Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Here's a couple issues that need to be discussed:
I don't want to be controversial with this post but I have to get it off my chest. The days of posting videos of landing bass and letting them flop around on the carpet need to stop. Yes, we all land bass in situations where bass end up on the carpet (hopefully as briefly as possible) but we need to be smart about posting videos online where the bass are flopping around for more than a few short seconds. If you want to build a future for yourself in this industry you better be a great steward of our most important resource (bass) always!!! This includes landing bass...holding bass for pics without stressing their bottom jaw...and then the gentle release. Times are changing and we need to be the best ambassadors of bass fishing we can be.
Also...I can't stress the importance of wearing your PFD's whether you are fun fishing or filming your adventures to share online. There are way too many videos where a PFD is not being worn while under way on the big motor and it makes me cringe. Guys and gals...trust me! Bad things can happen when you least expect it. My life was saved by a PFD in one of those situations and I will not shut up about this topic. Wear-it! It may save your life.

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John, great article and absolutely essential to the sport we all cherish.

Bill

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Couldn't agree more.

Very well said! Thanks for taking the time to post this. People are listening just takes time and reminders and we will get there! Richie Rich

John you are right on the money! Way to much carpet bouncing going on.

Thank you John for you well-spoken post! I have noticed this a lot lately - manly-men jerking bass in the boat with no concern for the possible damage that might affect their survival. One other big problem I have seen forever is holding a trophy bass - 8,9,10+ by the lower jaw for photos. If one is holding two trophies - snap the photo quickly or do it with a break for the bass to relax. If a single bass photo is need, support the tail section with the other hand. If you turn the belly out slightly, the bass will really look nice! If you turn the belly in, you will lost the nice girth - if she has one. I have been guilty of the same thing on occasion, but try not to have my clients or I hold toads vertically.

Another thing I see on the fishing shows that makes for bad images, is when they have a fish that's eaten a jig and they smack the jig with their hand to unhook the jig. I've had people watching that don't know and ask why they just hit the fish in the mouth. It just looks bad.

I do my best not to flip fish into the boat. The exception is if I'm punching or frogging and I need to pull them out of cover quickly, then I will flip them. But I'll get them off of the decking ASAP. I do 99% of my fishing alone and nets are a pain when your solo so I lip a majority of my fish. I do my best not to over stress there jaw and support them as soon as the hook is out. I agree that treating the fish with care and respect is important and lacking at times on TV.

I don't however see a problem with popping a jig or frog out. It gets the hooks out quicker and easier that pliers and I can support the fish faster. But I can see the misperception.

As far as pfd's go, I always ware one under way. I'm a fanatical duck hunter and it's always bothered me to watch shows like RNT, ZINK, act... where NOBODY including the kids has one on. I hope eventually someone decides to carry the torch and promote there use instead of worrying about there camo sponsor not getting enough screen time.

Freefall,
I fish alone most of the time, too, and boat flip a lot of my fish. I like to keep them coming and get them into the boat quickly, since the hooks don't always penetrate enough to hold while I lip them.
I used to have a wet micro fiber towel on my front deck for a landing pad, but I forgot to wet it one trip, so here's what I did instead.
I have a net on the front deck, with a soft rubber netting that doesn't take off the fish's slime.
I used it as a landing pad, and the fish calmed right down once it was on the soft rubber netting.
So now my boat flipped fish have somewhere to land that's both convenient and fish-friendly.
Most of us have similar "fish-friendly" nets now, so it should be an easy alternative to carpet landing for us all.