney then they are netted. Sure I've bumped off a fish or two with a net. but I've lost many more trying to get a hold of them with my hand.