Correct way to hold larger Bass....

[Tony Livingston]

This made the rounds over at PondBoss, thought it might serve us as well over here. Beware the one handed grip! Broken jaws may not be apparent to the angler, but the damage to the bass can be terminal.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4...

[Leo Nguyen]

Ah yes..the super macho man pose.

[jim cosgrove]

not just the pros we have these local bass circuits that do pay cash prizes,these guys for some reason can possess in their livewell more than the possession limit on a given BOW.i know they are releasing them "unharmed" after being in a livewell on 90 degree day after weigh in.if the DNR checks my boat and i am possessing 3 bass when the limit is 1 blackbass and that fish must be over 15 inches i am in trouble.they have the same license as me.they also fish right up on ya and over ya.i think paper tournament or banned.saw a crappie tournament on t.v. and they treated the fish even worse.

[Andy is OptiMystic]

They don't allow that here. They can cull - keep fishing with a limit in the well and return one to keep another - but they can't have more than the limit in the well. Mortality does get higher in the summer.

[jim cosgrove]

it would be hard for you guys to understand the fishing pressure in my area.i dont think this is technically allowed but it goes on.this is illinois after all

[Andy is OptiMystic]

The real high pressure money tourneys is where they won't get away with that. In the pro circuit, they have observers. On some of the higher purse amateur stuff, they watch each other like hawks and file grievances. When it's good old boys stuffing bills in a ball cap sometimes it is anything goes...

[jim cosgrove]

the point i was making was they are fishing for a 3 fish total on waters that only allow possession of 1 fish.and that fish must be over a certain size.these lakes have great forage bases but fishing pressure drove numbers down.just want to know how they can possess 3 ,even if temporarily because they are in a bass club and me or you can only possess 1.they have no special permits or licenses .they are groups who fish competively against each other and take over the ramps and waters every week for their private tournies on public water.

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Oh, straight out illegal fishing. Does Ill have a hotline? 

[Tony Livingston]

Current thinking is that a completely vertical hold, when gripped by the lip, allows for the possibility of a "jaw dislocation", for lack of a better term. Dislocated, broke.......all scenarios to try and avoid.

[Leo Nguyen]

Yet, most people don't understand that cradling the fish improperly also destroy the fish's anatomical supports. Holding the large fish directly under the body, between the jaw and belly, causing a pressure zone effect, creating cardial angina or arrhythmia. That will also send the fish to an early grave.

[B. Waldman]

That vertical hold poster is the newest one to be circulating around due to the death of one of this years Share-A-Lunkers, but the bent jaw deal, which is much more common among standard sized bass, is also a potential bad hold for dislocations. Here is another diagram showing that one.

[Andy is OptiMystic]

Dang - sounds like whatever we do is gonna kill 'em. Might as well hold them like this:

[Leo Nguyen]

Hahaha! I do that for all legal catches between 15 inches to 17 inches. I release anything greater to produce the next generations.