David Campbell, ShareLunker program manager, offers the following tips for handling big bass to avoid injuring them.
•Wet your hands before touching the fish.
•Using your dominant hand, grip the fish with your thumb inside the mouth and your fingers locked on the outside of the mouth.
•Support the rear of the fish with your other hand placed beneath the fish just forward of the tail.
•Lift the fish out of the water in a horizontal position using both hands for support.
•DO NOT hold the fish by the lower jaw in a vertical position. This can dislocate or break the jaw, practically guaranteeing the fish will not survive, since it will not be able to eat.
•Handle the fish only when putting it into a livewell or holding tank. Do not keep the fish out of water or keep removing it from the water for photographs.
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•Wet your hands before touching the fish.
•Using your dominant hand, grip the fish with your thumb inside the mouth and your fingers locked on the outside of the mouth.
•Support the rear of the fish with your other hand placed beneath the fish just forward of the tail.
•Lift the fish out of the water in a horizontal position using both hands for support.
•DO NOT hold the fish by the lower jaw in a vertical position. This can dislocate or break the jaw, practically guaranteeing the fish will not survive, since it will not be able to eat.
•Handle the fish only when putting it into a livewell or holding tank. Do not keep the fish out of water or keep removing it from the water for photographs.
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it is safe to hold a bass by the mouth in the vertical position up to a certain weight not sure exactly what that is. but for the bass' sake, i am gently and release him with two hands and dont throw him back in.
that being said it is really disturbing how pros on tv handle the fish and those college bass fishing guys are even bigger a#@holes. just really bad form. the last thing i want in my state is a crappy fishery, handle the bass/fish with care and we can preserve it for future generations. nuff said.
FISH ON!
that being said it is really disturbing how pros on tv handle the fish and those college bass fishing guys are even bigger a#@holes. just really bad form. the last thing i want in my state is a crappy fishery, handle the bass/fish with care and we can preserve it for future generations. nuff said.
FISH ON!
Rawr,
You can hold fish that don't have teeth or very small teeth, by grabbing them by their lower lip using your thumb and pointer fingers.
Otherwise fold down the dorsal fin and hold the fish around the body. Be sure to do this with a wet hand or rag. A dry hand or rag removes the fish’s natural oils/slime.
There are also many devices that you can buy that will hold a fish by its lower lip or body.
It's now your choose on how you're going to hold the fish.
By the way touching the gills also harms the fish if you are planning on releasing it.
Hope this helps
You can hold fish that don't have teeth or very small teeth, by grabbing them by their lower lip using your thumb and pointer fingers.
Otherwise fold down the dorsal fin and hold the fish around the body. Be sure to do this with a wet hand or rag. A dry hand or rag removes the fish’s natural oils/slime.
There are also many devices that you can buy that will hold a fish by its lower lip or body.
It's now your choose on how you're going to hold the fish.
By the way touching the gills also harms the fish if you are planning on releasing it.
Hope this helps