Handling/returning Bass properly or despatching them

[OxfordRichard]

Hi, any advice on handling Bass properly and returning them safely back to the water?

 

On the other hand, what is the most efficient/humane way of desptaching a Bass for the table. I've heard a sharp blow between the eyes works?

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[merlino bill]

OI OI,

I use a brass preist for any fish im taking for the table, it pi**es me off when you see people either leave them to suffercate or worst still bashing them on pier rail's or the floor.................you buy a preist, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[glennk]

A gaff is good.

[steve pitts]

Hi Rick

 

I expect you've realised that bass have all sorts of spikey bits.

 

Keeping your hands away from the dorsal fin and gill covers will lessen the risk of getting progged or gashed. The spines on the dorsal aren't poisonous but getting stabbed can lead to infection.

Someone was telling me recently that a friend of his had a bass dorsal spine break off in his thumb while handling a fish. Several months later the spine emerged from under the skin on his elbow having travlled up his forearm .

 

The gill covers have serrated plates which lie flat when the fish has it's mouth closed, but when it opens it's mouth and flares it's gills they stand proud of the gill cover and can inflict several nasty gashes at once.

 

Bass have a tendency to thrash about when you're trying to unhook them, often the cause of transfering the hook or treble to the angler's hand, but if you turn them on their back, they tend to lie still.

 

Using a Boga grip has the same effect (any large bass should be supported under the belly if you're using one of these jaw-grabbing devices). Berkely have a pistol grip version, which is much cheaper than the Boga, but I don't think that it has the integral weight scales that the Boga does.

 

Using a pair of pliers to extract the hook is often quicker and safer than using cold, wet fingers.

 

You can safely hold bass under the head and belly to return them. Sometimes you can use you thumb and forefinger to grab the lower jaw whilst waiting for the fish to recover. Try not to let it go untill you're sure that it is strong enough to swim away. They will often give a couple of kicks when they are ready.

 

If you have to release them from rocks or a pier, a drop net or landing net is best, rather than launching them from a hieght.

 

If you're going to kill one, do it quickly by smacking it hard over the top of it's head, just behind the eyes. Three sharp taps with a priest or the handle of a knife should do it.

 

Cheers

Steve

 

PS I'm not sure if Glenn's suggestion was serious, but a gaff tends to bounce off the scales of a bass and if you do manage to get a gaff into the belly, the bass is bu**ered for a release, or the flesh gets tainted by blood and other gunge, although you might get a big bass to open it's mouth to slip a gaff though it's chin I suppose.

Edited August 2, 2008 by steve pitts

[glennk]

Yeah just joking Steve,

 

I see Henry Gilby gets hold of them in the mouth.

 

Whilst out fishing the other day a lad past me with rather large storm plug hanging from his hand and it looked very painful. The potential for getting trebles in your hand is high if you cant get the bloody things to calm down.

[steve pitts]

Whilst out fishing the other day a lad past me with rather large storm plug hanging from his hand and it looked very painful. The potential for getting trebles in your hand is high if you cant get the bloody things to calm down.

 

Surprisingly easy as it happens

 

[ColinW]

Here's a video showing how to get them out again. I know from experience that this technique is quite difficult to do to yourself, especially with a fish attached to the other treble of a plug! Good reason to use barbless hooks. If you use barbed hooks, make sure you have heavy duty cutters (where you can reach them!) to cut the hook from the plug, so you can sort out the fish before you try to get the hook out of the victim.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Rem...g-Fishing-line/

 

(I can't hear the sound on the video, if it doesn't say it, the important thing is to press the eye of the hook against your skin before you jerk, so the hook pushes the flesh aside and doesn't drag the barb through. It really is painless!)

Edited August 2, 2008 by ColinW

[steve pitts]

If you use barbed hooks, make sure you have heavy duty cutters (where you can reach them!) to cut the hook from the plug, so you can sort out the fish before you try to get the hook out of the victim.

 

It really is painless!

 

This was an Owner High carbon steel hook and cutters wouldn't touch it.

 

Off to casualty I went (feeling rather foolish).

Turned out the doctor was fish-phobic and he ran a mile when he saw the plug.

 

After 10 mins of sawing with a surgical circular saw, it had hardly made an impression.

Time for the scalpel to come out.

 

I have rather a neat 1cm long scar on my thumb to remind me whenever I think about unhooking a fish and now always wear a pair of pliers on a belt for the job.

 

Oh.... and it DOES hurt

[Dan]

OK some simple rules that work for me!

 

No need to use special hardened trebles you don't need them, normal bronzed ones will do just fine, I buy a box and replace them if they get rusty.

You don't need barbs for lure fishing, break them off with a pair of pliers, it will still leave a little lip to help retain the hook but will pull out of man and beast easily.

 

You'll only lose a bass because with barbless hooks if you let go of the pressure.

 

Dan

[ColinW]

This was an Owner High carbon steel hook and cutters wouldn't touch it.

 

Off to casualty I went (feeling rather foolish).

Turned out the doctor was fish-phobic and he ran a mile when he saw the plug.

 

After 10 mins of sawing with a surgical circular saw, it had hardly made an impression.

Time for the scalpel to come out.

 

I have rather a neat 1cm long scar on my thumb to remind me whenever I think about unhooking a fish and now always wear a pair of pliers on a belt for the job.

 

Oh.... and it DOES hurt

 

You could have easily cut through the split ring with a decent (big) pair of cutters and that is the perfect hook position for the jerk out method. You could have had that out in ten seconds, a quick wash in TCP, and carried on fishing. When I say it doesn't hurt I mean the removal process, not the initial hooking

I can assure you it does work. I've done it to myself and the dog