Bass teeth significantly sharper right now?

[Glaucus]

I really don't know if I've ever noticed this before and just glossed over it, but with the fall transition here, I've been absolutely crushing bass as they feed heavily, after a hot and slow summer. Now their teeth are super sharp. I caught exactly 20 today on a lipless and my thumb is shredded. At one point it was dripping blood. Their teeth are the sharpest I can remember feeling and they definitely weren't like this a few weeks ago. Same pond too. 

 

 

[sschrad]

Teeth?

 

[Glaucus]

55 minutes ago, sschrad said:

Teeth?

 

Yes, they are teeth.

[Way north bass guy]

You just need to toughen up those paws a bit. Take up a career in stone masonry, I can guarantee you you’ll be able to hold way more fish before they get that bad ?. 

[Teal]

Maybe I need to be catching more fish...my thumbs have never done that.  I need to step my game up 

[BrianMDTX]

I’ve had bass thumb before lol. A set of fish grippers eliminates that problem!

[Glaucus]

16 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’ve had bass thumb before lol. A set of fish grippers eliminates that problem!

For me bass thumb is a badge of honor lol

 

I've never had them shred me like this though. Their teeth are really sharp all of a sudden.

[TcRoc]

Maybe bass are evolving more and up’ing their game.. the rate this year is going ‘21 spawn bass will be sporting barracuda teeth. Bass thumb.. hell it will no thumb. That’s my prediction and I’m sticking to it. 

[keagbassr]

1 hour ago, Glaucus said:

Yes, they are teeth.

could just be that particular body of water. Theres one place I go that the bass all seem to have more pronounced teeth than most. Heres a zoomed in pic of 1 I took last year.

[moguy1973]

Some lakes I fish the bass are pretty calm an even when I catch a bunch I don’t get bass thumb. A farm pond I fish though has fish that thrash and really don’t want to be picked up by the lip. That’s when I get really bad thumb rash and even cuts, for just a few fish sometimes. 

[scaleface]

My bass thumb is always on the lower joint . 

 

edited : The proximal phalanx 

[geo g]

The sign of success, I love it!  You should throw a few big Peacocks in the mix, and your thumb will really be destroyed!

[Glaucus]

3 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

You just need to toughen up those paws a bit. Take up a career in stone masonry, I can guarantee you you’ll be able to hold way more fish before they get that bad ?. 

But I like being able to push buttons and still walk 

[the reel ess]

4 hours ago, Teal said:

Maybe I need to be catching more fish...my thumbs have never done that.  I need to step my game up 

Go to FL

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

My bass thumb is always on the lower joint . 

 

edited : The proximal phalanx 

When they get about 5 lbs. they work on that meaty part between the thumb and forefinger. That's sweet agony.

4 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’ve had bass thumb before lol. A set of fish grippers eliminates that problem!

Or a golf glove.

[GreenPig]

Spotted Bass can destroy your thumb.

[WRB]

The lip teeth are for gripping prey and teeth on the backside of the lip tend to be sharp.

The bass feed on fish or other soft prey the teeth don't get dull. Bass feeding on crawdads the teeth get dull. Spots have teeth on the tongue that can be sharp.

Tom

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Bass thumb for anglers is like cauliflower ear for a wrestler. 

[Derek1]

Yeah, I find in smaller ponds they tend to be sharper. Like said above from eating mostly fish. 

[Koz]

I get tired of my thumb getting chewed up so I use a bike glove and fish grippers.

 

The bike glove actually works well all around when fishing. Like fishing UV gloves they are fingerless but they offer padding in the palm and part of the fingers. They also help with grip when it gets hot and sweaty out on the water.

 

When it's cold out I'll wear one bike glove on each hand. I almost always use a baitcaster, so putting the padded bike glove on my left hand also helps with the comfort level when fishing all day. I'll wear a think UV on my cranking hand.

 

The only drawback is they smell pretty ripe after an outing or two so I add them to the wash once or twice a week.

[Fin S]

In a week or two you should have a nice callous there...

[Ian Collins]

I love having a thumb like that!

 

I find that the location and common forage really can change that feature on a bass. Many river bass I catch, where their main forage is crayfish, have rougher teeth. Whereas many lake bass, where their main forage is shad or bream, have not as rough teeth. It also depends on the age and size I think too. The bigger the fish the rougher the teeth.

[lo n slo]

20 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Spotted Bass can destroy your thumb.

spots are the worst 

[Cgolf]

Lipping a few as @WRB said can give a big clue of what baits to use and part of the water column to target. Have done this for years since I never put bass in a livewell to let them cough up what they are eating that is my only option.

[Kev-mo]

i get bass thumb now and again depending on the water (ph etc.) and how many fish i catch.

however this past weekend i commented to my friend about 50 grit teeth on the one fish i lipped.

 

i've also felt that the fish get thicker lips come fall/winter so maybe a yearly acclimation to conditions to heavily feed or maybe just an overall bulking up due to feeding heavily to survive winter???

[TnRiver46]

Momma says alligators are ornery cuz they got all them teeth and no toothbrush