Why the Pros don't use nets

[Fish Chris]

Yes, actually I am from Cali, and yes, it is the best place on the entire planet for giant bass. But what you must rember is, we have some GREAT tournament bass anglers who have grown up, lived, and fished, right here in Cali, "and who also have not caught very many big bass". {if even 1 over 10 lbs}

Sure, the region matters, but my point simply is, tournament angling and trophy bass fishing is two completely different things.

Regardless of  where KVD grew up, I'm sure that he is in the position now, that "if he wanted to" he could fish Cali, Mexico, Cuba, etc, specifically for big bass...... and, I'm sure he would catch some of them. But again, that isn't his game.

BTW Cabela10, you might find it interesting (or just not believe it) but although we have litterally millions (I believe I have read 2 million) bass fishermen in Cali, probably fewer than 10% have caught even 1 legitimate Largemouth Bass over 10 lbs. Yes, we have LOTS of big bass..... but they aren't exactly jumping into guys boats either :-)

Peace,

Fish

[cart7t]

   If you ask any director for BASS or FLW why they don't use a net they will tell you it would take away from the show.      Hoist & Slam makes good tv.  The same for lipping and holding then up at weighin.  

If you will go to a lake about two or three days after a big tournment you will find several bass dead.  You will never see a good part of the ones that died because they swin of and died later.

I haven't seen a single person on this thread who approves of hoist and slam. I bet if you polled the majority of fishermen that watch the BASS or FLW tournaments they'd probably disapprove as well.  Since that's probably the case, how would using a net, or lipping a fish or plain old hoisting but lipping the fish in the air before allowing it to slam into the deck make the show less worthy of watching?

It's a black eye on the sport IMO.

[Fish Chris]

...the original point of the post.

I totally agree cart7.

Fish

[ejtaylor822]

Hey guys, I think it was either Bill Dance or Roland Martin that I was watching a while back and they were commenting on the use of nets - which BTW they were recomending, or a boga, to limit handling and avoiding having the fish fall and get hurt.  It was mentioned that nets were not allowed in the major tournaments anymore because of some controversy in the past in regards to people netting/dipping fish out of the water.  So, BASS and other pro tourneys do not allow the use of nets to avoid the possibility or perception of cheating.

Eddie

[cabela10]

Fish Chris, I know there is a difference between the tournament guys and the big fish fishermen. All the tackle is pretty much different than what tournament guys would use. I understand what your saying, I wasn't really arguing the point of the big fish hunters compared to tournament guys.

Also, I rarely see the FLW Tour guys flipping the fish in the boat, most of them use the nets. The only guys I see flipping the fish in the boat on the FLW Tour are the guys that still fish the BASS events. I'm not singling them out, but even guys like Larry Nixon and George Cochran use the nets on pretty much ever fish caught in the FLW events they fish. Only time I feel bad for an FLW fish is when I see Art Berry kissing them, I know those fish die a few hours after that kiss. ;D

[Fish Chris]

No offense taken here :-)

BTW, I'm jellous of your Northern Pike and Muskies up there !

Peace,

Fish

[Gatorbassman]

If you ask any director for BASS or FLW why they don't use a net they will tell you it would take away from the show.      Hoist & Slam makes good tv. The same for lipping and holding then up at weighin.

If you will go to a lake about two or three days after a big tournment you will find several bass dead. You will never see a good part of the ones that died because they swin of and died later.

Bud, you should check out one of this sites sponsors (Sure Life Labs). The stuff they sell to add to your livewell will reduce the death rate of tournament fish to less than 2%. It is some great stuff. I will always swear by it.

[Bud]

Bud, you should check out one of this sites sponsors (Sure Life Labs). The stuff they sell to add to your livewell will reduce the death rate of tournament fish to less than 2%. It is some great stuff. I will always swear by it.      

I fish Ky lake and we have a tournament here every weekend and some time two per day for the weekend. All you have to do is go fishing a few days after the event and count the dead fish. I also Tournament fish and also work for a national known tournament trail and when you work the release boat of a big tournament and see what happen after the show it will change your mind.

I know about Sure Life Labs and several other. They make great stuff but this thread is about the way the fish are handle. nets v No nets.

I have been told their are several changes in the works for ALL tournament in the way fish are handle, transported and release. If what I have told pan out it will change the way any tournament is run.

[BASS fisherman]

From what I understand and I could be wrong, but I understand that B.A.S.S. doesn't permit the use of nets because anglers were netting the fish when they were yards away from the boat.  Usually when a fish sees you, and/or the boat they get into that flight or fight mode, and do everything they can to get off that hook.  So when you'd net them say 15 feet away from the boat, you have a better chance of not loosing the bass.  Once it caught on, a few people cried foul and B.A.S.S. banned the use of nets all together.  

Now as far as flipping the fish into the boat, I see nothing wrong with it.....when they catch the fish by grabbing the line above the fish, before it has the chance to smack onto the boat.  

[cabela10]

15 feet from the boat?  Holy turd, do you realize how long that is.  No way were guys using nets that were 15 feet long.  My longest rod is 7'2" and the pole on my net is just over half that length.

Also, I don't think B.A.S.S. ever allowed nets.  It's just been there thing not to have nets because they claim it takes more skill to "hoist & slam".

[Matt Fly]

BASS did away with the net not to long ago.

Not allowing the net in the boat does two things for me.      One, If I was a co-angler, I didn't decide to fish to be a net man for the pro.  And they expected you to help net their fish, which to me, eliminates the principal of the tournament, you and the fish!!!

Bass fishing sport or not?     I'm not here to debate this, but, taking the nets out of the boat made it more atheletic friendly.

I have seen lots of guys who can not manuever around the boat very easily due to being "out of shape".  The net was the easy way out for them.    

If your over weight, hate to bend over, can't get up and down, the the FLW is your place to be.   Get the NET!!!!!!

That bass that just got slung into the boat, well it was hidden on the back side of a log.    When the hook was set with braided line, its head was peeled off the trunk to begin with, has a sharp hook embedded somewhere in the body.    

So its okay that a fish is snagged in the body, keel hauled over a log, and you guys talk about bass that are slammed.

The rest is okay with the sport up until its landed or how its landed.    We won't go into a fish being sought after when its bedding and trying to reproduce off spring we claim to have passion about.    

If your gonna have some ethics, why not have them all!!!!       I'm all for lipping bass, no nets in tourneys, it just puts atheletics into the equation.

Matt.

     

[Captain Cali]

Well...I'm no pro. And I do not fish tournaments. I do not use nets because I fish from the bank 99% of the time and that is just another item to lug around. I'd rather carry another rod.

I don't think it has cost me any fish. I've only caught two LMB worth netting and I landed them both.  If the fish is going to come unbuttoned, it usually does before it's in "netting" range anyway.

I'm sure that will change at some point. You'll see a story from me about "the big one that got away" and why I should have had a net. ;D

BTW...I also can't stand the "hoist and slam" method. Not good at all.

[Guest avid]

Mattfly,

speak out man, it's not healthy to repress your feelings.  

[fourbizz]

Maybe we should try tossing them in the livewell from the front of the boat while we are at it. We've already done so much to harm them. If you miss, the fish doesn't count. If you make it, you could spike your rod too. Man athletic sports are awesome!

Just messin with you Matt, but I don't think that the "one more won't hurt me" type of mentality is the best to embrace.

[Matt Fly]

I just see it as being funny, when the only ethics worried about is landing a fish.  

How many fish are landed from stick ups that have gashes in their sides?     How many treble hooks tear gill plates and such.   How about persuing bass on the beds when they are trying to reproduce?   Swallowed hooks!   Those are okay!    

If peoples ethics have such strong convictions, then what about the other ones?

Nets have come along way, but theres not one net out there that doesn't take some of the slime coating off.    Agreed, that certain nets would be better than the slamming.

I will continue to rip some lips, and continue to lip my fish.    My ethics are mine and have nothing to do with what BASS does or doesn't do.

I sure don't want a fish bouncing off the bottom of the boat, its not very healthy for them, but neither is the rest of the process we put them through.  

Come on Avid, you know me better than that, I don't sugar coat much of anything.  

Matt  

[cravenfish]

Well to add onto this post, I fish the BASS Weekend series and you are allowed to use a net. Then in the regional event you were allowed to use a net. Now getting ready to go to the Nationials at Gunttersville, you can not use a net to land your fish. Whats up with that? :-/

[roadwarrior]

Is television involved at the Nationals?

As a said earlier, it's just for show.

[cravenfish]

They take lots of photos, but no TV that I know of. We get new Triton TR21X's W/ Merc.250s on them to fish out of. Its the same boats that will be used in the classic.

[Matt Fly]

I read the BASS rules this morning and noticed the same, that the ABA/BASS weekend series allowed nets all the way up until nationals.  

So how did you do?   Sounds like you did very well to advance on to the nationals.

Good luck, hope you do well.

Matt