Is there a better way to hold a bass for photo?

[Darth-Baiter]

I’ve never thought much about it.  But my bass are getting bigger.  A small dink is easy.  What about a giant?  The lip hold must put the fish under load - all on the lips. I try to support the body as well. 
 

excuse me and apologies if this is a stupid question.   I’m relatively new to all of this.

[MN Fisher]

If you're holding it vertical (tail down), unless it's a hawg it should be alright. Even the little ones I support if holding horizontal...like my profile pic which is a 3.94# fish.

[TOXIC]

As long as you don’t jack their jaw you’re fine.  It’s best to use 2 hands and support the back half but as long as there is no downward strain on the jaw you’re good.  Thanks for asking.  A lot don’t realize the damage they do by cranking on the fishes jaw.  

[Hammer 4]

Agree with the above. See my avatar.

[Scott F]

Hanging a heavy fish vertically by the jaw puts a lot of stress of the internal organs and should be avoided whenever possible. Although many would not agree with me, you also should not photograph the fish by pushing it toward the camera to make the fish appear bigger in relation to the person holding it than it really is. 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Scott F said:

you also should not photograph the fish by pushing it toward the camera to make the fish appear bigger in relation to the person holding it than it really is. 

Now why would anyone do something crazy like that ?

A-Jay

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Now why would anyone do something crazy like that ?

So that's how all your 3# brownies look like they're 8#ers, eh?

 

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

So that's how all your 3# brownies look like they're 8#ers, eh?

 

Yup ~ and that green bass was really just an 11-5  dink. 

A-Jay

 

[soflabasser]

There is no such thing as a stupid question if the question you are asking is to learn something new. Stupid is people that think they know everything and never ask questions. With that said for pictures I like to hold the bass with one hand grabbing the mouth and the other hand supporting so the bass is horizontal. If possible try to keep the bass close to your body to show the true size of the bass. Some people like using wide angle lenses and hold the bass inches from the camera lens, I do not like doing that since it exaggerates the size of the bass. Make sure to release the bass as soon as possible so it can quickly recover.

[Bubba 460]

12 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Now why would anyone do something crazy like that ?

A-Jay

 

 

I see a lot of 4 foot long bass on fishing forums.

[NHBull]

I have learned a lot by watching Andy.

Taking a knee to shrink the background and taking the pic from a lower angle produce great results.

 

I hate long arms as we all know the deal.  

 

I also lime seeing the bait......

[BigAngus752]

Textbook:

 

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Textbook:

 

An action figure can come in pretty handy as well ~ 

 

?

A-Jay

[scaleface]

I still carry a camera and a little 6 inch flexible tripod . I set the timer for 10 seconds , then try to get in the frame . I've gotten pretty good at it and I both lip or hold the bass two handed .

[Glenn]

 

[WRB]

Bass have a big mouth without sharp teeth so it’s common to land the fish by it’s mouth, makes a convenient handle.

 We open the mouth of the bass or it’s already open and put our thumb inside the lower lip and clamp down against the index finger then lift. 

It’s nearly impossible not to over stress the jaw hinge doing this because the bass isn’t straight down and trying to free it’s self from the grip. If you turn the bass upside down or belly up it clams the fish and the jaw hinge isn’t  stressed.

I hold big bass by the side of it’s jaw with 4 fingers and thumb Inside then support the bass behind the anal fin for a photo.

The bass can’t shake free and the mouth a only half open, no stress.

Tom

[MassYak85]

I'm not catching double digits or teeners here in the Northeast so I don't give it a lot of thought usually but anything over 5lbs I try and support the tail during a picture. But I'll lift it out of the water by it's jaw. Juts make sure not to stress it at weird angles, straight up and down is the way to go. 

[TnRiver46]

22 hours ago, scaleface said:

I still carry a camera and a little 6 inch flexible tripod . I set the timer for 10 seconds , then try to get in the frame . I've gotten pretty good at it and I both lip or hold the bass two handed .

Have you ever torqued that troller off the side of the boat ala Bill dance?

[scaleface]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Have you ever torqued that troller off the side of the boat ala Bill dance?

Yes I have . LOL

 

I'm sitting on the front bench and have the motor on the side 3/4 of the way to the bow . The boat doesn't go straight but its much easier to position then mounted on the stern . Theres a main screw that can be taken out , then turn the head 180 degrees . I get a lot of funny looks and people asking me why .

[TnRiver46]

3 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Yes I have . LOL

 

I'm sitting on the front bench and have the motor on the side 3/4 of the way to the bow . The boat doesn't go straight but its much easier to position then mounted on the stern . Theres a main screw that can be taken out , then turn the head 180 degrees . I get a lot of funny looks and people asking me why .

When I saw that pic it reminded me of a buddy’s canoe. He’s got a board and some eye bolts that allows a troller to clamp off to the side of the boat. One day he sat me back there and said work the trolling motor. I kicked it onto 5 and Yee haw that thing slipped right off the wooden block and I about dropped it in the river. It only happened 16 more times throughout the day. BUT, there was a distinct advantage. The long slow pools we normally skip, we troll minnow plugs through and catch Bass 

[detroit1]

Speaking of Bill Dance...i always cringed when i see him jack the jaw of the fish he catches. Somebody of his stature should know better. It's almost disgusting...

[TnRiver46]

30 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

Speaking of Bill Dance...i always cringed when i see him jack the jaw of the fish he catches. Somebody of his stature should know better. It's almost disgusting...

He’s done more for the species than most humans, most of it made possibly by those jaw jackings 

 

Also during his tournament career they brought the fish in dead 

[detroit1]

24 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

He’s done more for the species than most humans, most of it made possibly by those jaw jackings 

 

Also during his tournament career they brought the fish in dead 

I know that, and i love Bill, but i can't give him a free pass on the way he handles those giants.  I have a signed 9"x 12" photo and his bobblehead. I am a nut!

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

I know that, and i love Bill, but i can't give him a free pass on the way he handles those giants.  I have a signed 9"x 12" photo and his bobblehead. I am a nut!

My grandpa used to cringe every time he reached down to lip a bass with treble hooks in its mouth still fighting. He always said “don’t ever let me see you do that” 

[detroit1]

Many a smallmouth got away at the boat because of the hesitation with treble hooks - no net.