How big is too big to lip?

[CybrSlydr]

Obviously not a problem I've had (haha) but got me curious after reading that 19lb NC bass.

Is there a hard and fast rule or what?

[fishballer06]

Once they get around the 4 pound range, I support the belly with the lip, to prevent jaw injury. 

[BaitMonkey1984]

Not a problem here in the NE that I run across often. My PB is 6 lbs and I still lip them to get them in the boat or out of the net. After that I take care to support the fish's weight throughout the entire body out of extreme caution even though I think 6 and under would be fine to lip as long as your not flailing the fish around. 

[A-Jay]

I'll net most all decent size fish.

And when holding the fish for pic & or video I'll do what I can to support the fish's weight with my other hand while gripping it's jaw.

On a side note, I'm all for not doing more harm to a fish than necessary, however, and don't take this the wrong way but Slamming a 6/0 Trokar that looks like a Gaff into it's face or gullet or stabbing the fish's face, eyes, & perhaps under belly with the triple trebles on a big jerkbait or topwater, is just as likely to be pretty detrimental as holding it up for a few seconds for a quick pic.

Just saying.

A-Jay

[Catt]

Love when I have to lip em with my fist instead of thump!

Ya gotta play each fish by ear, some give ya time to get the net, some barely give ya time to get a fist in their face.

Yea but what size?

Had 3 1/2-4 #s put me on my knees & 7-8 #s come right to the boat!

[IgotWood]

Holding a fish completely vertical by the mouth, I think is ok for short amount of time. Holding a fish horizontally, or even at a slight angle, I think puts a good amount of hurt on the fish's mouth. The "pros" on TV who I constantly see swinging 5+lb fish around by their jaw tick me off. Of all people, the pro's should be the most respectful fishermen of all. 

I cannot stand seeing fish being mishandled. Another common form of this is people pulling a fish up a bank and letting the fish flop around in the grass, dirt, mud, etc. It removes their slime coat, which is the fish's protective layer against its environment. No to change the subject....

 

["hamma"]

  I have caught some big fish for around here, and luckily one of the first books I ever read about bass fishing was written by Doug Hannon. I learned that fish over 4 or 5 pounds can be injured by "tweaking" their jaw as you attempt to hold it horizontally by their jaw, If I remember correctly it may dislocate the jaws hinge, therefore locking it open quite a bit. So I wet my right hand first and will lip it, and as i'm lifting it out of the water, I will wet my other hand and slide it under the belly to support its weight by that hand, instead of by the jaw.

  Wetting your hands before touching the fish will prevent removing the slime coat. So, dont let a fish flop around on your boats carpet, for that will remove the slime coat as well. Wet your hands, lip it, and support its belly if its over 4.5 pounds. The fish will fare better that way.

 At least,....thats what I do.

[Mike L]

All good tips

One needs to be repeated....If you have to lip 'em to get it in, lift straight up until you can  support the belly..The damage is done by bending or  "tweaking" the lower jaw even slightly as Hamma said.

 

Mike

["hamma"]

Although the possibility is there to hurt her, your holding her verticle, and just for a few seconds should be ok, like to remove the hook and such. But extended periods of time, may do "some" damage.

 What I mistakenly forgot to mention above is, when I do grab the lip at first? I will attempt to remove the lure before lifting it out of the water with my other hand. Standing upright and fighting with pliers and hooks while the fish dangles  from lipping it "can" cause damage as well. And to stand holding the fish with two hands does no good for removing the lure. So if I want to "check her out" I will remove the lure while she's supported in the water,.. then lift. If I've already been catching bigger fish,.. I will often not even pull her from the water. Just get the lure free and let her go, unless she's just so impressive I want to gaze in amazement. Heck,..when I hook a pickeral, I will reach down with pliers, grab the hook with them, and remove it without even touching the fish, or removing it from the water. (if possible) I dont like bleeding while fishing.

   I understand the desire to net a big fish, and don't frown upon anyone who does. I just have "conditioned" myself to grab that huge lip before she gets away.

 I've heard some big fish horror stories of partners fishing together, and the one with the net accidently knocking the fish off, or "not being quick enough with the net", or the fish jumps out of the net and swims away, and dead fish at weigh-in that has a net pattern plastered on its side. Many of these instances cause aggression between the two, and friendships/partnerships can be lost. Which is tragic, but happens.

 If I'm fishing with someone, I will ask if they want me to net the fish once they get an idea of whats on the line, and wont get the net wet, till the fish is tired enough to be led next to the boat, and as the fish approaches, then I will quickly and deliberately scoop that fish up as fast as I can. (yeah I "was" tourney angler and learned) This seems to be the best way to avert loosing the fish and causing grief for either of us. Dipping the net before the fish is ready, is a good way to loose a pb. They see that net and will swim right around it wrapping the line up and ,..BYE, BYE!  ,.. Wait til she can be "led" by the rod, then scoop her up quick like

 If Im fishing alone, my procedures are automatic, whether im fishing off my tracker, or basshunter. I don't use a net, and have learned that when a big fish finally is near enough and surfaces, her mouth will usually be open trying to shake the lure as she breaks the surface. And you may have but 2 seconds before she starts thrashing about,.. As soon as I can "safely" grab her lower lip? my fist is in her face before she knows whats happened, as quick as a welterweight boxers jab. I got a strong grip, and she isnt going anywhere I dont want her to. Then I attend to the lure.

 All of this mentioned,.. is designed for the fish, and is also what works for me. Depending on situations, and fish size, it "may" vary some. Like if Im using treble hooks, It may vary.,..or if the fish is gut hooked, again, it may vary ,.etc.

 Scaleface doesnt appear to be hurting that fish "in my opinion".  Furthermore, as individuals we all have the right to do as we choose with fish we have caught, for all we know, he could be fishing for a meal, and that fish is about to get really hot in boiling oil. So I choose to let others do as they will. BUT,...

  If this post helps anyone, or any future fish, awesome, thats what this is all about to begin with

 BTW,...nice catch scaleface!

[WRB]

My preference is to hand land bass when using a single hook lure like a jig or worm and normally use a net for treble hook lures. Big bass can panic when they see a net, rarely panic when being hand landed as long as you remain calm. You simply put your 4 fingers in their big open mouth and  thumb on the outside of the jaw holding tight, lift the fish  head first out of the water. If you turn a big bass belly up  using your other hand it doesn't struggle and easy to unhook. The bigger a bass is the easier it is to hand land.

Lipping a bass and holding straight out can damage the jaw and should be avoided.

Tom

[Catt]

That's why ya seldom see me doing a selfie with a bass!

Unhook em, admire em, put em back in the water asap!

[Fisher-O-men]

As to the OP's original question about size, I wouldn't know.  I am with @WRB on the treble thing!  Trebles and thrashing fish = net!  Then there is another problem; trebles caught in the net!

[geo g]

No size is too big to lip.  You just have to know what your doing and support with the other hand as you take it out of the water. Removing the hook on a real big fish, I place the tail on the ground or on the deck of the boat while removing the hook. So not all the weight is on the jaw.  These fish grew up living in a violent world chasing bait fish through the weeds under wood and dodging big gar, snapping turtles, Ospreys , eagles, and gators.  They are more durable then you think!!!!

[The Bassman]

When I'm wade fishing I can sometimes land my smallmouth by lifting them out of the water with one hand under the belly (their's).  I read one time that it has a calming effect. It works pretty well but I have to be standing in at least knee deep water and keep them balanced.  Same technique should work well from a small boat or yak.

[Paul Roberts]

I just keep the lower jaw within normal extension range. I'll hold smaller bass (~2lbs) one-handed and somewhat horizontal, but use the last three fingers of my hand to support the pelvic girdle. This works well in protecting the jaw tendons, and the spine where it enters the skull -essentially keeping the lower jaws and spine within the normal range.

I'm generally more careful with large bass because of potential torque issues generated by the weight. This may get more risky as the fish tires. When they lose muscle control, they may be at greater risk of having something tear as we handle them. On the flip-side, when they are still green, they can be mighty strong. I've had 4lbers give a sudden twist and wrestle out of my thumb-lock. 

 

[Senko lover]

Typically once they get this big 

[scaleface]

4 minutes ago, Senko lover said:

Typically once they get this big 

Sissy ! Afraid of a little bass thumb , are ya ?

[Senko lover]

Just now, scaleface said:

Sissy !

yeah, a one-armed sissy

[geo g]

Real challenge in south Florida is lipping a decent size peacock.  Unlike a black bass that calms down once you have a death grip on the lip, the peacock goes nuts even after securely in your grip.  A decent size one will tear up you thumb with their rough mouth, and will continue with sudden explosions until returned to the water.  They are like bass on an overdose of steroids.  I love these fish.

[corn-on-the-rob]

OP will have to chime in here, but I am pretty sure he is talking about holding a fish out of water in a traditional way if it is a very large fish, not whether to lip or net while landing.

I am always frustrated when I see anglers/friends post pictures of ANY size fish that they are twisting their hand so that the bass is "flared" basically creating the very stressful angle on their jaw. If you are holding a bass with one hand by the mouth, it should always be in a relaxed vertical position, no angling. The more annoying part is that those who flare bass for pictures because it looks "cool" are typically the ones who are either ignorant to the harm it may be inflicting, or are negligent because they care more about the picture than the fish's health. If you do choose to stray at all from vertical, use two hands and support the belly.

That being said, within reasonable limits, a healthy bass of any size should be well capable of being held properly for a decent period of time. Yes, we should do our best to release the fish in a good condition, as quickly as possible, but to think they are so fragile that you cant hold them by the lip to remove the hook(s), then to snap a picture or two, is absurd. I would be much more concerned about keeping the fish wet\oxygenated than by how long you are holding them, as long as it's properly, even for a moderate amount of time.

[soflabasser]

3 minutes ago, corn-on-the-rob said:

I would be much more concerned about keeping the fish wet\oxygenated than by how long you are holding them, as long as it's properly, even for a moderate amount of time.

I agree with you,too many times people hold bass out of water way to long to take an excessive amount of pictures.No surprise that many of these  bass die this way (either right after the release or short time after).Its best to take pictures quickly and release the bass ASAP.

[Senko lover]

On 12/9/2016 at 0:04 PM, Catt said:

That's why ya seldom see me doing a selfie with a bass!

Unhook em, admire em, put em back in the water asap!

You forgot to include that it's hard to take selfies with a flip phone, Catt....

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

I agree with you,too many times people hold bass out of water way to long to take an excessive amount of pictures.No surprise that many of these  bass die this way (either right after the release or short time after).Its best to take pictures quickly and release the bass ASAP.

Ive been hooking the bass on a metal clip stringer Lure still attached , it makes a hole in their mouth but a tiny one . Get it back in the water , set up the camera with timer set at 10 seconds , set it to take six picture at different settings . "my Cannon will do that , a really cool feature " take two photos which will give me 12 pics . I get some  real good shots this way and gets the bass in the water rather quickly .

[Terzy]

9 hours ago, geo g said:

Real challenge in south Florida is lipping a decent size peacock.  Unlike a black bass that calms down once you have a death grip on the lip, the peacock goes nuts even after securely in your grip.  A decent size one will tear up you thumb with their rough mouth, and will continue with sudden explosions until returned to the water.  They are like bass on an overdose of steroids.  I love these fish.

true thats why most people gill them, idk if thats worse for the fish than lipping them 

[CybrSlydr]

19 hours ago, corn-on-the-rob said:

OP will have to chime in here, but I am pretty sure he is talking about holding a fish out of water in a traditional way if it is a very large fish, not whether to lip or net while landing..

Aye, not really thinking about when landing, but after you've landed them and are handling them.  I know from reading that less handling is best but was curious about what the best way to keep from harming them.

So far, my bass have been tiny and I've only held them vertically as single-handed horizontal looks painful.

Appreciate the input everyone!