Catch-and-release: Handling larger bass safely

I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod? The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip. I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way. Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

See the ***s'

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
om...
I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

*** I can tell you from experience that a 15" fish is usually closer to 2lbs
than 3.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

***Depending on how hard the fish fights, and when it get close enough, I
can usually tell if I can lift it over with the rod. I'd rather lip or net
anything in the 15" category.

The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

*** It's always good to release a fish as soon as possible. But after a hard
fight, try to hold it in the water making sure that water is flowing through
its' gills. Usually, the fish will try to swim away, throwing water all over
you!


2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

*** A good net is coated and is suppose to help prevent losing the slime
coat. If the net isn't available... then lipping them is a good choice.

I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way.

*** It a part of life... it's gonna happen, and it's just a matter of when.

Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

*** Nothing. I consider it a part of the game. If the fish can live with a
hook being set in its' mouth... I can handle a little "Bass Thumb".


3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

*** The less contact with the slime coat, the better. NEVER try to hold a
fish horizontal by its' lower jaw alone. Vertical is best.


4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

*** When it snaps. Unless there is a flaw in the rod, it should not break
while fighting a fish. It will break however... if you are trying to lift a
huge fish out of the water and into the boat. Once again... get the net for
that.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

*** 3 to 5 feet will probably be ok. Just don't give them that spin that
I've seen people try to do. LOL Try for the head first approach.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

*** Pick up the fish, take out the hook, quick snapshot, and put it back in
the water. Also... use a heavier line if break offs are a problem.


Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:47:29 -0500, "Charles Summers"
sent into the ether:

See the ***s'
What's that about Charles?

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
. com...
I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

*** I can tell you from experience that a 15" fish is usually closer to 2lbs
than 3.
More like 1.6 or so, unless very fat.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

***Depending on how hard the fish fights, and when it get close enough, I
can usually tell if I can lift it over with the rod. I'd rather lip or net
anything in the 15" category.
Reel in so the line stays tight. It does not have to be fast unless
it's headed for a log or ome such cover.

The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

*** It's always good to release a fish as soon as possible. But after a hard
fight, try to hold it in the water making sure that water is flowing through
its' gills. Usually, the fish will try to swim away, throwing water all over
you!
Yep!


2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

*** A good net is coated and is suppose to help prevent losing the slime
coat. If the net isn't available... then lipping them is a good choice.

I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way.

*** It a part of life... it's gonna happen, and it's just a matter of when.
Use alittle 400 grit wet sandpaper on your thumb in March and April to
toughen it up :}

Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

*** Nothing. I consider it a part of the game. If the fish can live with a
hook being set in its' mouth... I can handle a little "Bass Thumb".
I used to have fun comparing caluses with other Bass fishermen.


3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

*** The less contact with the slime coat, the better. NEVER try to hold a
fish horizontal by its' lower jaw alone. Vertical is best.
And don't forget to hold the jaw so it isn't cranked wide open like to
many of the TV fishermen do. A hand under the belly of a big fish
isn't going to hurt it.


4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

*** When it snaps. Unless there is a flaw in the rod, it should not break
while fighting a fish. It will break however... if you are trying to lift a
huge fish out of the water and into the boat. Once again... get the net for
that.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

*** 3 to 5 feet will probably be ok. Just don't give them that spin that
I've seen people try to do. LOL Try for the head first approach.
I wish I could remember the article I was reading about that. It was
about Walleyes, not Bass, but they stated the toss was a good thing
for the fish as long as it was gentle and not overhand fastball style.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

*** Pick up the fish, take out the hook, quick snapshot, and put it back in
the water. Also... use a heavier line if break offs are a problem.


Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

Don't forget to post the pictures.

Remove the x for e-mail reply
www.outdoorfrontiers.com

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:47:29 -0500, "Charles Summers"
sent into the ether:

See the ***s'
What's that about Charles?

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
. com...
I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

*** I can tell you from experience that a 15" fish is usually closer to 2lbs
than 3.
More like 1.6 or so, unless very fat.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

***Depending on how hard the fish fights, and when it get close enough, I
can usually tell if I can lift it over with the rod. I'd rather lip or net
anything in the 15" category.
Reel in so the line stays tight. It does not have to be fast unless
it's headed for a log or ome such cover.

The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

*** It's always good to release a fish as soon as possible. But after a hard
fight, try to hold it in the water making sure that water is flowing through
its' gills. Usually, the fish will try to swim away, throwing water all over
you!
Yep!


2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

*** A good net is coated and is suppose to help prevent losing the slime
coat. If the net isn't available... then lipping them is a good choice.

I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way.

*** It a part of life... it's gonna happen, and it's just a matter of when.
Use alittle 400 grit wet sandpaper on your thumb in March and April to
toughen it up :}

Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

*** Nothing. I consider it a part of the game. If the fish can live with a
hook being set in its' mouth... I can handle a little "Bass Thumb".
I used to have fun comparing caluses with other Bass fishermen.


3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

*** The less contact with the slime coat, the better. NEVER try to hold a
fish horizontal by its' lower jaw alone. Vertical is best.
And don't forget to hold the jaw so it isn't cranked wide open like to
many of the TV fishermen do. A hand under the belly of a big fish
isn't going to hurt it.


4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

*** When it snaps. Unless there is a flaw in the rod, it should not break
while fighting a fish. It will break however... if you are trying to lift a
huge fish out of the water and into the boat. Once again... get the net for
that.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

*** 3 to 5 feet will probably be ok. Just don't give them that spin that
I've seen people try to do. LOL Try for the head first approach.
I wish I could remember the article I was reading about that. It was
about Walleyes, not Bass, but they stated the toss was a good thing
for the fish as long as it was gentle and not overhand fastball style.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

*** Pick up the fish, take out the hook, quick snapshot, and put it back in
the water. Also... use a heavier line if break offs are a problem.


Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

Don't forget to post the pictures.

Remove the x for e-mail reply
www.outdoorfrontiers.com

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
om...

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

If the fish is beachable, I'll generally bend down and grab it. If not I'll
lift it with the rod, up to three pounds. I use medium spinning with 10#
test. I try to get the fish in quickly, but I'm not using 50# line like some
do, so I don't reel in at speeds you see on TV in tournaments.

2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

I always lip-grab unless I perceive danger to me, like crankbait hooked in
lower lip. Then I use the gill cover method. I tend to take some chances
that I probably shouldn't.

3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

Don't know, but the size I catch, it's safe to hold by the lower jaw. Is
that safe for a 15-pounder? I wouldn't know.

4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

Don't know exactly, but if your tackle is balanced and settings are correct,
the drag should release before a rod-threatening bend. Grabbing the line to
pull it up is an invitation to a breakoff, even though it has to be resorted
to on a few occasions.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

Two minutes seems like a long time. I've fished some places where most of
the fish have to be released from a few feet above the water. With a little
practice, you can gently flip the fish as you let it go so that it will
jackknife into the water head first. Of course, this doesn't always work out
the way I want, but I don't know how much harm the "bellywhacker" causes.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

Naturally, try to grab by the lip if possible. Otherwise, stop the fish by
laying your hand on it's side; usually you can avoid contact with the sharp
spines. Or just let it get back to the water by itself (if it's close) if it
doesn't have a lure in its mouth and/or you don't need to weigh/measure it,
etc.

Remember, I'm no expert; I'm just relating some of the things I do, without
knowing what the "right" and "wrong" ways are.

Hope it's at least a little helpful.

I find that when you do grab the lower lip firmly (keep the fish vertical),
they stop moving. As you grab the lip, they can thrash. I wonder if
putting pressure on the lip presses some nerve that prevents movement. Any
of our resident biologists know the answer to that question?

Jeff


"Richard Berke" wrote in message
om...
I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod? The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip. I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way. Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

See the ***s'

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
om...
I have had the good fortune lately of catching some larger bass than I
had been used to. (Whether this is luck, or I'm getting better at
techniques, I don't know.) I haven't had a scale, but I'm guessing
these have been 15+ inches and maybe 3-3.5 pounds. I only
catch-and-release. I've only been fishing ponds/lakes from shore. I
need advice on several aspects.

*** I can tell you from experience that a 15" fish is usually closer to 2lbs
than 3.

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

***Depending on how hard the fish fights, and when it get close enough, I
can usually tell if I can lift it over with the rod. I'd rather lip or net
anything in the 15" category.

The
concentration of force on the skin/cartilage where the hook is caught
will increase substantially with a heavier fish. I want the fish to
be able to go swim away and grow even bigger. Some of the fun of
fishing is the fight, but I don't want to exhaust the fish and risk it
dying after I release it.

*** It's always good to release a fish as soon as possible. But after a hard
fight, try to hold it in the water making sure that water is flowing through
its' gills. Usually, the fish will try to swim away, throwing water all over
you!


2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

*** A good net is coated and is suppose to help prevent losing the slime
coat. If the net isn't available... then lipping them is a good choice.

I have some concern about getting myself hurt on the hook still
in its mouth that way.

*** It a part of life... it's gonna happen, and it's just a matter of when.

Also, I've gotten some cuts from their raspy
lower teeth. The bigger heavier fish have sometimes been too much for
my grasp and as they wrench themselves free I get cut. So far it's
only been a stinging irritation with a little blood from my thumb. I
wish I could say I fished and caught enough to develop a callous. A
bandaid in advance of catching seems the simple solution. What do you
do?

*** Nothing. I consider it a part of the game. If the fish can live with a
hook being set in its' mouth... I can handle a little "Bass Thumb".


3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

*** The less contact with the slime coat, the better. NEVER try to hold a
fish horizontal by its' lower jaw alone. Vertical is best.


4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

*** When it snaps. Unless there is a flaw in the rod, it should not break
while fighting a fish. It will break however... if you are trying to lift a
huge fish out of the water and into the boat. Once again... get the net for
that.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

*** 3 to 5 feet will probably be ok. Just don't give them that spin that
I've seen people try to do. LOL Try for the head first approach.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

*** Pick up the fish, take out the hook, quick snapshot, and put it back in
the water. Also... use a heavier line if break offs are a problem.


Thanks,
Richard Berke
Columbia, MD

"Richard Berke" wrote in message
om...

1. As you are reeling in how do you decide how fast to reel in, and
whether to lift the fish out of the water with your rod?

If the fish is beachable, I'll generally bend down and grab it. If not I'll
lift it with the rod, up to three pounds. I use medium spinning with 10#
test. I try to get the fish in quickly, but I'm not using 50# line like some
do, so I don't reel in at speeds you see on TV in tournaments.

2. How do you grab a fish safely? I know you want to avoid touching
it's protective slime coating on its skin. If it's hooked and you have
line tension, and it's almost out of the water, it still seems iffy
whether the fish will thrash as I try to use a thumb grab on his lower
lip.

I always lip-grab unless I perceive danger to me, like crankbait hooked in
lower lip. Then I use the gill cover method. I tend to take some chances
that I probably shouldn't.

3. How heavy a bass is it safe (for the fish) to hold up by only its
lower jaw? When is it less injurious to the fish to use two hands:
one on the lip and one as a shelf under its belly?

Don't know, but the size I catch, it's safe to hold by the lower jaw. Is
that safe for a 15-pounder? I wouldn't know.

4. I've caught fish that bent my medium-rod past a gentle C and almost
to a U, so I've grabbed the line with my hands to pull the fish up the
rest of the last few feet and out of the water and let the rod
straighten out. How do you know when the bend is too much for the rod?

Don't know exactly, but if your tackle is balanced and settings are correct,
the drag should release before a rod-threatening bend. Grabbing the line to
pull it up is an invitation to a breakoff, even though it has to be resorted
to on a few occasions.

5. I can't always get way down to the water to release a fish slowly,
and within just seconds after the catch. If my choices are to toss
the fish the higher shore/dock from 3-5 feet into the water, or walk
2+ minutes or so to reach a lower shore area to get to the water,
which stresses the fish least? Out of water, struggling to breath all
the while is bad, but the impact of water at some point would be
worse. Right?

Two minutes seems like a long time. I've fished some places where most of
the fish have to be released from a few feet above the water. With a little
practice, you can gently flip the fish as you let it go so that it will
jackknife into the water head first. Of course, this doesn't always work out
the way I want, but I don't know how much harm the "bellywhacker" causes.

6. When the fish thrashes off the hook, or snaps the line, and it's on
the ground struggling to get to the water, what do you do? Of course
banging its body on the ground is harmful. Of course grabbing the
fish with a towel further disturbs its slime coat. I've tried to grab
with my hands, and been cut on the top fins/spines much worse than by
the fish's teeth. What do you advise?

Naturally, try to grab by the lip if possible. Otherwise, stop the fish by
laying your hand on it's side; usually you can avoid contact with the sharp
spines. Or just let it get back to the water by itself (if it's close) if it
doesn't have a lure in its mouth and/or you don't need to weigh/measure it,
etc.

Remember, I'm no expert; I'm just relating some of the things I do, without
knowing what the "right" and "wrong" ways are.

Hope it's at least a little helpful.