How To Handle Bass.

[Hammer 4]

So, after seeing you people's catches, whether it be LMB, SMB or Spotted bass, I'm appalled at the some have treated the fish you try so hard to catch. Look, a bass has a very tough time growing up, as fingerlings they are always on some fishes menu, even when they reach a pound or 2, they are still in danger from predators, not to mention their own kind. So when a bass reaches 5lbs +, it's been through h#ll.

As most of you know, bass have Slime coats that protect them from parasites, ect. when this slime coat is removed they are susceptible to diseases which can kill them. Laying a bass on dry surfaces remove this slime coat, handling a bass with dry hands will remove the slime coat, as will laying them on grass, gravel, ect.

Also, keeping them out of water for extended periods of time will kill them, how long can you hold your breath ? that's about long a bass can Safely be kept out of water, keep your camera at the ready, snap a couple of shots, the release them, safely, remember to have your hands Wet.

I found a good article on how to handle bass, I hope that you guys read it, if your not sure how to handle bass.

I may catch some heat for this, but if it saves some bass, then so be it. Enjoy.

     https://yourbassguy.com/bass/how-to-hold-bass/

[GreenPig]

I can hold my breath for 3 minutes and 15 seconds, since you ask. 

[dodgeguy]

I hate it when people drag them up on shore. I hate it when they take pictures of them on the ground. I hate it when they boat flip them and crash them into the carpet and drag them . Get a net with the fish friendly netting.

[Woody B]

IMHO the biggest danger for handling bass is hauling them around in a live well all day, putting them in a bag weighing them, then.....finally after a bunch of photos they're released, either dead or half dead.   

[ironbjorn]

Nothing we do to the bass is nice. Other than straight up breaking their jaw by holding them like a total idiot, I don't think we have a right to judge if someone's hands or grass is wet enough for their slime coat after stabbing them through the jaw, sometimes impaling an eye, sometimes gut hooking them, sometimes letting them ingest a plastic that they won't be able to easily pass, polluting their water with emissions, sometimes reeling them up from dangerous (to them) depths, sometimes smacking them around in wood or rocks, and on and on just so we can have a thrill and then throw them back. 

[Jar11591]

4 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Nothing we do to the bass is nice. Other than straight up breaking their jaw by holding them like a total idiot, I don't think we have a right to judge if someone's hands or grass is wet enough for their slime coat after stabbing them through the jaw, sometimes impaling an eye, sometimes gut hooking them, sometimes letting them ingest a plastic that they won't be able to easily pass, polluting their water with emissions, sometimes reeling them up from dangerous (to them) depths, sometimes smacking them around in wood or rocks, and on and on just so we can have a thrill and then throw them back. 

Fishing is a blood sport, so some things are unavoidable. Hooking fish obviously, as well as eye or gut hooking and things like that will happen while fishing and they’re unavoidable, even when taking steps to reduce it. But there are plenty of things that are in our control. Once the fish has been caught, I believe we all have a responsibility to be good stewards of the sport, and to me that means mitigating the avoidable damage to the fish. That includes but is not limited to proper handling and releasing. Just because I jammed a hook through its face to catch it, doesn’t mean I need to lay it out on a dry carpet on the floor of my boat, keep it out of water for an excess amount of time, or any other avoidable abuse. I believe fishermen have a responsibility to reduce the damage done to the fish post-catch. 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, ironbjorn said:

Nothing we do to the bass is nice. Other than straight up breaking their jaw by holding them like a total idiot, I don't think we have a right to judge if someone's hands or grass is wet enough for their slime coat after stabbing them through the jaw, sometimes impaling an eye, sometimes gut hooking them, sometimes letting them ingest a plastic that they won't be able to easily pass, polluting their water with emissions, sometimes reeling them up from dangerous (to them) depths, sometimes smacking them around in wood or rocks, and on and on just so we can have a thrill and then throw them back. 

I'm loading your resume to PETA's Indeed, you sound perfect...  

2 hours ago, GreenPig said:

I can hold my breath for 3 minutes and 15 seconds, since you ask. 

After you loose a tug of war that you believed to be a fight for survival? I'm thinking 15 seconds, max...

[Cbump]

I saw a guy whisper to a fish, “thanks good buddy for the fight”, while he was standing knee deep in the water caressing this thing as he let It go. It was weird af. This sounds like the op. 

[A-Jay]

I do what I can not to make what's already a pretty stressful deal for a bass,

any worse than it needs to be.  Recently streamlined my 'handling'

to help decrease the time out of the water.

I believe the times we live in have improved this sport wide

but there's always going to be at least a little carnage.

Either way there seems to be far less of this . . . . .

A-Jay

 

[Bird]

Always find it amazing, YouTubers screaming DUDE DUDE DUDE while shaking the fish wildly.

Yes I agree, these creatures we pursue should be handled with respect.

[casts_by_fly]

3 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

Fishing is a blood sport, so some things are unavoidable. Hooking fish obviously, as well as eye or gut hooking and things like that will happen while fishing and they’re unavoidable, even when taking steps to reduce it. But there are plenty of things that are in our control. Once the fish has been caught, I believe we all have a responsibility to be good stewards of the sport, and to me that means mitigating the avoidable damage to the fish. That includes but is not limited to proper handling and releasing. Just because I jammed a hook through its face to catch it, doesn’t mean I need to lay it out on a dry carpet on the floor of my boat, keep it out of water for an excess amount of time, or any other avoidable abuse. I believe fishermen have a responsibility to reduce the damage done to the fish post-catch. 

This.

 

 

3 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

Nothing we do to the bass is nice. Other than straight up breaking their jaw by holding them like a total idiot, I don't think we have a right to judge if someone's hands or grass is wet enough for their slime coat after stabbing them through the jaw, sometimes impaling an eye, sometimes gut hooking them, sometimes letting them ingest a plastic that they won't be able to easily pass, polluting their water with emissions, sometimes reeling them up from dangerous (to them) depths, sometimes smacking them around in wood or rocks, and on and on just so we can have a thrill and then throw them back. 

 

The very act of hooking and fighting a fish is necessarily harming it.  The least we can do is minimize that harm.  Simple things like not dragging it on the ground or letting it flop all around on a hot dry carpet.  Don't keep it out of the water any longer than necessary.  If taking a picture is important then keep the fish in the net in the water (or in a livewell) while you're pulling out a camera.  Take a quick snap and be done.  Its respect for the quarry.

 

I bet a lot of people here aren't or weren't trout fishermen.  You should see the 'discussions' that happen when you even take the fish out of the water for a picture.

[Glenn]

We have so many articles and videos on proper fish care. I'm a bit surprised somebody would link to something NOT on this site.  So here's a brief sample:

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/handling_summer_bass.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/handling-bass.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/hold-a-fish.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/fish1.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/reducing_bass_mortality.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/catch-release-bass-care.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/after_the_catch.html

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/preserving_the_resource.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note, too, in my YouTube videos I make it a point to show we quickly - and carefully - release every fish we catch.  No contrived antics either.

[king fisher]

I believe camera's kill almost as many fish of many species as do fillet knives.  I have witnessed and am myself guilty of mishandling fish only for the sake of a photo.  Pictures of bass are great to have, and can be taken with no harm to the fish.  A plan must be in place before the fish is hooked, and if you can't get a picture without decreasing the chance of survival, than keep the camera stored, and cherish the moment with your memory.  I have been as guilty as any one when it comes to camera kill.  I am currently making every attempt I can to listen to my own advise.

[fin]

I agree OP, but this is one of those things you can’t really shame people into doing. If it doesn’t come natural, they probably aren’t going to get it. Some people take pride in not getting it. Shaking your finger at them is not going to get them to change. It takes someone they respect calling them on their behavior or setting a good example. People who were raised like that are not going to be influenced by someone on the internet. You can lead a horse to water…

[BayouSlide]

Another tip: if using a measuring board, wet it first. Easier on the bass's natural coating and it seems to keep them calmer.

[Darth-Baiter]

I've been guilty of some charges.  thanks for the slap on the back of the head.

 

we can all be better I imagine.  

 

youtube guys.  it is amazing how most people will toss a dink nonchalantly back into the water from standing height. (shore, boat, whatever), but if it is a giant, they all do that drop to one knee, lower fish in the water and do that gentle push off to get that initial gust of water across the gills.  

 

hahaha..even my favorite youtuber is guilty of it.  

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, fin said:

I agree OP, but this is one of those things you can’t really shame people into doing. If it doesn’t come natural, they probably aren’t going to get it. Some people take pride in not getting it. Shaking your finger at them is not going to get them to change. It takes someone they respect calling them on their behavior or setting a good example. People who were raised like that are not going to be influenced by someone on the internet. You can lead a horse to water…

 

Some people, yes.  This topic comes up on a couple FB groups all the time.  Someone will take a picture with a fish covered in dirt laying on gravel and the comments start.  There are always some who, like you said, take pride in not getting it.  "Its just a fish".  "It's fine it swam away".  etc.  I think more people than not though, just don't understand.  So a light touch of explanation is never the wrong course of action.

 

There is a good quote that explains most people most of the time, Hanlon's razor:  "Never attribute to malice that which can equally be attributed to stupidity" (or in this case inexperience).

[WRB]

Bass anglers have come a long way towards handling bass properly. 

It wasn’t that long ago when releasing a legal size bass was considered abnormal. The photo AJay posted was in the early 70’s when bass limits were 15 and stringers used to hold the catch. B.A.S.S. held a fish fry after early tournaments. 

Catch & Release met catch and put into a live well and release after weighing in so the angler could brag about the catch on stage. 50 years later B.A.S.S. hasn’t change, limits are 5 legal bass, still put into live wells and weighed before a audience. Local clubs still do the same thing.

How many bass have died of post mortality from tournament C & R or weekend angler copying the “in the livewell” 5 bass limit?

conservative estimate is 3% mortality rate, larger bass it’s much higher.

Bass anglers like to show off their catches, I did!

My 5 giant are listed for that reason. The 5 bass listed 1 died, the 18.6 lb caught in 1981. To get it weighed and a photo that bass was not released immediately but traveled to the marina to brag and get a photo because no smart phones back then a film camera wasn’t boat friendly. 1 out of 5 is 20% mortality rate, about average for big bass do to improper handling.

Back in the late 60’s I was advocating releasing big bass, writing to editors of local fishing news and was attacked for suggesting killing bass could do harm to a fishery.

I was releasing a big bass at a local lake Piru , on my hands and knees reviving a bass when someone kicked me off the dock, the guy was ticked off that I was releasing a bass.

By the time I got back on the dock I was ticked and lucky the idiot had run off.

Bottom line is people can be idiots and act out on video’s waving bass around like a rag, toss head over heals into the lake. This behavior doesn’t represent the majority of anglers but you can’t fix stupid.

Tom 

[FrnkNsteen]

I have to say I agree with the importance of handling the fish proper and get them back in the water as soon as possible. That is my wife's pet peave when we are watching fishing shows. She's constantly saying "Shut up and get it back in the water". You wonder how many takes they film with that same fish out of the water.

 

What I find strange is the inconsistency even within a given series. Major League Fishing "Pro Tour" penalizes for dropping a fish in your boat, clutching it against your body, or releasing it above the gunnel (Which I understand, though some unstances seem a little TOO minor)

 

But,... Major League Fishing "Big 5" still lets them flip it into the floor of their boat, bounce them around the decks and shows them floating belly up in the livewell??? BASS Elite Series seems to be the worst in how they treat the fish, but not by a lot over MLF Big 5.

 

I know people like the different formats (5 biggest vs total weight) but you can still weigh & immediately release then decide if you count all, or just the top 5.

[crypt]

handling the fish as little as possible is what I've been doing ever since I can remember. it is what we all should be doing......

[Skunkmaster-k]

I don’t understand people who throw back mutilated fish. The other day I caught one with no top lip , a blinded eye and a hook in his gut. Come on man.  

[gim]

11 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I bet a lot of people here aren't or weren't trout fishermen.  You should see the 'discussions' that happen when you even take the fish out of the water for a picture.

Muskie anglers are notorious for taking utmost care of their catch too. A very large net, hook cutters, jaw spreaders, cradles, etc. Catching, handling, and releasing the top predator in the system is very important to me because 1) there just isn’t nearly as many of them, and 2) they are very difficult to catch. I think many of us could learn something from this muskie crowd.

 

I keep the amount of time a bass is out of water to 30 seconds or less. My tools are ready, my camera is ready, and my measuring board is ready. Beyond that, I am not really sure what else I can do. I do agree that dragging them on the ground is not good, nor is weighing them with the dreaded metal j hook.

 

As for the tournament formats, it’s been discussed and argued more than once here. Immediate release is my preference. Stuffing fish in a live well for hours, especially in the warm summer months, is not what we should be doing anymore.

[Bird]

Heck I've caught several fish this spring I know went close to 7# and never weighed them, quick pic by my buddy and back in the water......not about me.

[CrashVector]

All this talk about how to care for them right after a thread about people setting the hook so hard that they will pull a bass out of the water on the hookset...

[txchaser]

IMO It's just not that hard to treat the fish like you want to catch it again someday. At a minimum we know their basic little brains can get imprints of what not to bite again, so it stands to reason the more negative stimuli they get, the more likely they are to 'remember'. Who knows if it lasts more than a season, but there's just not much downside to being careful.

 

In Texas (probably elsewhere) the mortality rate is 40%/year for each year class, so the ones that make it to some decent weight are outlier survivors anyway. So I want those big girls spawning next spring, making lots of little bass that have a shot at 120%+ weight.

 

I am guilty of being far less gentle with small fish, but the big ones get treated like they are a limited resource.