Handling A Bass With Treble Hooks (Rookie Question)

[RF813]

Do you handle a bass differently when you land them using a lure with treble hooks?  It's easy enough to lip them on a single hook, but it's something i've wondered. Especially since I don't fish crankbaits / treble hooked lures too often. A friend of mine (whom I DON'T fish with) actually had the misfortune of getting hooked by a treble while it was still in the fish, which led to a very messy outcome. 

 

So, i'm just curious.  And if there are any resources on landing fish in general i'd love some recommendations. I just try to go by what i've seen in videos online, but don't have much experience other than what i've picked up on my own.

 

 

R

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I prefer a Boga type lip gripper or a net when treble hooks & toothy critters are in play. Lipping is doable but as you can see from your friend's mishap extra care needs to be taken. 

[BassinLou]

Quick answer. Very carefully. I have had my share of mishaps with treble hooks. One ER visit quickly comes to mind. DVT also brought up a great point. Boga grips or The Fish Grip are great tools to have handy to handle treble fish. 

[F14A-B]

If you fish with cranks or hard jerk baits long enough, it's going to happen.. Google this, there are plenty of videos that will show methods of, on the boat/ bank removal techniques, and I would suggest learning how to remove hooks from yourself or partner. Don't be afraid, just be aware of it.. Good question..

[RSM789]

I have a couple of different methods, depending on the size of the fish and where exactly he/she is hooked:

 

• Belly Lift - If you slide your hand under the belly of a bass & apply pressure on their belly with 1 finger, it often immobilizes them similar to a lip landing;
   
• Gill Lift - for small to medium fish, you can grab them by the top of the head, putting pressure on both gill plates;
   
• Lure Lift - I started doing this as a teenager when fishing deep diving crankbaits & it works if the bass is well hooked and much of the lure is outside of the fishes mouth.  Just grab the lip of the crankbait & lift.

[faygo1979]

Yes I use Fish grips when handing fish with treble hooks.  Pulling a hook out of your hand is not fun.

[Dwight Hottle]

With smallies we always net them & then grab them with the boga to unhook them. That way you get a quick weight if you want to know how big. Dinks I just grab the line ahead of the bait then boga them. A little precaution goes a long way.

[fishballer06]

I normally do the gill grab and lift. If it's easier, I'll do the belly lift as well. 

[hoosierbass07]

If you fish with cranks or hard jerk baits long enough, it's going to happen.. 

 

 

   That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned.  Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits.  I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.  

[Lund Explorer]

   That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned.  Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits.  I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.  

 

Can I suggest that if you are that worried about being injured that you try pinching down the barbs on those hooks before you have them banned for everyone else?

[FrogFreak]

I too have made a trip to the Emergency Room to get a treble out of my finger. From that point on, I used a Boga Grip type deal to grab any fish when using trebles. I think I bought the Berkley model with a  spring scale on it for around $40. Works great!

[MichiganBass80]

Handle em the same way I handle them when fishing with single hooks.  Smaller fish I'll just lift em, grab the line then grab the body of the fish and then either take the hook out while holding it that way or lip it and take the hook(s) out.  If they are bigger fish I'll just net them.

[RSM789]

   That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned.  Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits.  I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.  

 

I dropped an anchor on my foot once & it hurt, so we should ban anchors.  They are just way too dangerous.  Who knows how many fish have been smashed against the bottom by an anchor coming down on them.  You could really injure yourself if you swung an anchor around like a throwing hammer, there is no place in fishing for a dangerous item like that.

 

All anchors should come with a complete list of warnings and possible injury's if used.  The government should provide a caretaker for every anchor sold to make sure you don't get hurt trying to use the anchor.  In fact, if the government worker is fat enough, we could use him as an anchor and save having to buy the heavy iron object.  That is it, fat government workers should be on every boat, in the name of safety.

[Senko lover]

I swing any fish under 2 pounds, and I lip anything else. I fish with jigs and soft plastics 80 percent of the time, so when I am fishing with treble hooks I just am a little more careful.

[RF813]

Could I please ask that this be kept on topic from this point?  I know it's hard, and winter has been around for too long for many of us. But there's useful information for me here.

[Dwight Hottle]

I swing any fish under 2 pounds, and I lip anything else. I fish with jigs and soft plastics 80 percent of the time, so when I am fishing with treble hooks I just am a little more careful.

 

You don't want to lip a 6lb smallie that has choked down a pointer 128 with three trebles. Trust me.

[RSM789]

Trust me, doing what you can to avoid dropping an anchor on your foot is VERY useful information...

[Hyrule Bass]

i just try to be really careful with trebles. if youre going to lip them, better put the death grip on them because they will flop around if you dont...

[ColdSVT]

Trust me, doing what you can to avoid dropping an anchor on your foot is VERY useful information...[/quote

Ya dont have to lip a fish to get hooked...trust me lol

i had a 28-30inch northern that i picked up bt the gell go nuts and bury and husky jerk 14 into my thumb. Then she promptly ripped it out lol. Looked like a murder scene in the boat]

[matuka]

I have the hardest time with small stripers, they are uncontrollable. Now I net them, grab the jaw with the boga, and unhook with really long nosed pliers. Getting hooked hurts and you can't fish from an ER waiting room.

[ColdSVT]

I have the hardest time with small stripers, they are uncontrollable. Now I net them, grab the jaw with the boga, and unhook with really long nosed pliers. Getting hooked hurts and you can't fish from an ER waiting room.

Thats why ya gotta get it out on own man!...its hurts either way ma. Lol

[noway]

The Fish Grip.

http://www.thefishgrip.net/#!store/c23d3

[tatertester]

Smallies are the worst....Just when you think you got em under control,they do their thing and they got you!......Oh Yah , it hurts.

[geo g]

A boga or fish handler is the best way to go when in doubt.  A big mudfish or peacock, are as bad as anything that swims.  They will put a treble hook in your finger fast then you can blink.  There is nothing like a treble in a finger, attached to a big peacock.  It will make a grown man cry!!!

[SirSnookalot]

I've been hooked by a small bass as I was lipping it, was handcuffed,spent some time at the ER.  I was hooked in the lower leg as I pulled a bluefish from the surf.  I was lucky enough to get the fish off pretty quick, but those #1 4x trebles took some doing.  I'm very cautious, I don't put the welfare of any fish over my safety.