Hook in the mouth?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:58 pm

I watched the Delta bass master on tv this morning and saw Browning and Skeet reach down to lip a fish they caught on a rattle trap and un hook the fish BEFORE they brought the fish over the boat rail. To me it looked like they had the fish hooked on the outside of the mouth and took the hook out before anyone could see. On all of the other fish they lipped the fish and brought it in to the boat with the bait still in its mouth. Anyone else catch that?? Whe else would they take the hook out before ther brought it in the boat?

Dewayne · Post by **Dewayne** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:17 pm

I saw one of them do it and my mouth hit the floor. I told my wife "what a foolish thing to do" as I could see no reason to unhook a fish with it outside the boat and risk dropping it. I did not see where the fish were hooked and I am not accusing either of them of cheating, but it did strike me as a very odd move. They usually get the fish into the safety of the boat as quickly as possible.

I did not notice anyone doing that at Clear Lake and Kennedy let a couple big fish go that were hooked outside the mouth. Maybe it was noticed by BASS and their expectations clarified to the anglers.

basshunter4u · Post by **basshunter4u** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:58 pm

This is an interesting concept. whether or not the fish was hooked on the outside of the mouth or not I would challenge the rule. I spoke with a friend about this same thing this morning and he felt the same way. The reason this law was made was to protect large females on beds from being snagged. I personally believe that without seeing the fish on a REACTION bite on a fish that it should be a leagal catch. The fish is attempting to eat the bait that has to say something. Something to think about or challenge the rule makers for the tournys or get some different interpretation listed on the rule. Just my 2 cents

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:30 am

Ain't it a shame, that the dull knives who write the regs for this state up in Sacto, have found yet another way to make cheaters out of honest fishermen who choose to use artificial lures. It's an absolute stupid, generalized rule in my mind. What's even worse, with all this being on TV, they've made tattle tale artists out of us. Our first thought is, they may be cheating.

In their defense, and I've done this myself when I haven't had a net available, when ya get a really decent fish on with a trap, you secure them in a lip lock, git that bait out of their mouth as soon as possible, so ya can better handle the fish. This way, yer less likely to take a hook in the hand or face. They also may have noticed that the fish was barely hooked, and it was just as easy to remove it then, versus while standing up, kneeling or sitting in the boat. A big bass will thrash at times, a loose Rattle trap is not something I take lightly, and git it out of the way as soon as possible.

I, quite honestly, saw nothing wrong with what they were doing.

lucas boden · Post by **lucas boden** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:29 am

this rule just does not make sense. i'm not 100% sure what it's all about but i do know youre not aloud to keep any fish that isn't hooked in the mouth.

i'm guessing this (ONCE AGAIN) has to do with salmon being snagged in the head with 9oz. gibbs minnows and a 7/0 treble and people saying "it must have been trying to eat it"

bass fishing isn't that easy that there are so many fish out there you can throw a ratltrap out in the middle of nowhere rip it a couple times and snag a fish.

OR MAYBE ITS THE FACT THAT I'VE SEEN PEOPLE AT KONO TAYEE THROWIN A RATLTRAP OUT AND JERKIN IT TIL THEY SNAG CRAPPIE AND KEEPIN EM!!!!!

once again, honest tournament anglers suffer for other angler's desperate means of catching fish...

EGBASS · Post by **EGBASS** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:44 am

More to your point, I noticed one particular angler (not Skeet) that appeared to be making an effort to get between the camera and the fish besides on hooking some in the water.

Bottom line is the rule stinks and is open for interpretation as previous posts on this forum has pointed out. I agree with the in the mouth versus inside the mouth arguement (as well as some other points) and unless I was told differently by a TD I wouldn't have had a problem keeping a Rat L Trap fish hooked on the outside of the mouth. Keep in mind I only fish the occasional club tournament. However, I will be asking our TD what his interprepatation is.

Riplip · Post by **Riplip** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:32 am

I agree with Cooch...I have been hooked badly by a good sized Rattletrap fish that was lightly hooked. I have also had the bait come out in the net and rehook the fish in the side, which would raise some eyebrows at weigh-in. All in all, dumb rule IMO...

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:18 am

That would make sence if they did it to all or some of the fish they caught, but I only saw them each do it to one fish each.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:23 am

Keep in mind though, we did not see EVERY fish they caught. So we really don't know and are speculating. Is it possible they did this, sure it is, yet I think it's unfair that we accuse them of cheating, based on what we saw. Those camera boat guys are there to film, and observe! Certainly enough, if Trip Weldon had any questions, he WOULD have DQ'D em, whether it was on camera or not! And that's as certain as taxes and death!