lippin um!!

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

On occasion, I am proud of my bass thumb.The bigger they are the more you get it too.Its a great reminder for a few days following.

[BackOnTheWater]

I lipped this 4-9 LM Saturday...caught on a spook jr...2 trebles...one hook in my thumb, but not serious...so it hurts...I just LOVE pulling 'em out of the water!

[Jig Man]

My net is too cumbersome for one handed operation.  I will lip fish with single hooks but if they are on trebles I use my Boga Grip scales.

[flechero]

Using a net would just lead to other unfortunate habits like fishing with live bait, trolling, or using spinning tackle for all your fishing. Start using a landing net and the next thing you know you'll be headed for shore lunch. It's a slippery slope.

;D ;D Classic!!

It is funny to me that I'm only in my mid 30's and feel old around here at times. You younger guys weren't around when ALL the tournaments were no nets. So we never used them. Now a days, I can't have a net in the boat without tangling everything up in it.

Besides, I'm extremely proficient at getting hooks out of other people's hands. There is nothing like minor surgery and a cold miller lite as the sun comes up!!

Bass thumb is just proof to the wife that I actually went to the lake. ...lol Just kidding... but she usually looks at my hand as she asks how the fishing was.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Or you could just keep at it till it comes easy.

If your using baits with two or three sets of treble hooks than being careful is a good thing.

If it's a single hook, then just be bold,  grab him with authority

and remeber lippin em is ok TONGUING THEM IS NOT!!!      

Excellent answer.  Noone wants trebles in their hand.  Use single hook presentations till you are ok with it.  Remember, the lips are the equivalent of 200 grit sandpaper.  no biggee.

ps-You CAN tongue them but it does a number on you. (and the itch from the bacteria is pure torture)  

[Evan Pease]

If I hook something citation sized Ill net it, if not I'll lip it.

[Tpayneful]

I have a net in my boat at all times.  I net almost all fish in a tournament.  Money is on the line and I don't want to lose anything.  When I am fishing for fun I only use the net if the fish is of good size or if I am using a treble hook bait.  I fish by myself 80% of the time and don't want to pull a hook out of my finger.  I didn't use a net until 3 years ago when my partner kept bugging me.  I have used the net quite a bit this year so that is a good thing.  

[BackOnTheWater]

As with most things, this is a personal preference issue. I prefer to land bass w/o a net. It's me and the fish, at that point.

The two worst hook-in-flesh incidents in a total of 20 years of fishing involved a 1-pound and a 1/2-pound bass that I had flipped into the boat. Both of these little fish gave a jerk when I went after my needle-nose and got me. One was a worm hook in tne meat of my thumb with a pound of bass flipping around in the boat with just the line running through the hole in his cheek. The other (pick below) was a treble that came through beside my fingernail, with the fish on the other set of trebles.

I guess that I'm another one that got this from my Dad years ago, when nets were just not used. I no longer fish tournaments, so it's all about the pleasure for me...no nets on anything without slime or teeth!