Boat flipping bass

[Pumpkin Lizard]

6 minutes ago, Texas Flood said:

I boat flip all my fish but I make sure the rod tip is high enough that the fish is almost waist high and then I’ll wrap my arm around the line. It keeps the fish from hitting the boat and it makes it easier to lip em and quickly get them back in the water. 
 

 

If the fish is bigger, I’ll just sit on the seat and reach over the side and grab them. 

 

So I actually do it the way you do as well. Whether I am fly fishing for trout with fine diameter tippet or bass fishing with 22lb, I always try to learn how hard and how much pressure I can put on a fish without breaking off to land it quickly.

 

Some big fish like tarpon can be killed if you fight them too long. I saw a movie with Andy Mill once and he was applying max pressure, even trying to break the fly off or pull it out instead of landing the fish.

[MediumMouthBass]

I havent once boat flipped a bass. Why on this earth would anyone want to risk breaking their rod to shave 10 seconds off of getting a 2lb bass in their boat? What little tournament fishing ive seen shows this alot, and im guessing the guys watching it follow from their example. But they dont realize the pros could replace that rod 10x over if that one were to break at the end of the day off camera.

 

I try doing everything i can to get a fish in quick, especially in the hot months (which is why i refuse to target bass with L/ML gear), get it to the bank, kayak, boat and release it as fast and safe as possible. I try debarbing my hooks whenever i can also. And i dont throw them in mud, rocks, etc.... Ill hold them at all times if its possible, but sometimes i will have to lay them gently on the grass. It might not be the best thing for them, but its either that or leave a giant lure in their throat. You cant win them all.

5 hours ago, Catt said:

Y'all hate boat flipping bass but continue taking selfies!

Want to know what else is very similar to this? 70% of the bass fisherman on FB/Reddit will start threats in the comments if someone posts they took a bass home to eat, but those same guys will set the hook like $1 million is on the line, drag the fish to them at 50MPH, slam it on the bank, hold it out of water for a few minutes as they struggle to get their scale, get their camera app open on their phone, find a good backdrop for a photo, and on minute #5 take 20 pictures with their 1-2-3lb bass.... But yeah they dont like people eating bass because they care about their health and safety so much.

 

On here ive seen the opposite, im thinking most men and women might take an extra 15-30 seconds to get their pictures of their catch, and thats perfectly fine IMO. But these younger guys (my age) are terrible with bass handling. Most of them think they are social media/Tiktok/ Youtube stars, and you can tell by their video titles, and thumbnails. They often have the bass out of water for atleast 3-5 minutes. Sometimes even longer.

[OkobojiEagle]

I have a couple pictures of my grand kids holding a bass and one pic of me helping my very young grand daughter hold a 2lb largemouth.  I prize those pics and believe the Lord will forgive me if I endangered any of those bass...

 

oe

[Swamp Girl]

34 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

They often have the bass out of water for atleast 3-5 minutes.

 

I've timed a few and winced as I watched.

 

34 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

they took a bass home to eat

 

I have no issue with eating bass other than "WHY???" when other species are so much tastier. 

[Catt]

Most like pointing fingers at the Pros when in my mind it's starts at the grass roots level.

[Mobasser]

4 minutes ago, Catt said:

Most like pointing fingers at the Pros when in my mind it's starts at the grass roots level.

I agree Catt. I think it's one of those habits that starts when your young. If nobody corrects you on it, you end up doing it for years.

[Mike L]

15 minutes ago, Catt said:

Most like pointing fingers at the Pros when in my mind it's starts at the grass roots level.

“Thats the way I’ve always done it”

”I seen it on TV”

”How I was taught”

”My neighbor always did it that way”

”Some old guy I met did it that way”

 

And my all time favorite…

“Thats how my You Tube hero’s do it”

 

 

 

Mike

[F14A-B]

Like I said, it’s an Elite series issue. Write them directly. If you really want to initiate change, this is the best way forward. They don’t allow nets, they have no care for boat flipping etc etc. 

Take the complaint to the source. They (Bassmaster) have a huge following of fisherman and a large fan base. Young fisherman emulate these tournament fisherman in all ways, particularly rod and reel selection, baits etc. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

There's nothing wrong with taking a timely picture of a fish.    On the other hand it's quite harmful to boat flip fish.  

 

Everybody loves to talk about how harmful boat flipping is, but yet you rarely hear people talking about folks who aren't in tournaments riding around all day with big fish in the box, just so they can get their hero shot at the end of the day.

 

Josh Jones said this practice is responsible for killing a number of truly giant Bass on OH Ivie.      I recall Butch Brown making a video in the lagoon releasing a 50lb stringer.    I've never understood this practice.....you aren't in a tournament; there's no reason to box fish.    

 

The future of Bass fishing whether you're in a tournament or fun fishing should be catch, weigh, photograph, and immediately release imho.  

[Lottabass]

Catt said, Y'all hate boat flipping bass but continue taking selfies!

 

I take selfies or photograph the fish but it stays wet until I click the shutter, then right back in the lake.

 

 

 

[WRB]

Boat flipping bass started with the use of 8’ heavy flipping rods and became popularized when B.A.S.S. stopped the use of landing nets. It’s Monkey see monkey do practiced the TV pro’s made popular.

I can’t remember boat flipping any bass intentionally.
The hard landing and slim coat damage doesn’t show up right away it’s leads to post catch mortality.

MFL has the right procedure for tournament caught bass; no livewell needed and makes an effort to protect the bass health.

Tom

[Lottabass]

34 minutes ago, Catt said:

Most like pointing fingers at the Pros when in my mind it's starts at the grass roots level.

I disagree.  Most "bass pro wannabees" emulate what they see on TV or Youtube because it looks cool.  My grandkids or other young people I have taken fishing don't know what "boat flipping" is until they see it on media, and they learn the right way to catch and release bass and why from me.

[Texas Flood]

For everyone who says they boat flip bass, do you bring the fish straight to you or do you swing it onto the boat?

 

 

I never swing the fish because to me that’s where you have a higher chance of it hitting the boat and/or landing on the deck. 

[GRiver]

When I get in the boat, get the net ready, scales, pliers, line cutter, any thing I might need when I catch a fish. I always go with the attitude “I going to catch one”. So I prepare myself and boat, sometimes I’ve prepared for nothing, but nonetheless I’m ready. 
There are times when getting them to the and in the boat quickly saves their life. I have fished in close proximity of gators, the second they see you set the hook, they come a running. When that happens, I try to get them in the boat anyway I can.

That’s from some anglers throwing fish to them, dangerous and not to good for the fish ether.

If the situation is good I try not to take them out of the water, reach over lip’em, unhook’um, let them go.

Now if they are in or above the 5+lb range, I net or lip’em, weigh’em, let them go.

 

 

[king fisher]

I hope to someday hook a bass big enough to flip my boat

[Mike L]

31 minutes ago, Texas Flood said:

For everyone who says they boat flip bass, do you bring the fish straight to you or do you swing it onto the boat?

 

 

I never swing the fish because to me that’s where you have a higher chance of it hitting the boat and/or landing on the deck. 

Using the momentum of the fish coming to you, lift the rod (putting your off hand in the right place!)

When there is about a rods length of line still out, just lift and swing over the gunnel. 
 

Grab the line near the hook. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Lottabass said:

I disagree.  Most "bass pro wannabees" emulate what they see on TV or Youtube because it looks cool

 

Even at 19 my grandson Aiden would get this!

 

 

[12poundbass]

@king fisher you never let me down!

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

I hope to someday hook a bass big enough to flip my boat

 

You're close, buddy. 

[F14A-B]

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

I hope to someday hook a bass big enough to flip my boat

Thanks for the laugh, I surely need that today haha 

[Swamp Girl]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Everybody loves to talk about how harmful boat flipping is, but yet you rarely hear people talking about folks who aren't in tournaments riding around all day with big fish in the box, just so they can get their hero shot at the end of the day.

 

Josh Jones said this practice is responsible for killing a number of truly giant Bass on OH Ivie.      I recall Butch Brown making a video in the lagoon releasing a 50lb stringer.    I've never understood this practice.....you aren't in a tournament; there's no reason to box fish. 

 

^This^ 3,000.

[gim]

1 hour ago, Texas Flood said:

For everyone who says they boat flip bass, do you bring the fish straight to you or do you swing it onto the boat?

 

 

I never swing the fish because to me that’s where you have a higher chance of it hitting the boat and/or landing on the deck. 

 

I lift dinks straight up, lip them, and remove the hook(s), and release them.  Obviously the type of lure in their mouth plays a big role.  Grabbing a 12 inch smallmouth with a jerk bait that has 9 razor sharp hooks in its mouth requires some judicial caution.  Small pike are the worst in these situations because they are slimier than slimy, and there's nothing to grab.

[Jar11591]

10 minutes ago, gim said:

Small pike are the worst in these situations because they are slimier than slimy, and there's nothing to grab.

Nothing scarier than a flailing snot rocket with a face full of trebles. 

[Swamp Girl]

11 minutes ago, gim said:

 

I lift dinks straight up, lip them, and remove the hook(s), and release them.  Obviously the type of lure in their mouth plays a big role.  Grabbing a 12 inch smallmouth with a jerk bait that has 9 razor sharp hooks in its mouth requires some judicial caution.  Small pike are the worst in these situations because they are slimier than slimy, and there's nothing to grab.

 

Small pike are dangerous. 

[Lottabass]

2 hours ago, F14A-B said:

Like I said, it’s an Elite series issue. Write them directly. If you really want to initiate change, this is the best way forward. They don’t allow nets, they have no care for boat flipping etc etc. 

Take the complaint to the source. They (Bassmaster) have a huge following of fisherman and a large fan base. Young fisherman emulate these tournament fisherman in all ways, particularly rod and reel selection, baits etc. 

When MLF started I thought what they were doing was a big improvement and I sent a letter to B.A.S.S. encouraging them to do the same or allow nets.  No reply.  My guess is that if Ray Scott was still there I would have at least gotten a reply.