Flip Fish

[Squirmin Wormin]

this is a simple question , do you flip the fish you catch or reel it in? 

and is one better than other ,i should say safer?  

your opinion?

[Catch and Grease]

I think I get what your asking, if its a bass that's not to big I'll just hop him in the boat with my rod If it can handle it, obviously you can't do this on a whippy fairy wand.

[everythingthatswims]

Depends on how well it's hooked (or how well I think it is hooked), line size, and fish size.

[Raul]

It depends, you can´t gently reel in a fish when you are flipping/pitching to heavy cover and you are literally dragging/yanking them out of it.

 

My PB has been the least satisfactory catch of my life, almost 14 lbs of fish dragged with 50 lbs of weeds. covering it.

[tbone1993]

I would say 80% of the time I flip a fish in.  If I am bed fishing I aways net the fish or lip them on the side of the boat. If i am fishing from teh shore I generally flip the fish up and grab the line MLF style as to keep them off of the ground.

[frogflogger]

I've weaned myself off of flipping fish into the boat - it's not good for them and (for myself) it doesn't show the fish the respect they deserve.

[gulfcaptain]

Lip them, not a fan of flipping them in the boat especially if I'm gonna be throwing them back.

[bassguytom]

I flip dinks. Anything else I lip.

[atcoha]

I flip dinks. Anything else I lip.

x2

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I've weaned myself off of flipping fish into the boat - it's not good for them and (for myself) it doesn't show the fish the respect they deserve.

X2 Also a good way to break a rod if you're not careful.

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Most of the time I net or grab them.

[FrogFreak]

If using treble hooks I get them to the side of the boat and use boga grips to lip them and then remove hooks. I just started doing this because I had to go to the emergency room 2 weeks ago to remove a hook.

 

If it's a large fish, I get the net.

 

I think boat flipping is a bit much for a recreational fisherman like me.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Net or lip.

[WRB]

There isn't any good reason to bounce (flip) bass into your boat, all it does is harm the fishes slime coat.

Tom

[Mike L]

Ever try to flip a fish in and misjudge it, and the fish hit's the gunnell and it gets off??

Yeah well I did once, and haven't tried since.

I honestly still feel bad for the fish.

Mike

[Bluebasser86]

I swing smaller fish to my hand but I don't bounce them. Trying to get into the habit of netting larger fish for the health of both me and the fish.

[SirSnookalot]

I've weaned myself off of flipping fish into the boat - it's not good for them and (for myself) it doesn't show the fish the respect they deserve

 

If one showed fish the respect they deserved they would be allowed to live their natural life without human interference.  A life without being gouged with sharp objects, ripping it's lips, jerking their heads, dragging thru the water, gut hooking and stressing it.  A fish derives no benefits from these acts, best case scenario is the fish swims away unharmed, which can't always be proved. 

If I were to show fish real respect I'd quit fishing, join PETA and become a vegan, I don't see any of that happening.  This is a bloodsport, flipping a fish may not be good for it but maybe no worse than what was done before trying to land it.

[frogflogger]

I don't see catch and release as a "blood sport" Releasing a fish quickly without messing with it's slime coat is miles a way from bouncing it all over a boat deck. I've caught the same ten lb. bass out of my pond countless times - released her and let her go her way. In the keys we guided anglers to bonefish and tarpon that had been caught and released unharmed year after year - granted if they had their druthers they would'nt be hooked - but catch and release has improved fisheries all over this country - in salt and freshwater.

If you do gut hook a fish - eat it -

[SirSnookalot]

I don't see catch and release as a "blood sport" Releasing a fish quickly without messing with it's slime coat is miles a way from bouncing it all over a boat deck. I've caught the same ten lb. bass out of my pond countless times - released her and let her go her way. In the keys we guided anglers to bonefish and tarpon that had been caught and released unharmed year after year - granted if they had their druthers they would'nt be hooked - but catch and release has improved fisheries all over this country - in salt and freshwater.

If you do gut hook a fish - eat it -

I see C & R as much as a blood sport as keeping them for the table, the potential is there at any time for that fish to die.

What about gut hooking a bass when out of season or not a slot size, can't eat that, same goes for a snook.   Can't keep a tarpon here in Florida gut hooked or not.  30 minute plus fights tire them out, they don't swim off at warp speed, just like in freshwater they are subject to be attacked by a larger predator when weakened.

I personally don't sugar coat the fact that by saying I respect them when I may be putting one in peril at any time. 

 

I may take care in handling them after I've already beat the crap out them, I don't call that respecting the fish.  As I say I'm not about to give it up any time soon.